SunExpress Celebrates 500,000 Passengers at Birmingham Airport
SunExpress is celebrating a major milestone after carrying over 500,000 passengers through Birmingham Airport (BHX) since it began operations to/from Birmingham in 2022.
The airline, which is a joint venture between Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa, operates routes from Birmingham to Dalaman, Antalya and Izmir.
To mark the occasion, SunExpress has joined forces with Birmingham Airport to give away a pair of return flights to Türkiye on BHX’s official social media channels. One lucky winner will get the chance to jet off and discover the stunning sights of Türkiye.
SunExpress’ scheduled services at the regional transport hub support connectivity between the Midlands and Türkiye with the airline operating over 50 flights to and from Birmingham during the peak summer season. With additional one-stop routes to over 230 destinations, these frequent services also support onwards long-haul travel from Birmingham.
The milestone follows a period of growth for SunExpress with significant investment in its UK and Ireland operation. The airline, celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, has seen a fourfold increase in seat capacity in the UK and Ireland since 2022. In 2025, the value carrier offers around 2 million seats in the UK and Ireland market. Following record revenue last year, SunExpress also announced in April its ambitious target of exceeding 16.8 million passengers this year.
Similar growth and expansion have been seen at Birmingham Airport as it remains on track to experience its busiest year on record in 2025/26. A record 14 million passengers are forecasted to travel through the transport hub this year. To maintain the passenger experience during this accelerated growth, Birmingham Airport is investing into refreshing and enhancing many of its facilities. Over £226 million is set to be invested into the airport’s terminal over the next three years with key developments including additional baggage carousels, airfield improvements, and a redeveloped departure lounge.
Tobias Bracht, Head of Sales for SunExpress, said: “We are incredibly proud to have welcomed more than half a million passengers through Birmingham Airport since launching our services in 2022. This milestone is a clear sign of the strong demand across the Midlands for affordable and reliable direct flights to Türkiye’s most popular destinations. Travellers value our broad range of services offering exceptional value for money and as we continue to expand our UK and Ireland network, Birmingham remains a key part of our strategy. We look forward to carrying even more travellers between the Midlands and Türkiye in the years ahead.”
Commenting on the airline’s milestone, Al Titterington, Terminal Operations Director at Birmingham Airport said: “We’re delighted to celebrate half a million SunExpress passengers through Birmingham Airport. SunExpress is a valued airline partner, and we look forward to welcoming even more of their customers through BHX in the near future.”