Turkish Airlines, which began operations in 1933 with just five planes, now operates a fleet of 388 aircraft as of September 2025, having evolved from WWII-surplus Douglas DC-3s (acquired in 1945) to its first jet, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9, in 1967. The carrier expanded with wide-body McDonnell Douglas DC-10s in 1972 and later standardized on Airbus A340s in the 1990s, while also adding Boeing 737s and Avro RJ100s for domestic routes. Major growth occurred in the 2000s, with orders for nearly 60 aircraft in 2004-2005, doubling the fleet from 65 to 120 by 2008, and a record order of 117 Airbus jets (including the A320neo family) in 2013, followed by 60 Boeing 737 MAXs. In 2018, it finalized orders for 25 Boeing 787s and 25 Airbus A350s, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced it to ground over 100 aircraft in 2020 and cancel a 40-plane 737 MAX order; since 2021, it has been retiring its Airbus A330s in favor of newer models. The airline announced plans to order 600 new aircraft in 2023 (though no firm order has been placed), and its planes are named after Turkish districts, rivers, and tourist spots, featuring a white livery with a grey tulip and red tail, including special Star Alliance liveries.