Turkish Airlines, or legally Türk Hava Yolları Anonim Ortaklığı, is the flag carrier of Turkey. As of 2024, it operates scheduled services to 272 destinations in Europe, Asia, Oceania, Africa, and the Americas, making it the largest mainline carrier in the world by number of passenger destinations. The airline serves more destinations non-stop from a single airport than any other airline in the world and flies to 126 countries, more than any other airline. With an operational fleet of 24 cargo aircraft, the airline's cargo division Turkish Cargo serves 82 destinations. The airline also owns a low cost subsidiary, AJet.
THY Fokker F27 Friendship landing at Athens Hellenikon Airport in 1973.
THY Douglas DC-10 in 1974 wearing the airline's initial colour scheme.
A Boeing 707 operated by Turkish Airlines at Heathrow Airport in 1984.
Turkish Airlines Boeing 737 at Zurich Airport in 1995.
Largest airlines in the world
The largest airlines in the world can be defined in several ways. As of 2023, Delta Air Lines is the largest by revenue, assets value, fleet size, and market capitalization; American Airlines Group by passengers carried, revenue passenger mile, number of employees and destinations served; FedEx Express by freight tonne-kilometers; Ryanair by number of routes; and Turkish Airlines by number of countries served.
Delta Air Lines ranks first by revenue, total assets, market capitalization, and brand value.
American Airlines Group ranks first by number of employees and passengers carried.
American Airlines and United Express aircraft at Los Angeles International Airport
FedEx Express is the largest by freight tonne-kilometers.
