SunExpress has become the second airline in Turkey to get an Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Certificate after Turkish Airlines. As a result of this initiative launched in the last quarter of 2018, SunExpress, a joint venture of Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa, has obtained the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Certificate by fulfilling all the necessary obligations in September 2020.

SunExpress is the second company in the Turkish aviation industry to gain this status following Turkish Airlines, while in Antalya the airline has managed to become one of four companies operating in the logistics sector authorized with the respective certificate.

 Authorized Economic Operator Status is an internationally recognized valid status provided to reliable companies that fulfill customs obligations, have a regular and traceable registration system, are able to meet financial competence and safety standards and perform auto control. This status provides companies with many privileges and convenience in customs practices. Therefore, the Authorized Economic Operator is one of the main elements of the international foreign trade structure.

The Authorized Economic Operator certificate enables SunExpress to take advantage of status privileges in the countries covered under the mutual recognition agreement as well as time and cost savings in import and export processes, positive contribution to operational capabilities, competitiveness in international markets as well as a significant increase in brand value and reliability.

Currently, there are 19,001 companies in the European Union region and 11,605 companies in the United States qualified for the AEO certification.