SunExpress highlights ‘vital’ importance of UK and Ireland  

The UK and Ireland have been identified as being of “vital” importance to SunExpress as the carrier reported record 2024 revenue up 23% year-on-year to €2.2 billion. 

The joint venture between Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa carried almost 15 million passengers last year.

SunExpress has set a target of 16.8 million passengers in 2025 as it marks its 35th anniversary with seat capacity almost doubled compared to the pre-pandemic period.

Around two million seats are being offered across the UK and Ireland, up by 25% over 2024. 

This includes new routes across April and May from Glasgow, Liverpool and Cork, taking the airline’s UK and Ireland network to 13 departure airports. 

Seven of 15 new routes being added this summer are from the UK and Ireland as the airline expands its fleet to 85 aircraft serving 35 countries. These include Glasgow and Liverpool to Antalya, Glasgow, Newcastle and Stansted to Dalaman and Stansted to Kayseri.

The UK and Ireland is now the second core source market behind the collective of Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Chief executive Max Kownatzki said: “The UK and Ireland market is of vital strategic importance to SunExpress. 

“With continuing demand for Turkey as a sought-after holiday destination, we have broadened our footprint from five to 13 airports since 2022, working alongside our travel industry partners to deliver increasing choice and value for customers in the UK and Ireland.”

He added: “We have had a solid start to the 2025 summer season, with bookings increasing by 11% year-on-year for the second quarter of the year. 

"Additionally, we are observing a significant rise in interest for the autumn season. This reflects a rising appetite in Turkey not just for sea and sun vacations, but also for cultural, historical, gastronomic, health and sports tourism.

"Thanks to our strong financial performance, efficient operations, and high-quality service, we wrapped up a highly successful year. 2024 was a record year for us in terms of both capacity and fleet expansion, achieving the highest revenue and profit in our history. With a team of over 4,000 employees, we served nearly 15 million passengers.”