On the heels of Turkish Airlines' 90th anniversary, the leading global airline continues to expand its U.S. network with the opening of its 13th U.S. gateway in Detroit, Michigan. Beginning November 15, 2023, Turkish Airlines introduced flights from Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW), connecting travelers in the Midwest region to Türkiye's tourism hub, Istanbul, and the airline's more than 340 destinations in 129 countries across five continents.

Turkish Airlines now operates three flights per week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays between Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) and Istanbul Airport using the carrier's brand-new Boeing 787-9 aircraft. Starting December 25, the airline will operate four weekly flights, adding Saturday to the schedule. The inaugural flight, TK205, took off from Istanbul Airport (IST) on November 15 at 3:45 p.m. local time and arrived at Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) on November 15 at 6:50 p.m. local time. The first Turkish Airlines flight from Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW), TK206, took off on November 15 at 9:35 p.m. local time and arrived at Istanbul Airport (IST) on November 16 at 3:35 p.m. local time.

Turkish Airlines has been expanding its U.S. presence in recent years, with the opening of Newark and Dallas in 2021 and its first-ever Pacific-Northwest route in Seattle in 2022. In 2023, in addition to Detroit, the airline plans to welcome its 14th gateway in Denver. These U.S. openings reflect the airline's ambitious growth plans intending to drive U.S. tourism to Türkiye, with an annual goal of 2 million visitors per year.

On Turkish Airlines' expansion to Detroit, Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Bolat, stated: “It's exciting to open another gateway in the Midwest region, connecting travelers from neighboring areas through the bustling hub of Detroit. This is a significant opening in our expansion plans for North America as we continue our mission of connecting more people and more destinations through our robust global route network. As flights from Detroit Metropolitan Airport take off this fall, we warmly welcome travelers to explore Istanbul and beyond.”“

A significant portion of our customers have been looking forward to this news for quite some time,” said Wayne County Airport Authority CEO Chad Newton. “Metro Detroiters with family overseas and those simply looking to travel internationally will benefit immensely from the direct flight to Istanbul and the connecting flights to other international markets. With Turkish Airlines' arrival, we are better suited to meet the needs of our diverse customer base.

”Flying to more countries and international destinations than any other, Turkish Airlines' centrally located home base at Istanbul Airport, on track to become the world's largest international travel hub, is positioned to connect to more than 80 destinations within a three-hour flight. In the United States, the airline currently flies to 12 cities including Atlanta, Washington, D.C., New York, Newark, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Miami, Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Seattle.

President and CEO of Visit Detroit, Claude Molinari says, “We are thrilled to celebrate the launch of a direct air service between Istanbul and Detroit with Turkish Airlines. This new connection marks an exciting milestone for our city, enhancing global connectivity and exchange even further. The link between these two destinations opens up a world of possibilities, not only for our vibrant community, but also for international travelers to explore the unique experiences our region has to offer. This new connection highlights the growing appeal of Detroit as a destination to visit, and we look forward to welcoming travelers from Istanbul and beyond, inviting them to discover Detroit's culture, history, and hospitality.”

Detroit-area travelers will have the opportunity to experience Turkish Airlines' world-renowned Turkish hospitality and its award-winning Business Class service with modern full-flat seats, first-rate entertainment systems, and new Ferragamo amenity kits. The airline offers premium onboard dining with a brand-new menu of gourmet dishes prepared by Flying Chefs using only the highest quality and freshest ingredients. For travelers embarking on long transfer flights, Turkish Airlines offers a Stopover Accommodation Service which privileges to its passengers flying from selected destinations in U.S., providing two nights' accommodation for Economy Class passengers and three nights for Business Class passengers.

To view the flight schedules, please visit www.turkishairlines.com, contact the call center at +1 (800) 874-8875 or visit any Turkish Airlines sales office.

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About Turkish Airlines:

Established in 1933 with a fleet of five aircraft, Star Alliance member Turkish Airlines has a fleet of 419 (passenger and cargo) aircraft flying to 344 worldwide destinations as 291 international and 53 domestics in 129 countries. More information about Turkish Airlines can be found on its official website www.turkishairlines.com or its social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

About Star Alliance:

The Star Alliance network was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance, based on a customer value proposition of global reach, worldwide recognition and seamless service. Since inception, it has offered the largest and most comprehensive airline network, with a focus on improving customer experience across the Alliance journey.

The member airlines are: Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air India, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca, Brussels Airlines, Copa Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, SWISS, TAP Air Portugal, THAI, Turkish Airlines, and United. Overall, the Star Alliance network currently offers more than 10,000 daily flights to almost 1,200 airports in 184 countries. Further connecting flights are offered by Star Alliance Connecting Partners Juneyao Airlines and THAI Smile Airways.

Star Alliance Press Office: Tel: +65 8729 6691 Email: mediarelations@staralliance.com Visit website here.