Passenger traffic at airports in the Turkish metropolis has neared the 70 million mark in the first seven months, according to official data demonstrating continued recovery in air travel.

Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gökçen Airport served nearly 69.34 million passengers from January through July, an increase of almost 6 million compared to the same period a year ago, the data by the General Directorate of State Airport Authorities (DHMI) showed.

Istanbul Airport alone handled about 45.67 million passengers in the first seven months, marking a 6% growth from a year ago. International traffic grew by 9%, while the number of travelers on domestic routes dropped by 4%.

At Sabiha Gökçen, located on the city's Asian side, domestic and international passenger numbers both saw notable growth. The airport increased its passenger count by 16% year-over-year to almost 23.65 million. Domestic traffic rose 18% and international traffic jumped by 14%.

Flights at both airports also grew.

At Istanbul Airport, the number of flights grew 3% to 299,662 in the first seven months, while at Sabiha Gökçen, that count jumped 7.5% to 139,226.