PASSENGER CAPACITY OF SAMSUN ÇARŞAMBA AIRPORT TO INCREASE TO 3 MILLION
Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu stated, “We will bring a brand-new 29,120-square-meter domestic and international terminal building to Samsun. With our new terminal, we will increase the airport’s annual passenger capacity from 2 million to 3 million. The apron area will also expand from 54,027 square meters to 71,211 square meters.”
Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu delivered a speech at the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the New Domestic and International Terminal Building at Samsun Çarşamba Airport. Describing Samsun as one of the Black Sea region’s key gateways to the north of Anatolia, Uraloğlu said:
“During my tenure as Regional Director of Highways here, we had the opportunity to bring many of the road projects we worked on to life. Today, we are here in Samsun with three major priorities. First and foremost, we are laying the foundation for the New Domestic and International Terminal Building, which will increase the capacity of Çarşamba Airport to 3 million passengers.”
“We are not those who just talk; we are those who deliver”
“Thankfully, under the leadership of our President, we continue our drive to serve Samsun without slowing down, guided by the principle of ‘Never stop, keep moving forward.’ We are not those who simply produce words; we are those who deliver tangible results. We are not those who stop at promises; we are those who turn our commitments into action. They talk, the AK Party delivers!”
“We Have Transformed Türkiye into One of the Countries with the World’s Most Extensive Flight Networks”
Uraloğlu also emphasized Türkiye’s strategic location at the crossroads of three continents—Europe, Asia, and Africa—positioning the country along major air routes connecting developed and emerging markets. He stated:
“We are in an exceptional location, at the heart of 67 countries with a combined population of 1.5 billion people, all within a four-hour flight radius. Building on this strategic advantage, and guided by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s vision that ‘there will be no destination in the world that we cannot reach,’ we have transformed Türkiye into one of the countries with the world’s most extensive flight networks.”
Uraloğlu noted that the number of active airports in Türkiye had increased from 26 in 2002 to 58, adding:
“We have commissioned an average of 1.4 airports every year. By building bridges in the skies, we have transformed Türkiye into a global aviation hub. The number of passengers traveling on domestic and international routes, which stood at approximately 34.5 million in 2002, reached 247 million in 2025, setting an all-time record in the history of the Republic. We have risen to third place in Europe and seventh place worldwide.”
“We Estimate That Passenger and Aircraft Traffic in Samsun Will Reach More Than Twice Its Current Level”
Uraloğlu described Samsun Çarşamba Airport as one of the most important milestones of this major transformation in the Black Sea region, stating:
“We are seeing a significant increase in demand for air transportation and passenger traffic at Çarşamba Airport. In 2002, the number of passengers using air transportation in Samsun stood at 175,000. Last year, however, passenger traffic at our airport increased more than ninefold, reaching 1.64 million passengers, while aircraft traffic reached 17,169 movements. Based on our projections, we anticipate that passenger and aircraft traffic in Samsun will exceed twice its current level by 2050. Accordingly, we have decided to expand Samsun Çarşamba Airport with a vision befitting this city, a symbol of our independence, and to usher in a new era of higher-quality, more comfortable, and more modern services.”
“We Will Deliver a Brand-New 29,120-Square-Meter Domestic and International Terminal Building”
Emphasizing their commitment to making Samsun’s gateway to the skies larger, more modern, and more comfortable, Uraloğlu stated:
“We will deliver a brand-new 29,120-square-meter domestic and international terminal building to Samsun. With the new terminal, we will increase the airport’s annual passenger capacity from 2 million to 3 million. In addition to the new terminal building, the project will also include the construction of a new power center, heating center, apron barrier building, and internal airport access roads. Our apron area will expand from 54,027 square meters to 71,211 square meters. We will increase the number of aircraft parking positions to 14 and expand parking capacity from 246 vehicles to 1,506 vehicles.”
“Samsun’s Air Connectivity, Tourism, Trade, and Logistics Potential Will Gain a Whole New Momentum”
Uraloğlu also stated that the number of check-in counters would be increased as part of the new terminal project:
“We will expand the passenger lounges, baggage handling and VIP areas, and will also deliver a new CIP building to Samsun Çarşamba Airport. As a result, both domestic and international passengers will enjoy a more spacious, faster, and more comfortable travel experience, while Samsun’s potential in air connectivity, tourism, trade, and logistics will gain a whole new momentum.
“In summary, this project will enable Samsun’s agricultural, industrial, and tourism sectors to reach the world more rapidly; shorten the path toward the aspirations of our young people; and introduce Samsun’s unique natural and cultural attractions to an ever-growing number of visitors.”
Minister Uraloğlu stated that the new terminal building would expand Samsun’s gateway to the skies and strengthen its connections with the world, while also contributing to the emergence of a stronger Samsun worthy of the Century of Türkiye.