DALLAS — Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD) has announced that Turkish Airlines (TK) would launch its inaugural direct flight from Istanbul (IST) to Sydney service via Kuala Lumpur (KUL) on December 5, 2024.

These flights will occur four times per week and will be the only direct return flight to Istanbul from any Australian airport. SYD has seen considerable growth in new airlines within the past two years, with Turkish making the eighth new airline to join SYD’s network of over 50 airlines. 

Turkish Airlines will deploy the Airbus A350-900 on this route, with a total capacity of 329, 32 in Business Class and 297 in Economy. The Business product comes in a 1-2-1 configuration, and the economy product comes in the standard nine abreast of 3-3-3.

Later, the route will become a non-stop service to IST, allowing more convenience for passengers to Türkiye or those who connect in Istanbul to access TK’s 340 destinations across 130 countries worldwide. 

Comments from Airport, Airline Officials

Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport boasts it holds 38% of all Australia-to-Europe flight traffic, and the fact that TK flies to 110 European destinations, more than any other airline, will only reaffirm and increase that percentage. 

Scott Charlton, Sydney Airport CEO, expressed his satisfaction at the announcement, saying, “We are proud that Turkish Airlines chose Sydney and NSW for their first non-stop service, which is a strong endorsement of everything our city and state have to offer. In the meantime, passengers will experience Turkish Airlines’ award-winning service from Sydney to Istanbul via Kuala Lumpur in December 2024.

Prof. Ahmet Bolat, Chairman of the Board and Executive Committee of Turkish Airlines, also said, “Today marks a significant milestone for Turkish Airlines as we proudly commence our journey into Sydney Airport. This new route enhances our global network and reaffirms our commitment to connecting passengers with new opportunities and experiences.”