10 August, 2026 – SunExpress Airlines, the joint venture of Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines, has recorded the busiest weekend in its history, carrying more than 71,000 passengers on each consecutive day between Friday 31st July and Sunday 2nd August 2026. 

The airline reached an all-time high on 31st July when 72,340 passengers travelled with SunExpress – the highest number the carrier has ever welcomed on board in a single day. 

The record-breaking weekend also surpassed SunExpress’ previous daily passenger record of 70,444, set in August 2025. 

"The summer holiday season is traditionally one of the busiest travel periods of the year. We’re currently seeing high demand both from vacationers traveling to the Turkish Riviera and from people visiting family and friends in Türkiye,” said Helmut Wölfel, Commercial Director at SunExpress.  

“The new passenger record clearly shows that Türkiye remains one of the most popular travel destinations.” 

SunExpress carried more than six million passengers between January and June 2026. During the peak summer months of July and August, the airline expects to carry a total of around four million additional passengers. 

Across its network, SunExpress carries an average of around 34,000 passengers a day and operates more than 220 flights daily on average.  

Since the beginning of 2026, the SunExpress fleet has flown more than 82 million kilometres, or the equivalent to travelling around the Earth more than 2,000 times. 

-ENDS- 

About SunExpress Airlines
Founded in Antalya as a joint venture between Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa, SunExpress Airlines acts as a tourism ambassador between Türkiye and Europe with over 35 years of experience and leisure airline expertise. Operating flights to 250 routes across 37 countries, SunExpress carries nearly 16 million passengers annually with over 4,500 employees based in Antalya, Frankfurt, Izmir, Ankara and Dalaman. For more information, please visit www.sunexpress.com 

For more information, contact:
Charlie Hampton / Faye Clarke
Tel:  +44 (0)7884 187297  / +44 (0)7350 420791
Email: [email protected]