Turkish Airlines invests 100 billion TRY

Turkish Airlines has launched a comprehensive investment initiative aimed at strengthening aviation infrastructure in Turkey and enhancing the company’s competitiveness. As part of this strategic measure, which aligns with the national airline’s vision for 2033, the groundbreaking ceremonies for eight new facilities with a total investment volume of over 100 billion TRY have been conducted at various locations, primarily at Istanbul Airport, the airline’s home base.

The ceremony at Istanbul Airport was attended by Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Turkey, as well as Prof. Ahmet Bolat, the Chairman of the Board and Executive of Turkish Airlines, along with other airline executives and prominent figures in Turkish aviation.

Minister Uraloğlu emphasized that Turkey will cross a new threshold in aviation with these investments. „With a breakthrough that will leave its mark in the sky and further strengthen the wings of our national airline, we will make a determined and ambitious start to 2026. The foundations laid today for these eight projects are strong steps towards the magnificent rise of Turkish Airlines and its goal of becoming the world’s leading airline,“ Uraloğlu stated. He added that the capacity of the SmartIST air cargo terminal will be increased in the second phase, raising the current cargo handling capacity from 2.2 million tons to 4.5 million tons. This will position Turkish Cargo as a leader in the global market. As part of these significant investments, totaling 100 billion TRY, 26,000 new jobs are expected to be created by 2026, further promoting the growth of the aviation ecosystem in Turkey.

Prof. Ahmet Bolat, Chairman of the Board of Turkish Airlines, also commented on the new investments: „In line with our goals for 2033, we are not only developing our fleet but also the robust infrastructure that enables us to utilize this fleet optimally. This investment initiative, exceeding 100 billion TRY and ranging from our cargo operations to our technical maintenance capacity, strengthens our global competitiveness and is a concrete testament to our vision of making Turkey one of the world’s leading aviation hubs. These investments will create 26,000 new jobs in 2026 and rise to 36,000 when all phases are completed.“

As part of the new investments, Turkish Airlines plans to implement several projects to secure its global leadership in cargo, technical maintenance, and catering. These include the SmartIST Phase 2 project, which aims to create one of the largest air cargo centers in the world with an annual capacity of 4.5 million tons, as well as the main catering facility of Turkish Airlines, positioned as one of the largest in-flight catering centers globally, capable of serving over 500,000 passengers per day.

Additionally, a new aircraft engine maintenance center is being constructed, set to be completed in 2027, which will be among the largest maintenance centers for new engine generations in Europe. Other planned investments include additional maintenance hangars that will allow for the simultaneous maintenance of 12 aircraft and are expected to increase the current maintenance capacity by an average of 20%.

These investments form the foundation of an integrated growth model that advances operational capacity, technical infrastructure, and digital capabilities in line with Turkish Airlines‘ goals for 2033. They support the strategic aviation economy that underpins the company’s global operations.

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