Obilet shared its travel statistics for 2025.

Travel habits in Türkiye showed a dynamic trend in both volume and diversity in 2025. According to published DHMI (General Directorate of State Airports Authority) data, the total number of passengers who preferred air travel in the first 11 months of the year increased by 7,22% compared to the same period of the previous year. This increase was 6,29% for domestic flights and 7,54% for international flights. While the number of domestic passengers reached 46,9 million in the January-November period, it is predicted that this momentum will continue, exceeding the 50 million mark by the end of the year. Similarly, in international flights, the number of arriving and departing passengers at Turkish airports reached 135,7 million in the first 11 months, and it is expected to close the year above 145 million. This means surpassing the record number of 135 million reached in 2024.

According to UETDS data, the number of scheduled and unscheduled passengers who preferred bus travel reached 153,4 million in the first 11 months of the year. The number of bus passengers is expected to reach 162 million by the end of the year, representing an 8% increase compared to 2024.

How Did the Holiday Calendar Affect Travel Traffic?

The intensity of travel throughout the year was largely determined by religious and official holidays. The busiest day for bus travel was recorded as Friday, March 28, 2025, coinciding with the start of the Ramadan holiday. Similarly, the highest number of air tickets sold also occurred on Friday, March 28, 2025. Sea travel also saw a significant impact, particularly during the summer season and the Eid al-Adha holiday. Demand for ferry tickets peaked on Monday, June 9, 2025, with Samos, Kos, and Chios being the most popular destinations for Greek island visits on that date.

Accommodation Trends

Accommodation data for 2025 reflects the wide range of preferences of holidaymakers, from budget-friendly to luxurious. Antalya once again ranked first in both the number of overnight stays and reservation amounts. The day with the most hotel reservations made through Obilet was December 31, 2025, partly due to organized campaigns and many citizens combining the New Year's holiday with the weekend.

According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism's Accommodation Statistics, domestic and foreign tourists evaluated various options in 15 different categories of ministry-certified facilities, ranging from holiday villages and guesthouses to boutique hotels and campsites, according to their budgets and needs. The most frequently occupied facility categories were hotels, hotels with basic certifications, and holiday villages, while apart-hotels and guesthouses also stood out. Over 70% of the total overnight stays in ministry-certified facilities were by foreign tourists, with the percentage exceeding 80% in 5-star hotels, holiday villages, and thermal hotels. Domestic tourists had a higher share in guesthouses, campsites, lower-star hotels, and apart-hotels.

Average Ticket Prices and Featured Routes

In 2025, domestic bus tickets were expected to cost an average of 712 TL, while domestic plane tickets were calculated to cost 2.208 TL and international plane tickets 6.152 TL.

Bus ticket prices throughout the year averaged 742 TL on the Ankara – İzmir route, 1.119 TL on the Istanbul – Antalya route, and 1.722 TL on the Diyarbakır – Istanbul route.

The highest domestic bus ticket price was recorded on Tuesday, September 02, 2025, for the Van – Tekirdağ route, at 3.500 TL. For international bus journeys, the Istanbul – Dortmund trip on Friday, November 07, 2025, ranked first with a price of 8.500 TL.

The most expensive domestic flight ticket was sold on Friday, August 15, 2025, for 16.946 TL on the Muğla – Istanbul route, while the most expensive international flight ticket departing from Turkey was sold on Sunday, January 12, 2025, for 178.113 TL for a Male (Maldives) – Istanbul flight. Another record for the year in the international flights category was the ticket price of 262.306 TL paid for a Dubai – New York flight purchased on Tuesday, May 20, 2025.

On popular domestic routes, ticket prices for flights between Ankara and Izmir averaged 1.920 TL, peaking at 11.746 TL. Similarly, the average price for the Diyarbakır – Istanbul route was 2.963 TL, while flights between Istanbul and Antalya averaged 1.817 TL.

When examining routes that saw an increase in sales volume compared to 2024, the Çanakkale – Rize, Hatay – Denizli, and Çanakkale – Istanbul routes stood out in domestic flights. In international flights, the Erbil (Iraq) – Batman, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) – Hatay, and Ankara – Cairo (Egypt) routes were listed as routes where demand gained momentum.

Vehicle Rental Data 

According to Obilet sales data, the longest car rental transaction of the year was recorded in Izmir, with a 79-day rental picked up from Adnan Menderes Airport; while the record in terms of value was a car rental transaction totaling 241.632 TL, which started on November 12, 2025 and continued until January 12, 2026. In terms of airport preferences, Sabiha Gökçen and Izmir Adnan Menderes shared the top spot, while Beylikdüzü and Bursa were the areas with the highest demand in city centers. The day with the most car rental transactions was recorded as June 05, 2025, coinciding with the Eid al-Adha holiday.

Source : HORECA TREND and Obilet