Turkish Airlines aims to be first Turkish firm in top 100 brands

Turkish Airlines CEO Ahmet Olmustur told Anadolu Agency that the flag carrier is targeting entry into the world’s 100 most valuable brands, a move that would mark the first time a Turkish firm has achieved this recognition. Olmustur, who began his career at a Turkish Airlines call center in 2000, stated that the airline aims to balance value-driven growth with volume-driven expansion to reach this goal, noting that building brand value is a unique long-term endeavor. The carrier has held the title of Türkiye’s most valuable brand for nine consecutive years, reaching a record valuation of $2.9 billion last year.

Fleet and Product Upgrades

The airline is investing in product diversification to elevate its global standing, including the upcoming launch of a Premium Economy class. "We will offer passenger seats with a greater recline angle and more legroom, alongside an enhanced in-flight dining experience and additional benefits through the Miles&Smiles loyalty program," he said, adding that the airline is targeting 2029 for the widespread rollout. Turkish Airlines initiated a tender process in July to acquire regional aircraft with integration expected in the second half of 2028, while plans are underway to increase the number of long-range high-capacity aircraft with a focus on models boasting 400 seats.

Operational Efficiency and Expansion

The carrier already boasts the world’s highest operational efficiency for its Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleets, with one A350 logging an industry-leading average of 17 hours and 20 minutes of daily flight duration last year. Route expansion efforts continue to drive market share as the airline attracted 1.2 million first-timers over the past year, with new flights to Chengdu launching on Nov. 11 and Minsk service resuming on Sept. 20. Cargo operations are expanding through redirected capacity toward high-demand markets, while the TK Assistant AI application has handled over 2 million inquiries in 100 languages since rollout.

Loyalty and Tourism Growth

The airline aims to capture a broader share of the tourism market with its Turkish Airlines Holidays platform, which will begin awarding additional status miles on travel packages starting Sept. 1. These efforts aim to further bolster the Miles&Smiles loyalty program, which recently exceeded 25 million members. "The program reached a scale that can no longer be described as a simple frequent-flyer program," Olmustur said, referencing a recent gathering at IGA Istanbul Airport with 100 top-tier members.