As Europe’s leading airline by number of flights, Turkish Airlines continues to expand its fleet in line with its sustainable growth objectives, despite uncertainties stemming from the conflict in the Middle East and delays in aircraft production. After expanding its fleet by 14% compared to last year, reaching 552 aircraft by the end of June 2026, Turkish Airlines increased its total revenue by 20.5% year-over-year to $7.2 billion in the second quarter of 2026, thanks to capacity planning tailored to a constantly changing operating environment.
Although geopolitical developments in the Middle East placed considerable pressure on global air cargo capacity during the second quarter of 2026, Turkish Cargo effectively met demand thanks to its robust infrastructure and strategic geographic location. As a result, cargo volume increased by 11.3%, while freight revenue rose by 58%, reaching nearly 1.3 billion U.S. dollars.
The impact of the war in the Middle East was notably reflected in the second-quarter financial results, due to the delayed effect on costs of the sharp rise in jet fuel prices. However, the increase in unit revenue per passenger and per cargo unit served as a significant balancing factor, driven by the company’s selective growth strategy, which remains focused on profitability. Reflecting this performance, EBITDAR exceeded the company’s publicly announced forecasts, surpassing $900 million, while the EBITDAR margin stood at 12.6%. During the same period, net income totaled $197 million, with a positive contribution from the investment portfolio.
Commenting on the results for the second quarter of 2026, Professor Murat Şeker, Chairman of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of Turkish Airlines, stated:“Despite the uncertainty caused by geopolitical developments in the Middle East and the sharp rise in fuel prices, we have successfully navigated this challenging period, just as we have done during previous crises. This has been possible thanks to our extensive flight network, our diversified business model, and our operational agility. At the same time, we have continued to implement comprehensive efficiency initiatives across all units of our company, while maintaining our disciplined approach to cost management. “As Turkish Airlines, we will continue to connect continents, cultures, and people through our products and services, while keeping our focus on flight safety and customer satisfaction. Leveraging the strength provided by our operational scale, our solid financial structure, and our highly qualified workforce, we will continue to move toward our centennial goals in a challenging operating environment.”
Having successfully completed the second quarter of 2026, Turkish Airlines proudly represents Turkey in every corner of the world thanks to its unique flight network, modern fleet, and first-class service. In the coming periods, our contribution to the sustainable growth of the aviation sector, both in Turkey and abroad, will continue to increase in line with our country’s development goals and our Centennial Strategy.
