Turkish Airlines has finalized an order for 100 Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets and secured options for another 50 aircraft, ending a year-long negotiation that had put the deal at risk.
The agreement was signed in New York on September 23 in the presence of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who is in the city for the United Nations General Assembly.
Turkish Airlines first announced plans for the 150-aircraft MAX deal in 2025, alongside an order for up to 75 Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
While the 787 agreement went ahead, the narrowbody order remained conditional on negotiations with CFM International, the GE Aerospace and Safran joint venture that exclusively supplies the LEAP-1B engine for the 737 MAX.
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Those negotiations became increasingly difficult over engine prices and maintenance terms. Turkish Airlines Chairman Ahmet Bolat publicly warned last year that the carrier could switch the order to Airbus if it failed to reach acceptable terms with CFM.
Reuters reported on September 15 that the dispute had been resolved and Boeing was close to securing the order. The negotiations also included Turkish Airlines' interest in establishing additional LEAP engine maintenance capabilities in Turkey.
737 MAX 10 remains an option
The final agreement covers 100 firm 737 MAX 8s and options for 50 additional MAX aircraft.
Turkish Airlines also secured substitution rights for the larger 737 MAX 10, which would allow the carrier to change some of the aircraft to Boeing's largest MAX variant. The MAX 10 has yet to enter commercial service and remains in the certification process.
The deal is Turkish Airlines' largest single-aisle order with Boeing. The carrier and its AJet subsidiary already operate 737 MAX aircraft alongside older 737s, 777s and 787 Dreamliners.
Turkish Airlines is pursuing a major fleet expansion that calls for more than 800 aircraft by 2033. The airline currently has 567 passenger and cargo aircraft, according to figures released by Boeing with the announcement.
Boeing deal began during Erdoğan-Trump meeting
The wider Boeing package emerged during Erdoğan's visit to the United States in September 2025.
Turkish Airlines announced plans for 225 Boeing aircraft after the Turkish president met U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House. The package comprised 50 firm 787s with 25 options and the proposed 100 firm 737 MAX aircraft with another 50 options.
The 787 portion was completed at the time, with deliveries scheduled between 2029 and 2034.
