Key facts
- Turkish Airlines plans to increase flights to Asian destinations by 15%-20% in the coming years.
- The carrier will launch direct services to Australia in 2028.
- New frequencies will be added to China, Japan, and Southeast Asia starting in summer 2026.
- Chengdu will be added to the mainland China network in November.
- The airline is seeking joint ventures in Asian aviation, maintenance, and cargo.
Turkish Airlines is significantly expanding its presence in Asia, planning to increase flights by 15%-20% over the next few years. The carrier is targeting high-performing markets such as China, where it has already added trips, and plans to launch direct services to Australia in 2028. The airline is also exploring joint ventures in Asian aviation, maintenance, and cargo sectors.
Starting in summer 2026, Turkish Airlines will increase frequencies on routes to China, Japan, and Southeast Asia. Specifically, Beijing will move to daily operations, Guangzhou flights will increase to 13 weekly, and Shanghai will see an increase to 14 weekly flights. Southeast Asian destinations like Kuala Lumpur and Singapore will also see increased frequencies, with total weekly operations reaching 20 and 18 respectively. Hong Kong will also operate daily flights, and Tokyo Narita will see an increase to 12 weekly flights.
Further expanding its mainland China network, Turkish Airlines will add Chengdu with three weekly flights starting November 11. The airline is also rerouting its Istanbul-Sydney service through Singapore from October 26, enhancing its Singapore operations while reducing its Kuala Lumpur stopovers. This strategic shift reflects a broader reallocation of capacity towards Asia, which has been the airline's strongest performing market.
Turkish Airlines' Chief Financial Officer, Metin Gülşen, noted that Asia's strong performance was partly due to changes in the competitive landscape following conflicts in the Middle East, which shifted passengers away from Gulf carriers. The airline increased its Asian capacity by 18% year over year, benefiting from this trend.