Top 10 Middle East Operators By Fleet Size 2017

February 09, 2017

#10: Oman Air

Credit: Oman Air

Oman Air, with its main base at Muscat International Airport in Seeb, Muscat, ties for last on this list with 45 aircraft as well. Its fleet is made up of 21 Boeing 737-800s, six Airbus A3320-300s and five Boeing 737-900ERs, among other aircraft.

#9: El Al

Credit: Raimond Spekking/Wikimedia

El Al, Israel’s flag carrier, has an all-Boeing fleet including 14 Boeing 737-800s, eight 737-900sERs and seven 747-400s, for a total of 45 aircraft.

#8: Mahan Air

Credit: Lasse Fuss/Wikimedia

Mahan Air has increased its fleet size to 56 aircraft; it had 52 aircraft in early 2015. The private airline based in Iran has 10 Airbus A300B4-600s, two Boeing 747-300/SCDs and two Boeing 747-400s.

#7: FlyDubai

Credit: FlyDubai

FlyDubai’s main hub is at Dubai International Airport in the United Arab Emirates. Its fleet comprises 25 owned and 32 leased Boeing 737-800s.

#6: Pegasus Airlines

Credit: Pegasus Airlines

Pegasus Airlines, a low-cost Turkish airline with several Turkish bases, has 71 aircraft in its fleet, including 50 Boeing 737-800s, 12 Airbus A320-200s and 9 A320NEOs.

#5: Etihad Airways

Credit: Richard Vandervord/Wikimedia Commons

Etihad Airways, based in the United Arab Emirates in Khalifoa City, near Abu Dhabi City, operates 120 aircraft. The fleet is made up of 22 Airbus A320-200s, 19 A330-200s and 19 Boeing 777-300ERs.

#4: Saudi Arabian Airlines

Credit: Asuspine, Airliners.net/Wikimedia Commons

Saudi Arabian Airlines, based at Jeddah-King Abdulaziz International Airport in Saudi Arabia, has a total of 182 aircraft. The fleet consists of 39 Airbus A320-200s, 30 Boeing 777-300ERs and 15 Embraer 170s.

#3: Qatar Airways

Credit: Qatar

Qatar Airways is based at Hamad International Airport. With 191 aircraft, the third-largest fleet in the region includes 39 Airbus A320-200s, 34 Boeing 777-300ERs and 30 787-8s.

#2: Emirates

Credit: Emirates

Emirates, one of two flag carriers for the United Arab Emirates (the other is Etihad Airways), is the second-largest airline in the region, with 261 total aircraft. Its fleet includes 128 Boeing 777-300ERs and 92 Airbus A380-800s.

#1: Turkish Airlines

Credit: Turkish Airlines

The Turkish Airlines fleet consists of 299 total aircraft, including 77 Boeing 737-800s, 66 Airbus A321-200s and 32 Boeing 777-300ERs.

The Middle East’s top 10 commercial airlines make up a total of 1,145 aircraft. Countries labeled under Middle East in Aviation Week’s MRO Fleet Discovery tool include Bahrain, Cyprus, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.