Turkish Airlines Further Expands U.S. Network, Doubles Pre-Pandemic Capacity
Turkish Airlines has expanded its U.S. network by adding a new route to Denver, putting the Star Alliance member on track to double pre-pandemic capacity to the country during the peak summer months.
Denver International Airport (DEN) becomes the 14th destination in the U.S. served by the carrier and expands the Colorado airport’s international network to 31 nonstop destinations in 17 countries around the world—the most in its history.
Flights from Istanbul Airport (IST) will initially operate three times per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, with a fourth frequency on Sundays commencing on July 9. The inaugural service was operated with a Boeing 777-300 aircraft, but the airline intends to use Airbus A350-900s on the 6,111-mi. (5,310-nm) route moving forward.
“Thanks to this new flight, we are creating jobs and economic growth right here in Denver, while expanding opportunities for Denver businesses not just in Turkey, but in places around the globe that are served by Turkish Airlines,” Denver Mayor Mike Johnston says.
According to the U.S. airport, the new Turkish Airlines service is estimated to produce more than $54 million in annual economic impact to Colorado’s economy and support the creation of approximately 350 new jobs across the state. It also becomes the longest flight operated from DEN—about 338 mi. farther than United Airlines’ service to Tokyo's Narita International Airport.
Turkish Airlines has been serving the U.S. market since August 1988, when it launched flights to New York via Brussels. By 2019, the airline served nine U.S. destinations, but operations have significantly expanded post-pandemic with the introduction of five new routes and more frequencies to existing destinations.
The new services include flights to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and New York Liberty International Airport, both of which commenced in 2021. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport was added in 2022, and Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport became the carrier’s 13th U.S. destination in late 2023.
Analysis of OAG Schedules Analyser data shows that Turkish Airlines intends to offer 151 flights per week from Turkey to the U.S. by peak summer—up from 135 last year and 75 in 2019. Capacity for the key summer quarter from July to September will be about 1.3 million two-way seats, marking a year-on-year rise of 14% and double the 643,000 seats provided in the third quarter of 2019.
Following the recent launches of routes to Denver and Detroit, Turkish Airlines is now considering Orlando as its next U.S. destination. The airline already serves Florida with 11 flights per week to Miami and sees potential for additional capacity in the market.
Orlando International Airport (MCO) currently offers nonstop flights to seven European destinations—Dublin, Edinburgh, Frankfurt, London Gatwick, London Heathrow, Madrid and Manchester—alongside one Middle Eastern route operated by Emirates to Dubai International Airport (DXB).
According to Sabre Market Intelligence, approximately 71,000 passengers traveled from Dubai to Orlando in 2023, with 77% of them connecting via Dubai from other locations, primarily Hyderabad, Manila and Mumbai. If Turkish Airlines launches a route to MCO, the airline will also aim to attract passengers from its network in India and Southeast Asia, as well as local leisure travelers from Istanbul, a city with a population of around 15 million.
Overall, Turkish Airlines has carried 32.8 million passengers in the first five months of 2024, marking a rise of 5.7% on the same period last year. At the end of May 2024, the number of aircraft in the fleet reached 456.
Speaking to Aviation Week in early June at the IATA Annual General Meeting in Dubai, Chairman Ahmet Bolat said the airline is limiting capacity shortages by looking for operational leases and holding on to aircraft due for retirement. “If we slow down this phaseout process, we still can continue with our strategies,” Bolat said. The carrier is expecting its 500th aircraft in 2025.
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