‍DALLAS — Turkish Airlines (TK), Türkiye’s flagship carrier, has announced its second destination in Australia. Starting on December 4, 2024, the airline will connect its base airport (IST) to Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD), with a refueling stop at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) in Malaysia.

“We are happy to announce the launch of our Sydney route, which opens another chapter for us in the continent. This new route not only enhances our flight network but also reaffirms our commitment to our presence in Australia as we connect our guests to new opportunities and experiences with the comfort and hospitality of Turkish Airlines,” said Prof. Ahmet Bolat, Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee.

The flight route will be scheduled four times weekly (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday) and operated using the Airbus A350-900 aircraft. The technical stop in Malaysia is a necessity for now, as the previously mentioned aircraft cannot cover the immense distance between the two cities nonstop.

Sydney is TK's second Australian destination city, following its launch of the Istanbul (IST)—Melbourne (MEL) route in March 2024, which also requires a technical stop at Singapore Changi Airport (SIN).

The new route will allow travelers from Australia to Türkiye, which is considered one of the top destinations for Australian travelers. Additionally, New South Wales is home to more than 15,000 Turkish-born Australians, allowing easy flight connections between the two countries for this demographic and anyone wishing to visit Istanbul from Australia.

Flight Details, Future Plans

Although the flight route will start operating by the end of 2024, tickets are already available for purchase on the airline's official website. 

Melbourne will become Turkish Airline’s farthest destination once this flight connection becomes operative, covering a remarkable distance of almost 9,300 miles (14,967 km). Flight TK174 will depart at 3:15 pm from Istanbul and arrive in Kuala Lumpur at 6:20 am (+1).

The continuation flight will take off at 7:40 am (+1) from Kuala Lumpur and land at 6:30 pm (+1) in Sydney. TK175 will depart from Melbourne at 8:40 pm local time and arrive at 1:55 am (+1) in Kuala Lumpur. The 2nd leg of the return flight will depart at 3:55 am (+1) from Kuala Lumpur and arrive in Istanbul at 10:15 am (+1).

The airline plans to transform this route to a non-stop flight once it receives its first Airbus A350-1000, an ultra-long-range aircraft capable of covering flights up to 22 hours. “Sydney will also be our first destination in Australia to have non-stop flights when we receive the aircraft capable of making the journey in a single leg,” added Prof. Ahmet Bolat.

Sources: Turkish Airlines, Business Traveler USA, Travel Radar