Turkish Airlines says it began 2026 on a strong note, having airlifted 7.6 million passengers in January, signalling growth in traffic, capacity, and cargo operations during the month.
The airline, in a statement made available to The PUNCH, detailed its traffic performance for the month and noted that the figures reflected sustained demand across its domestic and international networks.
The airline said, “Our January performance demonstrates the continued confidence of passengers in our network and service quality. We remain focused on expanding capacity in line with growing global travel demand.”
Passenger capacity, measured in Available Seat Kilometres, rose by 10 per cent year-on-year to 23.7 billion in January 2026, up from 21.5 billion in the same period of 2025. The carrier described the increase as a reflection of deliberate investments in fleet expansion and route development.
The growth underscores our ongoing investment in fleet expansion and network development to better connect the world through Istanbul,” the statement added.
Turkish Airlines also posted a strong overall load factor of 84 per cent for the month, indicating healthy seat occupancy levels across its operations. International routes achieved a load factor of 83.7 per cent, while domestic services recorded an even higher 87.5 per cent.
“The solid load factors across both domestic and international routes highlight the strength of demand in our home market and across our global operations,” the airline noted.
The carrier showed that a key highlight of the January results was the growth in international-to-international transit traffic, describing it as a central pillar of Turkish Airlines’ hub strategy built around Istanbul.
Transit passenger numbers increased by 10.8 per cent, rising from 2.8 million in January 2025 to 3.1 million in January 2026. “This growth further reinforces Istanbul’s role as a key global hub and validates our strategy of connecting continents through efficient transfer operations,” the airline said.
Beyond passenger operations, Turkish Airlines said it recorded gains in its cargo and mail business. The airline said cargo volumes grew by 18.8 per cent year-on-year to 178.3 thousand tonnes in January 2026, underlining the carrier’s expanding footprint in global air freight.