Turkish Airlines’ inaugural flight from Istanbul to Sydney, via Kuala Lumpur, has landed, marking a milestone for Sydney Airport and offering Australian travellers a new connection to Türkiye and beyond.
Launching with four weekly flights, the service provides access to Turkish Airlines’ expansive network of over 350 destinations, enhancing travel options across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
In response to anticipated demand, a fifth weekly service will begin in June 2025.
By 2026, the route is expected to transition to a non-stop Sydney-Istanbul service with the introduction of Turkish Airlines’ ultra-long-range aircraft, making it the first direct link of its kind between Australia and Türkiye.
Sydney Airport currently has a 38% share of all Australia-Europe air traffic, and with the arrival of Turkish Airlines, is the only Australian airport to have two European carriers.
The new service is estimated to generate more than $53 million in incremental visitor expenditure over the first year and support more than 290 local jobs.
Scott Charlton, CEO of Sydney Airport, said: “We’re proud to welcome our 50th airline partner Turkish Airlines as they launch their inaugural flight to Sydney, strengthening our international network and offering passengers even more choice and connectivity to Europe and beyond through their extensive hub in Istanbul.
“The arrival of Turkish Airlines not only strengthens their offering in our region but also highlights the vital role Sydney plays as a global aviation gateway. We’re also delighted they have chosen Sydney to host their inaugural non-stop services in the years ahead.
“Turkish Airlines has been recognised as the best airline in Europe by Skytrax, and it’s fantastic that so many passengers from Sydney will now have the opportunity to experience their
world-class service first-hand.
“I’d like to thank and acknowledge the significant support of the NSW Government and Destination NSW in helping make this possible. Their collaboration continues to be instrumental in driving tourism and international connectivity for Sydney and the broader region.”
On the new route, 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.”
