Turkish Airlines will launch its first-ever direct flights between Sydney and Istanbul a little earlier than planned.
The Turkish carrier was due to fly its first Istanbul to Sydney (via Kuala Lumpur) flight on 4 December, with the inaugural SYD-IST flight departing a day later on 5 December 2024.
However, Sydney Airport told Karryon TK will now kick off the route a week earlier, flying IST-SYD on 28 November and the return leg on 29 November 2024.
The timetable for the Istanbul-Sydney service looks like this:
TK174
- IST 3.15pm – KUL 6.20am (+1)
- KUL 7.40am – SYD 6.30pm (+1)
TK175
- SYD 8.40pm – KUL 1.55am (+1)
- KUL 3.55am – 10.15am (+1)
The carrier will utilise its A350-900XWB on the route, but will operate its first two round-trips using its B777-300ER jet.
Turkish Airlines will initially operate four weekly flights via Kuala Lumpur before transitioning to a direct, non-stop service between the ports, making Sydney the only Australian city with this exclusive connection to Istanbul.
A boost to two-way tourism, the new route opens a whole new avenue for travellers heading to Türkiye and beyond, with the option to connect to over 340 global destinations through Turkish Airlines’ vast hub in Istanbul.
Last month, it was announced that Qantas Frequent Flyer top-tier loyalty members could earn 2x Miles on all Turkish Airlines (TK) flights for one year after joining the European carrier’s Miles&Smiles program.
In July, TK revealed its new business class offering, which will be available in the air – including on flights between Australia and Turkey – in 2026.
Turkish Airlines’ first service to Australia, Istanbul-Melbourne, launched in March 2024.
