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Turkish Airlines (TK) Guide

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Flights from Istanbul to more countries than any other airline, fleet and cabins, baggage, check-in and how to find cheaper Turkish Airlines fares. Ask a question
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In short

Turkish Airlines is the flag carrier of Türkiye, based at Istanbul Airport and serving 350+ destinations in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas, more countries than any other airline. Istanbul works as a one-stop connection between many of them. Turkish is in Star Alliance and runs Miles&Smiles. Cabins are Business and Economy.

Turkish Airlines is Türkiye’s national airline and one of the world’s largest network carriers, with Istanbul Airport as its global hub.

Please note: bookingMentor is an independent travel service and is not affiliated with Turkish Airlines. Routes, schedules and baggage rules change, so always confirm the details of your booking with the airline.

What to expect

Turkish Airlines (Türk Hava Yolları, IATA TK) is the flag carrier of Turkey, based at Istanbul Airport. It flies to more countries than any other airline, a Guinness World Record of 131 countries set in December 2024, and to about 356 destinations in total. A Star Alliance member, it suits travellers who want one connection in Istanbul between Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas.

Ninety years of Turkish aviation

The airline was founded on 20 May 1933 as Turkish State Airlines, at first a department of the Ministry of National Defence. International flights began in 1947 with Ankara to Istanbul to Athens. It was reorganised as Türk Hava Yolları in 1956, and the British airline BOAC held a 6.5 per cent stake for about 20 years from 1957. The first jet, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9, arrived in 1967.

Non-stop flights to New York started in July 1994. Turkish Airlines joined Star Alliance on 1 April 2008, and in March 2012 it became the first international airline to fly to Somalia again after the civil war, an early step in building its Africa network.

Istanbul and the world's widest network

Istanbul Airport is the hub, and the head office stands on the grounds of the old Atatürk Airport in Yeşilköy. In 2024 the airline listed 340 passenger destinations in 129 countries, 53 of them in Turkey; by 2025 the total, cargo included, was 356.

Africa stands out in the network, and many pairs of cities in Africa, Central Asia and Eastern Europe are joined only by a change in Istanbul. Turkish Cargo moved all its operations to Istanbul Airport in February 2022 and serves 82 destinations.

Growth and the largest orders

Turkish Airlines carried 85.1 million passengers in 2024 and 92.6 million in 2025, with a load factor of 83.2 per cent. In May 2023 it announced plans to buy about 600 aircraft over ten years. That year it ordered 220 Airbus jets, and in September 2025 it placed a firm order with Boeing for 787 Dreamliners that grew to 150 aircraft including 737 MAX jets.

Shareholders and leadership

Shares trade on Borsa Istanbul under the code THYAO. The Turkey Wealth Fund holds 49.12 per cent and the rest is public. Murat Şeker became chairman on 9 April 2026, and Bilal Ekşi is deputy chairman and chief executive. In 2024 the airline reported revenue of US$22.7 billion and net income of US$3.6 billion, with 40,264 employees.

The group includes the low-cost airline AJet, which grew out of AnadoluJet and was spun off as a separate brand after a February 2023 announcement, half of the leisure airline SunExpress, the caterer Turkish DO & CO, and Turkish Technic, the maintenance business set up in 2006 with eight hangars. The Flight Academy has trained pilots since 2006.

EuroLeague and other sponsorships

The red tail is familiar to sports fans. Turkish Airlines has been the main sponsor of basketball's EuroLeague since 2010, was the first airline sponsor of a UEFA European Championship at Euro 2016, and has been a global sponsor of the UEFA Champions League since the 2022 to 2023 season. It has backed the Turkish Airlines Open golf tournament since 2013 and is reported to become Liverpool FC's main club partner from 2027 to 2028.

Connecting through Istanbul

Many itineraries change planes in Istanbul, and a long layover can give you time to see the city if your passport allows entry to Turkey. Check visa rules before you plan to leave the airport. Domestic and short-haul routes may be flown by AJet, mostly from Sabiha Gökçen on the Asian side of the city, so confirm which airline and which Istanbul airport your ticket shows.

Fact-checked by the bookingMentor Travel Desk Reviewed · Updated when rules or prices change

Checked against trusted sources:
Turkish Airlines official website

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Good to know

  • Founded1933
  • Other gatewaysESB / ADB / AYT
  • Online check-inYes

Everything you should know

Airline codes

TK · THY

IATA · ICAO · callsign “TURKISH”

Every Turkish Airlines flight number begins with TK. Flight-tracking sites and air traffic control use the ICAO code THY, and the radio callsign is TURKISH.

Key facts

Main hub

Istanbul (IST)

Istanbul Airport

Also flies abroad fromAnkara (ESB) · İzmir (ADB) · Antalya (AYT)

Network

350+ destinations

Europe · Asia · Africa · Middle East · Americas

Turkish Airlines flies to more countries than any other airline, connecting Istanbul with cities across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas.

Destinations

Cabin classes

Economy

and Business

Business and Economy; flat-bed Business on wide-bodies.

Compare cabins

Good to know

Turkish Airlines offers a free tour or hotel stay in Istanbul for some long connections (Touristanbul and the stopover programme). AJet is its low-cost subsidiary. Official website: turkishairlines.com.

Frequent flyer

Miles&Smiles

Member of Star Alliance

Turkish Airlines is a Star Alliance member; its programme is Miles&Smiles.

