Ahmet Bolat, the Chairman of the Board and Executive Committee at Turkish Airlines has announced that the airline plans to increase its total number of cargo and passenger planes to 500 by the end of September 2025.
Speaking at an event, Bolat announced that the total number of planes will increase from 492 to 500 this year. Bolat also said that total aircraft will reach 813 by the end of 2033, which would be the 100th anniversary of the airline.
Bolat noted the rapid expansion of the flag carrier over the past 20 years, noting that while the 100th aircraft was purchased in 2006, it took just six years for the 200th aircraft to be added in 2012. Four years later saw aircraft number 300 added in 2016, and number 400 by 2023.
Currently, Turkish Airlines flies to 131 countries and 352 different airports around the globe. Revenue also increased by 8% in 2024 to $22.7 billion USD. This is up by 71% compared to the year 2019. Of this, $18.4 billion USD was passenger revenue, up by 4% when compared to the previous year.
Debt decreased to $5.7 billion USD, which is down from $14 billion USD in 2020. Net income amounted to $3.43 billion USD in 2024, Bolat announced.
In a further bid to increase revenue, the company has launched “Turkish Airlines Holidays” to offer holiday packages. This platform allows travellers to book flights, hotels, transfers, car rentals, and even travel insurance in one place.
Finally, Bolat spoke about the strong demand for cargo from around the world. He said at the event: “Due to strong demand from Asia, two tonnes of cargo were handled, and revenue rose by 35% from 2023, reaching $3.5 billion USD.”