urkish Airlines and the Boeing 737 MAX: A Deal That Could Shape the Next Chapter

There is a lot happening behind the scenes at Turkish Airlines, and one of the most closely watched developments is its long-awaited Boeing 737 MAX deal.

After nearly a year of negotiations, the deal appears to be entering a critical stage. If everything goes as planned, Turkish Airlines could soon sign an agreement covering 150 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft — 100 firm orders and 50 options.

According to a Reuters report published on September 15, the agreement could potentially be signed as early as next week. But there is an important caveat: nothing has been officially signed yet. Neither Turkish Airlines, Boeing nor CFM International has announced a final agreement.

And that distinction matters.

100 aircraft for sure, 50 more on the table

The plan involves Boeing's 737-8 and 737-10 MAX models.

Turkish Airlines announced back in September 2025 that negotiations with Boeing had essentially been completed for 100 firm aircraft and 50 options. The remaining piece of the puzzle was the engine deal with CFM International.

Boeing also announced at the time that Turkish Airlines intended to acquire up to 150 737 MAX aircraft. If finalized, it would become the airline's largest single-aisle aircraft order from Boeing.

For an airline that has been growing at an extraordinary pace, that is a pretty significant statement.

But the interesting part of this story isn't really the number 150. It is what has been happening around the engines.

The engine deal is where things get interesting

The 737 MAX is powered by CFM International's LEAP-1B engines, and negotiations over pricing and maintenance conditions have been one of the key reasons the aircraft order has not yet been finalized.

CFM International is a joint venture between GE Aerospace and Safran, and it is an extremely important player in the global aviation industry.

For Turkish Airlines, however, this isn't simply about buying engines.

The airline has reportedly been pushing for greater maintenance capabilities in Türkiye, including access to more advanced CFM technologies.

One of the ideas discussed has been the establishment of a so-called “Premier” maintenance facility in Türkiye, potentially giving the country a more advanced role in maintaining these engines.

If that becomes part of the final agreement, it could be just as important strategically as the aircraft themselves.

After all, buying 150 aircraft is one thing. Building the capability to maintain and support them locally is another.

A much bigger fleet strategy

The 737 MAX discussions also need to be viewed in the context of Turkish Airlines' broader fleet expansion.

In September 2025, the airline ordered 50 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, consisting of 35 787-9s and 15 787-10s, with options for another 25 aircraft.

Now add the potential 150 737 MAX aircraft, and you start to get a sense of just how ambitious Turkish Airlines' fleet plans are.

The airline has set itself a long-term target of reaching roughly 800 aircraft by 2033.

That is a huge number.

And it tells us something about how Turkish Airlines sees the future: not simply as an airline connecting Türkiye with the rest of the world, but as a global carrier that wants to keep expanding its reach, frequency and network