ANKARA

The IGA Istanbul Airport operated 1,491 flights on average every day last year, maintaining its top position in Europe for the fourth consecutive year, the Turkish transport and infrastructure minister told Anadolu.

Abdulkadir Gunyol stated that some 11.1 million flights were operated in the European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol) region last year, citing data from the organization.

Gunyol said the number of flights operated in the region climbed 4.1% year-on-year, and the highest daily flights were on July 18, 2025, with 37,034 recorded flights.

The minister noted Türkiye ranked sixth among European countries with the highest air traffic volume, with an average of 3,355 flights per day, as the country has grown into “a regional and global hub, with the average number of flights per day rising 20% versus the pre-pandemic levels.”

Meanwhile, the IGA Istanbul Airport was followed by Amsterdam Airport with 1,351 daily flights, London Heathrow Airport with 1,315, Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport with 1,314, and Frankfurt Airport with 1,261.

At the same time, Athens International Airport entered the top 10 last year, surpassing London Gatwick Airport, which fell from the top 10 in 2024 to the 13th position last year, the data showed.

*Writing by Emir Yildirim in Istanbul