Antalya Airport, the main gateway to Türkiye’s Mediterranean resorts, handled more than 30 million passengers in the first nine months of 2026, according to data from the State Airports Authority (DHMİ).
The airport served 30,144,861 passengers between January and the end of September, with 182,452 flights and 365,263 tonnes of cargo, mail and baggage.
September dominated by international traffic
In September alone, 5,041,280 passengers passed through the airport. International travellers accounted for 4,345,788, or about 86% of the total, while 695,492 flew on domestic routes.
The airport handled 28,955 take-offs and landings during the month, 24,452 of them on international routes, and 63,472 tonnes of cargo, mail and baggage. DHMİ did not publish a comparison with last year in the figures reported.
Hoteliers say arrivals trail last year
The passenger numbers come as the resort sector reports a slightly weaker season. Kaan Kaşif Kavaloğlu, president of the Mediterranean Tourism Hoteliers and Operators Association (AKTOB), told Anadolu Agency on Tuesday that Antalya had received about 14 million foreign visitors so far this year, excluding domestic tourists, and was around 5% behind the same period in 2025.
He said Russia and Ukraine remained the city’s most important markets, while Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Hungary had grown this year. German autumn school holidays and continued demand from Britain are supporting October business, and lower prices than in July and August are drawing more Turkish holidaymakers. Golf tourism, centred on Belek, started in September.
Autumn and COP31
Antalya is preparing to host the COP31 United Nations climate conference in November, with work focused on the Belek area east of the city. The event is expected to bring delegations and media from around the world.
For visitors, October and November usually offer warm sea temperatures and lower hotel rates, though storms this week brought heavy rain, high waves and snow to the peaks above the coast. Travellers are advised to check flight status with airlines, as Middle East airspace disruptions have caused cancellations on some routes this autumn.
Sources
- Antalya Havalimanı 9 ayda 30 milyondan fazla yolcu ağırladı (Turizm Güncel)
- Antalya 2026’da ne kadar turist kaybetti? Oran açıklandı (Turizm Güncel)
Photo: Sharon Hahn Darlin / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
