Turkish Carriers Await Delivery of 317 Boeing Jets

Fleet Expansion in the Turkish Market

Fleet expansion plans by major Turkish carriers are accelerating in response to consistent growth within the nation's air passenger market. As of September 30, 2026, data from Boeing Commercial Airplanes indicates that Turkish Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, and SunExpress have a combined backlog of 317 Boeing aircraft awaiting delivery. These orders represent approximately 4.6% of Boeing’s total global backlog of 6,863 undelivered aircraft, underscoring the significant role of the Turkish aviation sector in supporting the manufacturer's long-term production stability.

Individual Carrier Commitments

Flag carrier Turkish Airlines, known officially as Türk Hava Yolları (THY), holds the largest share of this backlog with 153 undelivered units. This total includes 100 aircraft from the 737 MAX family and 53 from the 787 Dreamliner family. The airline's current growth strategy, which included a massive dual-OEM fleet renewal between December 2023 and September 2026, involves balancing its fleet between Airbus and Boeing to support its expansive hub operations at Istanbul Airport.

Pegasus Airlines is awaiting the delivery of 100 Boeing 737 aircraft, while SunExpress maintains an order for 64 aircraft from the 737 family. For SunExpress and Turkish Airlines, the delivery timeline for certain variants remains subject to regulatory progress, specifically the Federal Aviation Administration's final type certification for the Boeing 737 MAX 10. SunExpress currently expects the entry into service for its first 737-10 to occur in the first half of 2028.

Infrastructure and Maintenance Support

To accommodate the influx of new technology, carriers are investing heavily in domestic Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) infrastructure. The demand for technical services is driving substantial facility projects, most notably SunExpress’s plan to construct a new nine-bay MRO hangar at Antalya Airport, which is expected to be completed by the fall of 2029. This growth aligns with broader industry trends in Türkiye, where scheduled passenger traffic reached 129.3 million in 2025, a 2.9% year-over-year increase. The expansion also impacts major supply chain partners; for instance, CFM International has secured a memorandum of understanding for over 300 LEAP-1B engines to power the Turkish Airlines 737 MAX fleet, alongside a long-term services agreement.