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 aircraft production bottlenecks. Having increased its fleet by 14% year-on-year to 552 aircraft by the end of June 2026, Turkish Airlines boosted its total revenue by 20.5% year-on-year to US$7.2 billion in the second quarter of 2026, thanks to capacity planning adapted to a constantly evolving operating environment.
Although geopolitical events in the Middle East placed considerable pressure on global air freight capacity during the second quarter of 2026, Turkish Cargo responded effectively to demand thanks to its robust infrastructure and strategic geographic location. As a result, cargo volume increased by 11.3%, while freight revenue grew by 58% to nearly US$1.3 billion.
The impact of the war in the Middle East was significantly reflected in the second-quarter financial results, due to the deferred effect of the sharp increase in jet fuel prices on costs. However, the increase in unit revenue per passenger and cargo served as a significant offsetting factor, driven by the company's selective growth strategy, which remains focused on profitability. Reflecting this performance, EBITDAR exceeded the company's publicly announced guidance, surpassing $900 million, while the EBITDAR margin stood at 12.6%. Net income was $197 million during the same period, 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 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 successfully managed this challenging period, just as we have in previous crises. This was made possible by our extensive flight network, diversified business model, and operational agility. At the same time, we 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 remaining focused on flight safety and customer satisfaction. Leveraging the strength provided by our operational scale, solid financial structure, and highly skilled workforce, we will continue to progress toward our centenary goals in a challenging operating environment.”
Having successfully completed the second quarter of 2026, Turkish Airlines proudly represents Turkey around the world thanks to its unique flight network, modern fleet, and premium service. In the coming periods, its 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.
