Turkish Airlines officially launched its new Istanbul to Sydney service via Singapore on October 26. The airline replaced its previous stopover in Kuala Lumpur with Singapore Changi Airport for the five-weekly Airbus A350-900 operation. This adjustment creates a maximum scheduled journey time of 21 hours and 40 minutes, including the layover.
Strategic Shift to Changi Airport
The change means Turkish Airlines now serves both of its Australian destinations through Singapore. The carrier currently operates eight weekly flights to Sydney and Melbourne combined. This consolidation allows the airline to leverage Singapore as a primary hub for its Australian network expansion.
Turkish Airlines initially entered the Australian market in March 2024 with a service to Melbourne. The Sydney route followed in November 2024, originally utilizing Kuala Lumpur as a stopover. The airline had explained the different stopover airports at the time as a result of extending existing flights to Australia. That strategy has now changed, with the Sydney route also operating via Singapore.
The new flight, designated TK22, departs Istanbul at 3:20 PM and arrives in Sydney at 7:25 PM the following day. The return flight TK23 leaves Sydney at 9:35 PM and reaches Istanbul at 11:10 AM. The northbound journey takes 21 hours and 35 minutes, including the stopover.
Fifth-Freedom Rights and Network Expansion
Singapore Changi Airport serves as more than just a refueling point for this ultra-long-haul route. Turkish Airlines holds fifth-freedom rights to sell tickets between Singapore and Sydney. This allows the carrier to compete directly with Singapore Airlines, Qantas, Scoot, and British Airways on this specific leg.
The move also strengthens Turkish Airlines’ position within the Star Alliance. Changi is a major hub for the alliance, providing opportunities through the existing codeshare partnership with Singapore Airlines and frequent-flyer connections. This network effect is critical for the airline’s growth strategy in the Asia-Pacific region.
Turkish Airlines was granted traffic rights for up to 35 weekly flights to Australia. The airline has identified Brisbane and Perth as potential future destinations. However, additional routes depend on aircraft availability, market conditions, and demand. The airline reported average load factors of 85% on its current Australian routes.
The carrier has ambitious plans for its Australian network. It aims to eventually launch nonstop services using the Airbus A350-1000. Istanbul to Sydney spans approximately 9,270 miles. This distance requires aircraft capable of exceptionally long missions. Nonstop flights were initially expected by January 2026 but have been delayed. Recent expectations point towards a late 2027 start for Sydney and potentially 2028 for Melbourne.
For now, the airline’s priority appears to be strengthening its Sydney and Melbourne services before committing to further Australian gateways. The current eight weekly Australian departures remain well below the 35 permitted under bilateral traffic rights. This gives the airline plenty of headroom for future expansion. The airline also operates up to 11 daily flights across London Heathrow, London Gatwick, and London Stansted, capitalizing on strong travel flows between Australia and the UK.
Source: Simple Flying
