Istanbul Airport becomes Europe’s busiest with nearly 1,400 daily flights
The data comes from EUROCONTROL’s latest European Aviation Report, which tracks air traffic across the continent.
The figures place Istanbul ahead of major European hubs, confirming its role as a central node in regional and intercontinental travel.
Europe’s busiest hubs rank behind Istanbul
According to the report, several of Europe’s busiest airports ranked just behind Istanbul Airport during the same period:
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol: 1,271 daily flights
London Heathrow Airport: 1,251 daily flights
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport: 1,230 daily flights
Adolfo Suarez Madrid–Barajas Airport: 1,192 daily flights
The gap shows Istanbul Airport leading Europe’s aviation traffic during the weeklong period.
Passenger growth reinforces hub status
Recent passenger data adds context to this performance. Istanbul Airport handled 84 million passengers in 2025, up from 80.4 million in 2024, according to data from Türkiye’s State Airports Authority (DHMI) and airport operators.
The airport also reached record operational levels during the year:
A peak of 1,707 flights in a single day on July 18
A record 282,835 passengers in one day on Aug. 2
A total of 547,000 flights over the year
More than 330 destinations are served from the airport, with transfer passengers accounting for 48% of total traffic, while 52% consist of arrivals and departures.
Expansion plans signal continued rise
Istanbul Airport has expanded its operational capacity through infrastructure upgrades, including the launch of triple independent runway operations on April 17, making it the first airport in Europe to implement the system.
The number of scheduled passenger airlines operating at the airport has reached 116, reflecting a broad international network.
Authorities have set a target of 90 million passengers for 2026, indicating continued growth in both traffic and connectivity.
turkiyetoday
