Istanbul: The number of passengers on flights through Istanbul's airports from January to August has surpassed Trkiye's population, reaching 86.4 million, marking a 6% increase compared to the previous year.

According to Anadolu Agency, this figure reflects a significant rise in air travel activity in the city.

IGA Istanbul Airport, one of the main airports in the region, handled 55.2 million passengers during this period. Of these, 11.8 million were on domestic flights, while 43.4 million traveled on international routes, resulting in an overall increase of 3% year-on-year.

Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport, located on the Anatolian side, saw a total of 31.2 million passengers, with 13.8 million on domestic and 17.3 million on international flights. This airport experienced a 13.4% rise in passenger numbers compared to the same period last year.

The total population of Trkiye was recorded at 85.8 million as of July 1, as reported by the country's statistical agency, TurkStat. Meanwhile, Istanbul's airports jointly operated 559,811 flights in the first eight months of the year, representing a 7% increase.

The number of flights at IGA Istanbul Airport included 82,933 on domestic routes and 279,136 on international routes, totaling 346,644 flights, which is a 4.4% rise. Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport managed 178,296 flights, comprising 75,742 domestic and 102,554 international flights, marking an 11% increase.

Istanbul Ataturk Airport, serving as an executive air hub, conducted 10,863 domestic and 8,583 international flights, totaling 19,446 flights, a 4% increase.