Turkey's national flag carrier Turkish Airlines served 68.8 million passengers in the first 11 months of 2019, a 7% increase compared to the previous year, the company announced Tuesday.

The number of passengers carried by the firm was around 64 million in the same period last year.

Turkish Airlines' seat occupancy rate – passenger load factor – stood at 81.7% between January and November. The number of passengers carried via international flights rose by 2.2%, according to the airline.

"Cargo/mail carried during this period increased by 9.5% and reached 1.4 million tons," the company said.

Meanwhile, the number of passengers Turkish Airlines carried in November rose by 3.7% to reach 5.7 million year-on-year, with an 85% seat occupancy rate.

The upward trend in tourism arrivals to the country, especially to the Mediterranean resort city of Antalya, played a role in the increased number of passengers preferring Turkish Airlines. The company's Chairman Ilker Aycı recently said their target is to carry 120 million passengers with its 500-aircraft fleet by 2023.

Turkish Airlines, founded in 1933, flies to 317 destinations in 126 countries with its fleet of 348 aircraft, including passenger and cargo planes.

Last year, the company carried 75.2 million passengers with a seat occupancy rate of 82%, and this year it aims to reach 80 million passengers on domestic and international routes.