Turkish Airlines Reportedly Eyes Full Control of SunExpress

Turkish Airlines (TK, Istanbul Airport) is reportedly seeking to acquire Lufthansa’s 50% stake in SunExpress (XQ, Antalya), the joint venture leisure carrier. According to sources cited by Corriere della Sera, Lufthansa is resisting the sale, confident in SunExpress’s strong profitability.

Turkish Airlines, which reported a USD 2.4 billion profit in 2024, would likely pay at least USD 1.25 billion for Lufthansa’s share. SunExpress generated USD 2.2 billion in revenue and USD 164 million in net profit in 2024, carrying 15 million passengers with its fleet of 88 aircraft.

Sources say Turkish Airlines aims to fully integrate SunExpress to strengthen Europe–Middle East connectivity and capitalize on new opportunities such as the reopening of Syrian airspace.

The potential buyout aligns with Turkish Airlines’ broader global expansion strategy, following its recent investment plans in Spain’s Air Europa (UX, Palma de Mallorca).

Lufthansa has declined to comment on the matter, while Turkish Airlines had not responded to media inquiries at the time of publication.

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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com