Turkish Airlines Confirms Order for 100 Boeing 737 MAX Jets

Turkish Airlines has finalized its order for Boeing 737 MAX jets, closing out a deal that had been under negotiation for roughly a year. The agreement covers the airline's narrowbody fleet renewal and expansion plans as it works toward its 2033 centennial growth targets.

The Star Alliance carrier confirmed the purchase on September 23, 2026, in a deal signed in New York in the presence of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, underscoring the geopolitical weight the agreement carries alongside its commercial significance. The signing came after reports earlier in the process suggested Turkish Airlines could shift some of its order to Airbus if terms with Boeing did not improve.

What the Deal Includes

The order covers 100 firm Boeing 737-8 aircraft, plus options for 50 more, for a potential total of up to 150 jets, making it Turkish Airlines' largest-ever Boeing single-aisle order. The agreement also includes substitution rights for the 737-10, the largest variant in the 737 MAX family, giving Turkish Airlines flexibility to convert part of the order toward higher-capacity aircraft depending on demand.

Deliveries are scheduled to run between 2033 and 2037. The jets will replace older narrowbody aircraft while adding capacity on routes across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.

The deal builds on Turkish Airlines' 2025 agreement for up to 75 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, an already-finalized order rather than one still under discussion.

Why Boeing Kept the Order

Turkish Airlines had signaled frustration with Boeing during negotiations, and reports earlier this month indicated the primary sticking point was not the airframe itself but terms set by CFM International, the GE Aerospace and Safran joint venture that builds the LEAP-1B, the only engine offered on the 737 MAX.

Boeing's willingness to work through the engine-related friction appears to have preserved the deal. The manufacturer has faced a difficult stretch, with production caps imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration following the January 2024 door plug incident on an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9. Losing a customer of Turkish Airlines' size would have added pressure to an already strained order book, and the deal gives Boeing a marquee single-aisle win signed at head-of-state level.

Fleet Expansion Plans

Turkish Airlines is pursuing one of the largest fleet expansions in commercial aviation, aiming to operate more than 800 aircraft by 2033 as part of its centennial growth strategy. The airline (including its low-cost subsidiary AJet) currently operates more than 200 Boeing aircraft alone, spanning the 737 MAX, 787 Dreamliner, 777, 737 Next-Generation, and 777 Freighter types.

The carrier serves more destinations than any other airline in the world, connecting its Istanbul hub to hundreds of cities across more than 100 countries. Growing the fleet is central to maintaining that network reach as passenger demand expands in emerging markets.

Boeing's Position

The finalized order provides Boeing with a clear win at a time when the company is trying to stabilize both production and customer confidence. The 737 MAX program has recorded strong order activity in 2024 and 2025, but delivery rates remain below what airlines want.

Boeing has been ramping 737 production back up after the FAA capped output at 38 aircraft per month following the 2024 door plug incident. Regulators have recently indicated the manufacturer could move above that ceiling if it continues to meet quality benchmarks.

What Comes Next

For Turkish Airlines, the challenge now shifts to receiving the aircraft on schedule, given delivery slippage has affected nearly every major carrier with Boeing orders in recent years. The airline will also be watching for resolution of the unresolved CFM engine maintenance terms, which could still affect the economics of the deal even though the airframe order itself is now locked in.

Neither Turkish Airlines nor Boeing disclosed the financial value of the transaction. Based on list prices, an order of this size would carry a nominal value in the tens of billions of dollars, though airlines typically negotiate significant discounts on large purchases.