Türkiye’s skyward surge: Fleet expansions help aviation boom

The aviation boom and surge in air passenger traffic in Türkiye are also supported by investments and fleet expansions of domestic airlines, with three leading companies accounting for a notable part of the Boeing backlog orders, according to a report on Wednesday.

The total number of aircraft that Turkish Airlines (THY), Pegasus and SunExpress expect to receive from U.S. plane maker Boeing was recorded as 317, according to Anadolu Agency (AA).

According to information obtained from Boeing officials, as of the order and delivery data dated Sept. 30, 2026, the global backlog of undelivered aircraft orders for the company reached 6,863.

Aircraft expected to be delivered to Pegasus, SunExpress and Turkish Airlines make up approximately 4.6% of the total order backlog.

Among airlines in Türkiye, flag carrier Turkish Airlines holds the highest number of undelivered Boeing orders with 153 aircraft. Of these, 100 are from the Boeing 737 Max series and 53 from the Boeing 787 family.

Turkish Airlines is followed by Pegasus with 100 Boeing 737 orders, while SunExpress is awaiting the delivery of 64 aircraft from the Boeing 737 family. Thus, of the undelivered Boeing orders placed by Turkish Airlines, 264 are narrow-body 737 family aircraft, while 53 are wide-body 787 Dreamliner family aircraft.

Country-based data from Boeing highlights the order figures for the U.S., China and Türkiye.

While the number of aircraft awaiting delivery by U.S. airlines and other customers is recorded at 1,429, the backlog of 317 aircraft orders from Turkish companies is higher than the 137 aircraft ordered by customers in China.

Among U.S. customers, Southwest Airlines stands out with 397 aircraft, followed by Alaska Airlines with 173, and American Airlines with 134.

In China, Cathay Pacific Airways has 35 Boeing 777s on order, while China Southern Airlines has 26 Boeing 737s on order. The total number of aircraft expected by airlines and leasing companies in the country was 137.

These figures reflect country-based bookings displayed by Boeing, but due to undisclosed orders from customers in various countries, the data does not represent the definitive global ranking of all countries.

As of the end of September, there are 6,863 undelivered aircraft orders worldwide. The majority of these were for the 737 family.

As Turkish companies continue their fleet investments, figures from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) also highlight Türkiye’s position in the global aviation market.

According to a report published by IATA in July, the number of scheduled passengers in Türkiye rose by 2.9% compared to the previous year, reaching 129.3 million in 2025.

With this number, Türkiye was among the world’s top 10 air passenger markets.

Thus, the growth in Türkiye’s air passenger market was accompanied by Turkish airline companies’ long-term fleet investments.

DAILYSABAH