Turkish Airlines Expands with Six New USA-Istanbul Routes Linking to India

Expanding their networks regionally or globally has become crucial for airlines amidst post-pandemic competition. Japan Airlines collaborated with IndiGo for seamless domestic connections to 14 Indian cities from New Delhi IGI and Kempegowda Bengaluru airports. In June 2024, Lufthansa inaugurated flights to Minneapolis and Raleigh, following their earlier launch to Hyderabad this year. Etihad also initiated Boston-India flights in March 2024. To book cheap flight tickets to India from USA, visit flyopedia today!

Turkish Airlines’ Expansion in the United States

Turkish Airlines is actively expanding its footprint in the United States. After successfully launching routes to Detroit and Denver in just six months, the airline now has its sights set on six additional destinations: Philadelphia, Charlotte, Orlando, Minneapolis, Phoenix, and Raleigh/Las Vegas. According to Ahmet Bolat, the airline’s chairman, Turkish Airlines plans to increase its number of US destinations to 20. Currently, Turkish Airlines serves major cities across the East Coast (New York, Newark, Washington DC, Boston, Atlanta), Midwest (Chicago, Detroit), South Coast (Dallas, Houston), and West Coast (San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle).

Charlotte, Philadelphia, Orlando, Minneapolis, and Phoenix represent less competitive sectors in international aviation. Turkish Airlines aims to become the first Middle Eastern airline to serve Charlotte Douglas International Airport, filling the void left by British Airways’ departure. Currently, there are limited one-stop flight options connecting Charlotte to India. It mainly through American Airlines and United Airlines in partnership with Qatar Airways and Emirates.

Similarly, Philadelphia, which lost services from Qatar Airways, Air Canada, and Air France, would see Turkish Airlines as the sole Middle Eastern carrier offering connections to India via Istanbul. However, competition from Lufthansa and British Airways, which also provide one-stop flights to India from Philadelphia, presents a problem. Furthermore, American Airlines and Qatar Airways’ codeshare agreements for flights to India via Doha place additional competitive pressure on Turkish Airlines.

Turkish Airlines’ Ambitious Expansion

Turkish Airlines intends to extend its footprint in the United States, with plans to serve 20 or more destinations. Phoenix, Arizona could be pivotal in this expansion. Given Turkish Airlines’ strategic connections with many of American Airlines’ hubs, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport might see Turkish flights to and from Istanbul, offering one-stop connections to India in the future. This move would position Turkish Airlines as the first Middle Eastern carrier to compete with Air France and British Airways in Phoenix. Similar to Charlotte and Philadelphia, Phoenix currently offers two-stop flights to India, primarily operated by United Airlines and American Airlines through their codeshare partnerships.

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