Turkish Airlines to launch services to London Stansted

Turkish Airlines is adding a new route to its network, serving London Stansted Airport.

The carrier will add 14 weekly flights a week between Istanbul Airport and Stansted, providing connectivity to North East London, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and beyond, whilst providing feed to Turkish Airlines’ global hub.

With the addition of London Stansted, Turkish Airlines will serve six UK airports (including London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh Airports, along with Stansted) and operate 170 weekly flights from the UK and Ireland during the peak summer season in 2026.

The airline also serves Dublin Airport to support Irish traffic.

In Quotes

Gareth Powell, Managing Director at London Stansted, said:

“We’re delighted to welcome Turkish Airlines to London Stansted. This is a major milestone for the airport and a strong vote of confidence in both our operation and the vibrant, fast-growing region we serve. Istanbul is a fantastic destination in its own right, but this new service also opens the door to Turkish Airlines’ extensive global network, connecting London Stansted to over 353 destinations across Asia, Africa, Australia and beyond. We look forward to building a strong partnership with Turkish Airlines and seeing this exciting new route grow.”

Mehmet Gurulkan, Turkish Airlines’ General Manager for London, said:

“We are delighted to launch flights from London Stansted, further strengthening our commitment to the UK market. This new service increases our total weekly UK–Istanbul frequencies, providing passengers even more choice and greater connectivity to our global network. By operating from Stansted, we are happy to support the airport’s continued growth and contribute to job creation and economic development in the region.”

Increasing the London footprint

It seems Turkish Airlines wants to increase its footprint in the London region, with the three major airports in the region covered, covering south of London, West and now, the North East. It will help them funnel traffic through its Istanbul hub and onward to destinations east and south.

The airline will compete for spoke-to-hub traffic with Emirates, who offer a service there too.

For London Stansted, it’s another welcome to a carrier, whilst it goes through its transformation to expand capacity and strengthen global connectivity, with plans to enable the airport to serve up to 43 million passengers a year.

For passengers, choices and options are welcome. Not everyone wants the long drive around the M25 and beyond to get to a Turkish Airlines departure point…