Türkiye's civil aviation fleet reaches 1,772 craft at mid-year

The Transport and Infrastructure Ministry's Civil Aviation General Directorate (SHGM) reported that Türkiye's civil aviation fleet reached 1,772 registered craft by the end of June, comprising aircraft, helicopters and gliders positioned to serve the country's major hubs. The expansion supports 60 airports handling more than 6,800 daily flights with a combined annual passenger capacity of 400 million.

Commercial Carrier Growth

Airlines operate the largest fleet share, with flag carrier Turkish Airlines, AJet and Pegasus collectively owning 846 aircraft as of mid-2026 — up from 751 in June 2025. Air taxi operators also increased their registrations from 235 to 259 craft over the same period, utilizing aircraft with a maximum capacity of 19 seats for commercial transport.

General Aviation and Balloons

General aviation operators, which conduct passenger and cargo transport outside commercial air services, raised their fleet from 595 to 632 aircraft during the first half of the year. The sector includes 35 ultralight aircraft and 528 hot air balloons — categorized as aircraft under SHGM regulations — reflecting the continued importance of balloon tourism to the national economy.

Aviation Infrastructure Scale

The fleet growth accompanies Türkiye's rise to the top ranks of global aviation, with its major hubs in Istanbul, Ankara and Antalya ranking among Europe's largest and busiest. When including hot air balloons, the total number of registered aircraft reached 2,300 by the end of June, compared to 2,116 in June 2025.