How it works

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Wishing you a smooth trip with Turkish Airlines.

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At a glance

Turkish Airlines (IATA: TK, ICAO: THY) is the flag carrier of Türkiye, founded in 1933 and based at Istanbul Airport. A Star Alliance member, it has a fleet of over 400 aircraft and serves about 350 destinations worldwide, more countries than any other airline.

Key facts about Turkish Airlines
HeadquartersYeşilköy, Istanbul, Türkiye
Fleet typesBoeing 777-300ER, 787-9, Airbus A350-900, A330, A321neo, Boeing 737 MAX, 737-800
Frequent flyerMiles&Smiles
Official websiteturkishairlines.com

Flight routes

Destinations and routes

Direct routes
Turkish Airlines serves the places below according to its published network. Routes are added, paused and rescheduled, so confirm the current Turkish Airlines timetable when you search. Search flights

Türkiye

Istanbul (IST) departures4 destinations

Check all

Fleet and aircraft

516 aircraft in 2025 across Airbus A320 family, A330 and A350 and Boeing 737, 777 and 787 types. Orders include 220 Airbus jets (2023) and a Boeing order of up to 150 aircraft (2025).

  • Boeing 777-300ER Wide-body Long-haul routes to the Americas and Asia
  • Boeing 787-9 Wide-body Long-haul and longer medium-haul routes
  • Airbus A350-900 Wide-body Long-haul flights to Asia, Africa and the Americas
  • Airbus A330-200 Wide-body Medium and long-haul routes
  • Airbus A330-300 Wide-body Medium and long-haul routes
  • Airbus A321neo / A320 family Narrow-body Most European and Middle East flights from Istanbul
  • Boeing 737 MAX 8 Narrow-body Domestic Turkish routes and shorter regional flights
  • Boeing 737 MAX 9 Narrow-body Domestic Turkish routes and shorter regional flights
  • Boeing 737-800 Narrow-body Domestic Turkish routes and shorter regional flights

Cabin classes

Turkish Airlines sells two cabins, Economy and Business. The aircraft and route decide which Turkish Airlines cabins you can book.

Economy All flights

Full service with Turkish cuisine

MealsChecked bag on most faresEntertainment on wide-bodies

Business All aircraft

Flat beds on wide-bodies

Istanbul Business LoungePriority servicesExtra baggage

Miles&Smiles

Turkish Airlines’ loyalty programme. Join Miles&Smiles online before you fly so the trip counts.

Members earn miles on Turkish Airlines and Star Alliance flights and redeem them for award flights and upgrades. Miles&Smiles status is recognised across Star Alliance.

Baggage allowance

Check your e-ticket for the exact Turkish Airlines allowance. It is set by the fare type, the cabin and the route, whether you start at IST or another airport.

Checked baggage
On your e-ticket
Cabin baggage
Depends on fare
Extra bags
Cheaper before you fly
Power banks
Cabin bag only

Allowances depend on route, cabin and fare; flights to and from the Americas use a piece concept, while many other routes use weight. EcoFly fares on some routes include less. Check your e-ticket.

Pro tip: on long connections in Istanbul, check whether you qualify for the free Touristanbul city tour.
Travel day

Online Check-in

The four steps below take you from your Turkish Airlines booking to the gate, whether you depart from IST or another airport on its network.

  • Online check-in available
  1. Step 1

    Check in online

    Where your flight allows it, check in on turkishairlines.com or app with your surname and booking reference or e-ticket number.

    Booking ref + surname
  2. Step 2

    Prepare your documents

    Pack your passport plus any visa, residence permit or entry papers your destination asks for. Domestic TK passengers should bring a photo ID the airline accepts.

    Passport · visa · ID
  3. Step 3

    Arrive early

    Turkish Airlines closes its check-in counters before departure, and passengers who miss the cut-off can be refused boarding. Leave room for bag drop and security at IST.

    Well before departure
  4. Step 4

    Drop your bags

    Turkish Airlines desks and bag-drop points take your hold luggage. Keep the bag-tag receipt with your boarding pass until the bags come off at the end of your TK trip.

    Turkish Airlines counter
Ready to check in? Check in and manage your booking on the official Turkish Airlines website.
Check in with Turkish Airlines
Save money

Cheap tickets

A few booking habits that tend to cut the cost of flying Turkish Airlines.

  1. 01

    Try midweek TK flights

    Compare a full week of Turkish Airlines departures; midweek days are often priced below Fridays and Sundays.

    Midweek flights
  2. 02

    Avoid peak seasons

    Summer, Christmas and the bayram (Eid) holidays are the busiest periods.

    Summer & bayram
  3. 03

    Compare Turkish Airlines fare types

    Look at the next Turkish Airlines fare up: if it bundles a hold bag or easier changes, it may beat the basic fare plus extras.

    Baggage & changes
  4. 04

    Use the Istanbul stopover

    Long transfers in Istanbul can include a free city tour or hotel nights under the airline’s stopover programmes; check eligibility.

    IST

  5. Ready to compare fares?

    Search Turkish Airlines alongside every other airline on your route, with flexible dates.

    Search Turkish Airlines flights

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Everything travellers ask before flying Turkish Airlines.
We check these Turkish Airlines answers with the airline’s own sources and aviation references every season.

Getting there

Turkish Airlines has been a member of Star Alliance since April 2008. You can connect to partners such as Lufthansa, United, Singapore Airlines and Air Canada and earn miles on eligible partner flights.