Turkish Airlines finalises Boeing MAX order covering 150 jets

Turkish Airlines has finalised an agreement with Boeing for up to 150 737 MAX aircraft, securing 100 firm 737-8 orders and options for 50 more jets in its largest single-aisle purchase from the US manufacturer.

The agreement, announced on Wednesday, concludes negotiations that began in 2025 and gives the carrier substitution rights allowing some of the additional aircraft to be converted to the larger 737-10 variant. Boeing said the deal was completed in the presence of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Turkish Airlines chairman Murat Şeker said the new aircraft would add efficiency and flexibility to operations while supporting the airline’s network from its Istanbul hub. The order is intended to reinforce short- and medium-haul capacity as the carrier expands both its fleet and route system.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and chief executive Stephanie Pope said the order extended a long-running partnership with Turkish Airlines and would support the carrier’s network growth. The manufacturer said the 737 MAX family offers lower fuel use and emissions than the aircraft it is designed to replace.

The narrowbody agreement follows Turkish Airlines’ 2025 order for up to 75 Boeing 787 Dreamliners. Together, the two programmes form a major part of the airline’s fleet expansion plan as it adds capacity across long-haul and regional markets.

The 737 MAX order had remained unresolved after the wider Boeing package was announced last year. Negotiations were complicated by disagreements involving engine maintenance terms and pricing with CFM International, the GE Aerospace and Safran joint venture that supplies LEAP-1B engines for the MAX family.

People familiar with those talks had said the airline wanted a broader industrial arrangement covering engine maintenance and access to repair capabilities. Turkish Airlines had also considered alternatives if acceptable commercial terms could not be reached. The final aircraft agreement indicates that the MAX portion of the package has now moved from negotiation to firm commitment and options, although detailed engine arrangements were not disclosed in Wednesday’s announcement.

Under the deal, Turkish Airlines will take 100 737-8 aircraft as firm purchases. The remaining 50 aircraft are options, giving the airline flexibility over future deliveries and fleet requirements. The substitution provision for the 737-10 gives it scope to introduce Boeing’s largest MAX model if capacity needs and certification timelines align with its plans.

The 737-8 is already part of the Turkish Airlines group fleet. Boeing said Turkish Airlines and its low-cost unit AJet together operate more than 200 Boeing aircraft, including 737 MAX jets, 737 Next Generation aircraft, 777s, 787 Dreamliners and 777 freighters.

The airline’s broader fleet stood at 567 passenger and cargo aircraft, according to Boeing’s statement, serving 358 destinations in 133 countries. Turkish Airlines has been expanding through its Istanbul hub, using a mix of narrowbody aircraft for regional routes and widebody jets for long-distance services.

For Boeing, the agreement adds a significant order to the 737 MAX backlog at a time when the manufacturer is working to raise output while maintaining tighter production and quality controls. The company has also been seeking to convert tentative airline commitments into firm orders as carriers plan fleet replacements and growth several years ahead.

The 737-10 remains subject to certification before commercial service. Turkish Airlines’ substitution rights therefore provide flexibility rather than a fixed commitment to that variant. The airline can retain the 737-8 as the core model while adjusting part of the order if the larger aircraft becomes suitable for specific high-density routes.

The deal also includes industrial participation linked to Türkiye’s aviation sector, according to Boeing. The company said it would continue supporting local aerospace activity alongside the aircraft sale, though it did not disclose the value or detailed scope of those arrangements.