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Turkish Airlines Boasts Record Flying to the U.S. In 2022

A Turkish A330-300 in Dusseldorf (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Fabian Behr)

Amid high expectations for summer transatlantic flying in 2022, Turkish Airlines plans to operate a record amount of flying to the United States, offering a total of 132 frequencies, per theaeronetwork. In total, 36 weekly frequencies will be added, representing a 36 percent increase in capacity from previously scheduled capacity.

Where will Turkish Airlines Boost Capacity?

Five routes to the U.S. will see double-daily service next summer, including flights from Istanbul to Chicago, Los Angeles, and Miami, starting in late March, and San Francisco and Washington Dulles, starting in late May. Four of these routes are to United Airlines hubs, where Turkish Airlines passengers can connect to other destinations within their codeshare partner’s network. 

Additionally, flights to Boston and Houston see an increase in frequency from daily to ten times weekly. Turkish Airlines’ newest addition to its route network, Dallas, will grow to daily frequencies in 2022, after the route’s launch in October 2021. Moreover, flights to Atlanta will rise daily from five times weekly. Meanwhile, flights to New York and Newark see no increase in capacity from their respective totals of three daily services and daily service.

In total, the Star Alliance carrier will operate to eleven destinations in the U.S. in 2022. When compared with pre-pandemic capacity, Turkish Airlines will grow by more than 75 percent by the summer of 2022, driven by its new flights to Newark and Dallas in 2021, in addition to the aforementioned scheduled increases.

Generally, these new frequencies will be facilitated by Turkish Airlines’ Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner in a two-class configuration. Specifically, the Boeing 787-9 features 300 seats, including 30 business class seats in a 1-2-1 seating configuration and 270 economy class seats in a 3-3-3 seating configuration.

On other routes during the summer, Turkish Airlines utilizes its 349-seat Boeing 777-300ER to Chicago, Miami, San Francisco and Washington Dulles once daily; Los Angeles 11 times a week and New York-JFK twice daily. Furthermore, the carrier operates its A330-300, but primarily to Boston and Newark.

During the winter, Turkish Airlines has conducted gauge and frequency increases. From December through January, flights to Miami temporarily increase to twice daily. Additionally, flights to Newark see an upgrade to an Airbus A350-900 through the winter, the only Turkish Airlines’ A350 service in North America.

New Destinations on the Horizon

Furthermore, Turkish Airlines is eyeing new services to the United States, amid its record growth in 2022. In the past few months alone, the Istanbul-based carrier announced its intentions to start flights to Denver, Detroit and Seattle, in addition to Dallas, which launched earlier in October 2021. 

With Istanbul’s position as a central hub for U.S. travelers to the Middle East, India, Asia and Africa, the airport easily rivals hubs in Doha and Dubai. These proposed additions would boost Turkish Airlines’ U.S. route portfolio to 14 destinations, beating out other Middle Eastern players’ networks to the United States.  

When comparing each carrier’s depth of service in the United States, in the summer of 2021, the Doha-based carrier offered a record number of 115 weekly frequencies, meaning that Turkish Airlines would beat out the carrier in frequency. 

However, currently, Qatar Airways flies to 12 destinations in the U.S, compared to Turkish Airlines’ 11 destinations. Similarly, Qatar Airways utilized 2020 and 2021 to add new services to the United States, specifically new flights to San Francisco and Seattle, boosting its West Coast presence. 

Ultimately, with this new flying, Turkish Airlines hopes to grow its United States network and generate more capacity to bolster its position as a key player for flights to the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Winston Shek

Author

  • Winston Shek

    Ever since Winston was a toddler, he has always had a fascination for airplanes. From watching widebodies land at Washington Dulles to traveling the world, Winston has always had his eyes towards the skies. Winston began aviation photography in 2018 and now posts his photos occasionally on his Instagram account. He previously wrote for a blog. In his free time, Winston loves to play chess, do recreational activities, and watch sports. Looking into the future, Winston plans to service the aviation industry.

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