Turkish Airlines Launches Direct Flights Between Denver and Istanbul

Turkish Airlines has launched a new direct flight route between Denver International Airport (DEN) and Istanbul Airport (IST). This new service marks a significant expansion for DEN, now offering nonstop flights to 31 destinations in 17 countries, the highest number in the airport’s history.

The inaugural flight was celebrated with a Turkish delegation led by Prof. Dr. Ahmet Bolat, Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee of Turkish Airlines. This delegation, along with other executives and media personnel, will spend two days in Denver exploring the region. The first flight used a Boeing 777-300 aircraft.

DEN CEO Phil Washington emphasized the importance of this new route, citing industry data that showed a high passenger demand between the two cities. This expansion aligns with DEN’s Vision 100 goal to broaden its global reach. Turkish Airlines will initially operate flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, with a fourth flight added on Sundays starting July 9, 2024.

The Denver-Istanbul route, covering 6,130 miles, is now the longest flight from DEN, surpassing the previous record held by the Denver to Tokyo Narita route. Economic forecasts predict that the new service will generate over $54 million annually for Colorado's economy and create approximately 350 new jobs statewide, contributing more than $21 million in wages.

With Denver becoming the 14th U.S. city in Turkish Airlines’ network, the airline continues to strengthen connections between North America and global regions through its Istanbul hub. Turkish Airlines is now the 26th airline to serve DEN and the fifth Star Alliance member operating at the airport, joining Air Canada, Copa, Lufthansa, and United.