Turkish Airlines targets place among world’s 100 most valuable brands - Get updated on what's happening in tourism!

Turkish Airlines wants to become the first Turkish company to rank among the world’s 100 most valuable brands, combining continued expansion with a stronger focus on the value generated by its products and services. CEO Ahmet Olmustur says the airline intends to complement volume-driven growth with a long-term strategy centred on brand value and passenger experience.

The carrier has already been Türkiye’s most valuable brand for nine consecutive years and reached a record valuation of $2.9 billion last year. Its next phase will include a new Premium Economy product, regional aircraft, more large long-haul jets and further investment in artificial intelligence, loyalty and holiday packages.

Passenger experience measured across 122 touchpoints

Turkish Airlines has identified around 122 points of interaction with passengers, beginning with a visit to its website and extending through check-in, boarding, the flight itself, baggage delivery and subsequent customer service.

“We’ve created some 122 touchpoints to interact with passengers,” said Olmustur, describing these interactions as integral parts of the customer experience and among the most important criteria in the airline’s strategy.

The approach reflects Turkish Airlines’ intention to strengthen its international brand not simply by carrying more passengers, but by improving the perceived value of the entire journey.

Premium Economy planned for widespread rollout by 2029

One of the most visible changes will be the introduction of a new Premium Economy Class. Turkish Airlines plans seats offering greater recline and additional legroom, accompanied by an upgraded dining experience and additional Miles&Smiles benefits.

The airline is targeting 2029 for the widespread rollout of the product and is currently reassessing its fleet and the cabin modifications required.

The move will add another service tier between Economy and Business Class as Turkish Airlines seeks to diversify its products and strengthen its position in higher-value passenger segments.

Regional aircraft to feed the Istanbul hub

Fleet strategy is also changing at the other end of the market. Turkish Airlines launched a tender in July for regional aircraft, with integration expected during the second half of 2028.

The smaller aircraft are intended to serve markets capable of generating around 100 to 140 passengers per day and feed these travellers through Istanbul into the airline’s wider international network.

“The fleet expansion will allow connecting a daily passenger count of 100-140 to Istanbul and transport our passengers to other destinations in our flight network via the megacity,” Olmustur said. The strategy is also intended to strengthen Istanbul Airport’s role as an international hub.

At the same time, Turkish Airlines plans to increase the number of high-capacity long-haul aircraft, with particular interest in models offering around 400 seats.

A350 records more than 17 hours of flying per day

The airline is also seeking high utilisation of its existing long-haul fleet. According to Olmustur, Turkish Airlines achieved particularly strong operational efficiency with its Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleets in 2025 and 2026.

One Airbus A350, registered TC-LGP, recorded an average daily flight time of 17 hours and 20 minutes last year.

“We aim to ensure the effective use of our aircraft by maintaining the highest standards of safety, maintenance, and operational requirements,” Olmustur said.

Chengdu and Minsk expand the network

Network growth remains another pillar of the strategy. Turkish Airlines attracted 1.2 million first-time passengers during the past year and is continuing to expand in Asia.

Flights to Chengdu are scheduled to begin on 11 November. The new Chinese destination will complement the airline’s existing services to Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, each currently served by 14 weekly flights.

Services to Minsk are meanwhile scheduled to resume on 20 September.

Cargo operations are also being adjusted according to market demand. Turkish Airlines intends to direct capacity towards markets where demand is strong and available supply limited, allowing the company to pursue higher yields.

AI assistant handles more than two million enquiries

Technology is becoming increasingly important to the passenger strategy. TK Assistant, Turkish Airlines’ artificial intelligence-powered application, handled more than two million passenger enquiries in more than 100 languages during its first seven months.

The airline is also developing Turkish Airlines Holidays as a means of capturing a larger share of travellers’ overall spending. Since 1 September, customers booking travel packages through the platform can earn additional status miles.

Miles&Smiles passes 25 million members

The expansion of travel-related services feeds into Miles&Smiles, which has now exceeded 25 million members.

“The program reached a scale that can no longer be described as a simple frequent-flyer program,” Olmustur said.

Turkish Airlines recently brought together at Istanbul Airport 100 passengers who have flown particularly consistently since the programme was launched, highlighting the role long-term customer relationships are expected to play in the broader brand strategy.

Olmustur, who began his own Turkish Airlines career in a call centre in 2000, also emphasised the importance of employee feedback. Together with new aircraft, cabin products, technology and network expansion, those insights are intended to support a long-term objective that reaches beyond traffic growth: turning Turkish Airlines into one of the world’s 100 most valuable brands.

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