Sun Express is scaling back its expansion plans despite a steady flow of new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, including its first 737 MAX 10. The Lufthansa-Turkish Airlines joint venture now expects fleet and seat capacity to grow by around 4–5% annually, while capacity in Germany, Austria and Switzerland will remain broadly unchanged in 2027 as it prioritises fleet stability over automatic expansion.
The airline operates 86 Boeing 737s and has 64 Boeing aircraft on order. Eleven new 737 MAX aircraft are scheduled for delivery in 2027, followed by the first 737 MAX 10 in the first half of 2028. Depending on market conditions, the aircraft will either add capacity or replace older jets. Sun Express has abandoned its previous target of reaching 150 aircraft by 2033, with difficult economic conditions in its core markets and sharply higher kerosene prices influencing the revised approach.
From January to September, Sun Express carried about 12.5 million passengers, broadly matching the previous year, while its load factor rose from 84% to 86% after capacity adjustments. The airline expects around 16 million passengers in 2026 and plans to offer approximately 4.5 million seats during the coming winter.
The more cautious fleet strategy will not prevent network growth. Nine routes are planned for summer 2027, including Weeze–Antalya, Hannover–Dalaman, Vienna–Dalaman and Cologne/Bonn–Bodrum. Leipzig/Halle–Dalaman, launched in October, is also scheduled to continue through the summer timetable.