ISTANBUL- Turkish Airlines (TK) or THY Chairman Ahmet Bolat announced plans to launch service to Minneapolis (MSP), USA, in April or May 2025 and also to Auckland (AKL), New Zealand.
The announcement came during the Turkish Airlines Management Summit 2025 in Antalya and was reported by local media, Turizmekonomi.
Photo: Clément AlloingTurkish Airlines Minneapolis and Auckland
Turkish Airlines currently operates flights to these U.S. cities: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, New York (JFK), San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington Dulles.
The airline plans to expand its network to 20 U.S. cities. According to the latest schedule, no U.S. airline currently serves Istanbul (IST).
THY aims to secure the world’s largest flight route by introducing Auckland flights via Singapore (SIN). The New Zealand route marks a significant expansion of the carrier’s Asia-Pacific presence.
Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu highlighted Turkey’s strategic position within a four-hour flight reach of 67 countries. The airline advances its ultra-long-haul operations with new 17-hour flights to Santiago (SCL), Chile, and 18-hour services to Melbourne (MEL) and Sydney (SYD), Australia.
Turkish Airlines resumes Benghazi operations after a decade-long hiatus, currently operating three weekly flights with plans for frequency increases. The carrier also prepares for Syrian market re-entry with Damascus flights launching on January 23, 2025.
The Transport Ministry dispatched technical teams to assess Damascus and Aleppo airports’ infrastructure. The evaluation focused on safety standards and air navigation capabilities, with Turkish authorities providing expertise for necessary upgrades.
Turkish Airlines plans three weekly frequencies to Syria following comprehensive safety assessments and operational preparations.
Photo: Clément AlloingBilateral Rights with 175 Countries
Turkey expanded its aviation partnerships to 175 countries, securing 253 new flight rights through 30 bilateral negotiations. The nation established unrestricted air transport agreements with Cambodia and Panama, removing point and frequency limitations.
Transport Minister Uraloğlu emphasized ongoing negotiations to strengthen carrier presence in strategic markets including China, India, and the European Union. These initiatives support Turkish Airlines’ network expansion across Africa and Asia.
Turkish aviation achieved unprecedented passenger volumes in 2024, serving 230 million travelers across domestic and international routes. The breakdown reveals 95.29 million domestic passengers and 134.69 million international travelers, marking a 7.5% increase from 2023.
Aircraft movements grew by 5.5% to 2.29 million operations. Istanbul Airport processed 917,764 aircraft movements, divided between 399,521 domestic and 517,285 international flights. The facility served approximately 80 million passengers, with 17.09 million domestic and 62.89 million international travelers, achieving 5% year-over-year growth.
Istanbul Airport announces implementation of Europe’s first triple parallel runway system on April 17. This infrastructure enhancement enables simultaneous landing and takeoff operations, reinforcing Istanbul’s position as Europe’s busiest airport.
The airport’s expansion plans target connections to 150 airlines across 350 destinations upon completion. This development supports Turkish Airlines’ strategic objective of becoming the world’s leading carrier through enhanced operational capacity and network growth.
Featured Image by Eurospot | X
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Turkish Airlines Eyes New Zealand Flights and China Destination
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