Turkish Airlines has launched its longest flight with the formal debut of its Istanbul to Sydney route.
The flag carrier landed on Sydney soil for the first time today, marking a monumental milestone as it expands to its second destination in Australia, reaching 351 destinations across six continents within its global network.
The flight between Istanbul and Sydney will be operated with the airline’s new, modern fleet of Airbus A350-900 aircraft which is designed for long haul comfort with 32 flatbed seats in business class, and 297 recliners for economy travellers.
Set to be operated four times a week via Kuala Lumpur, flights will take 19 hours with its 9,300-mile flight path. The new route will not only bolster the ties between Türkiye and Australia, driving growth in tourism, trade, and cultural exchange, but also provide Australian guests the flag carrier’s robust flight network, ensuring they can explore the world with the comfort and hospitality of Turkish Airlines.
Following the launch of Turkish Airlines’ first flight from Melbourne in March this year, Sydney becomes the second Australian city added to the flag carrier’s ever-expanding network. The inaugural flight sets the stage for Turkish Airlines’ future plans to introduce direct, non-stop services from Sydney to Istanbul, revolutionising travel between the two iconic travel destinations.
On the arrival of the first aircraft in Sydney, Turkish Airlines CEO Bilal Ekşi stated: “This momentous occasion marks Turkish Airlines’ longest flight path in history, as we happily add our second Australian city to our flight network.”
“The arrival of our first flight from Istanbul to Sydney represents our ongoing commitment to connect travellers across the globe, providing a seamless gateway between Europe and Australia with the comfort and hospitality of Turkish Airlines. Once we receive our aircraft capable of conducting the journey in a single leap, we look forward to further expanding our offering in the near future with Australia’s first non-stop flights to Istanbul.”
New South Wales Minister for Jobs and Tourism, The Hon. John Graham said: “Turkish Airlines’ arrival in Sydney is a landmark moment that offers a new high-quality option for local travellers to Europe and a boost in visitor numbers to Sydney. This exciting new route from Istanbul was made possible by a financial incentive from the Minns Government. We are backing our airports to increase capacity and bring more visitors to NSW, creating jobs and economic growth in our tourism destinations right across the state. Bringing more passengers into our airports is part of the Minns Government’s plan to boost jobs and growth in our statewide visitor economy.”
Sydney Airport CEO Scott Charlton commented: “We’re proud to welcome Turkish Airlines as they launch their inaugural flight to Sydney. This new service strengthens Sydney’s already strong international network, offering passengers even more choice and connectivity to Europe and beyond through Turkish Airlines’ extensive hub in Istanbul. Turkish Airlines will bring added competition to the market, and with over 15,000 Turkish-born Australians residing in New South Wales and Türkiye consistently being a top choice for Australian travellers, we are confident this new route will see strong demand.”
