Stansted tucks into a slice of Turkey with global extras on the side

The new service will offer passengers across London and the East of England even greater choice when flying to Turkey, along with convenient access to the airline’s extensive global network via its Istanbul hub.

With the addition of Stansted, Turkish Airlines will serve six UK airports and operate 170 weekly flights from the UK and Ireland during the peak summer season in 2026.

Gareth Powell, Managing Director at London Stansted a Business Weekly Awards sponsor - 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.”

Flights between Stansted and Istanbul are now available to book via the Turkish Airlines website.

Stansted is undergoing a major transformation project focused on expanding capacity and strengthening global connectivity. At the heart of this is a terminal expansion, set to deliver more space, upgraded facilities and an enhanced retail offering to improve the passenger experience.

Once complete, the project will enable Stansted to serve up to 43 million passengers a year, support the creation of 5,000 new jobs, and contribute £2 billion annually to the UK economy.

To support this long-term vision, the airport has also submitted a planning application to raise its annual passenger cap to 51 million over the next 20 years. The proposal aims to make best use of Stansted’s existing single runway by the 2040s without any increase in the number of flights the airport is already permitted to operate and within the existing airport boundary.