Turkey's air harbor is approaching the 50 million milestone.
Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (ISG) has risen to 9th place in the ranking of the ten busiest airports in Europe. This is stated in a report by the British aviation analytics platform OAG titled "The Busiest Airports in the World in 2025."
In 2024, ISG's passenger traffic reached 48.4 million people. According to OAG's estimate, based on the proposed seat capacity, the airport increased its capacity by 15% compared to the previous year, bringing the figure to 28.6 million seats in one direction (semi-route).
As a result, Sabiha Gokcen became the only new airport to enter the "Top 10 Largest Airports in Europe," rising from 11th place in 2024 to 9th place.
The airport also recorded the highest growth rate among the top ten - 15% year-on-year, surpassing Munich Airport, which dropped to 10th place.
The report notes that major European hubs such as Frankfurt and Munich have yet to reach pre-pandemic levels, while Sabiha Gokcen increased its capacity by 37% compared to 2019, demonstrating the fastest growth in Europe.
Kerem Maybek, Deputy General Manager of ISG for Commerce and Strategy, commented on the results, stating that the achieved success reflects not only quantitative growth but also the practical implementation of a comprehensive vision for transformation, based on the strategic use of technology.
He noted that the airport will continue to support the rapid growth of passenger traffic through investments focused on sustainable development and digital solutions, providing world-class service.
"Thanks to its geopolitical location at the center of three continents, Turkey has become one of the key hubs of global aviation, serving as a fast transport route and an ergonomic transfer center. We connect Istanbul - the central point of this critically important logistics corridor - with 55 countries and 154 destinations, including 39 domestic and 115 international flights operated by 23 airlines," Maybek noted.
According to him, Sabiha Gokcen has ceased to be just a point of arrival and has transformed into an ecosystem that sets new standards for a global aviation hub.
"By integrating with road, sea, and rail transport, we continue to offer passengers not just transit, but a comfortable, predictable, smooth, and digitized travel experience," he added.
OAG's chief analyst John Grant, in turn, noted that global aviation is entering a new phase of growth, and Istanbul is strengthening its position as a global aviation center.
He stated that the passenger traffic figure of 48.4 million corresponds to an average annual load factor of 84%, which is a sustainable result that meets market expectations.
