Istanbul Airport has once again been named Europe's busiest airport by flight volume, recording an average of 1,623 daily flights during the week of July 13-19, according to the latest "European Aviation Overview" report from the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol).
The Turkish hub outpaced Amsterdam Airport (1,398 daily flights), Paris Charles de Gaulle (1,395), London Heathrow (1,331), and Frankfurt Airport (1,320) to claim the top spot among European airports.
Among the top 10 airports, three posted weekly growth in flight volumes. Antalya Airport led with a 2% increase, supported by higher traffic flows between Türkiye and the U.K., Germany, and Russia, as well as stronger domestic travel. Istanbul and Palma de Mallorca each recorded a 1% increase over the same period.
Compared to the same week last year, traffic at Istanbul Airport remained stable.
The report also highlighted that Turkish Airlines Group handled an average of 1,832 daily flights during the week, a 3% increase from the previous week and a 5% rise year-on-year.
Separately, Eurocontrol noted that jet fuel prices in Europe have risen again, driven by renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East following the collapse of the June 17 cease-fire between the U.S. and Iran, combined with low European jet fuel inventories and strong summer aviation demand.
Why it matters
Istanbul Airport's sustained leadership in European flight volumes underscores its strategic role as a major transit hub, particularly for connections between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The stable year-on-year traffic suggests the airport has reached a mature operational level, while the growth at Antalya highlights the importance of Türkiye's tourism sector in driving aviation demand. The rise in jet fuel prices, linked to geopolitical instability, could pressure airline operating costs and potentially affect ticket pricing and route planning for the upcoming months.
