Saturday, June 7, 2025
Turkish Airlines has officially joined forces with TAP Air Portugal and Icelandair to significantly enhance its global travel network, offering passengers a broader range of routes and seamless connections across continents. This strategic collaboration, announced in June 2025, expands Turkish Airlines’ reach into key markets in Europe, South America, and beyond. By partnering with TAP Air Portugal, Turkish Airlines gains access to new destinations such as Brazil, Morocco, and Qatar, while the agreement with Icelandair introduces a direct link between Reykjavik and Istanbul, further strengthening connectivity to popular global hubs. These partnerships not only open up new travel opportunities but also streamline booking processes, providing greater flexibility and convenience for both leisure and business travelers.
Turkish Airlines, recognized for its extensive global network, has expanded its codeshare partnerships with TAP Air Portugal and Icelandair. This strategic move, announced at the 81st IATA Annual General Meeting in New Delhi on June 4, 2025, signals a significant step in the airline’s efforts to enhance its connectivity and strengthen its role as a leader in global aviation. These expanded agreements will open new travel avenues across Europe, South America, Africa, and Asia, improving seamless connectivity for both leisure and business travelers.
Turkish Airlines’ Strategic Codeshare Growth
As the airline with the most destinations in the world, Turkish Airlines consistently strives to expand its global reach. The airline has long leveraged codeshare agreements as an essential tool for opening new markets, improving flight options, and delivering a smoother travel experience for passengers. Through its partnerships with TAP Air Portugal and Icelandair, Turkish Airlines is not only expanding its route offerings but also enhancing its competitive edge by facilitating more efficient travel connections for passengers flying between multiple continents.
TAP Air Portugal Partnership: Connecting Europe and Turkey to the World
In its renewed partnership with TAP Air Portugal, both airlines, which are members of the Star Alliance, are expanding their codeshare network to include new routes and destinations. The newly added destinations include Brazil, Morocco, Qatar, Mauritius, and key Turkish coastal cities such as Dalaman and Bodrum. This expanded coverage offers travelers more options for both business and leisure travel, especially those traveling between Turkey and Portugal.
The expanded codeshare partnership is anticipated to drive tourism growth between Southern Europe and Turkey, unlocking new travel possibilities for explorers. The inclusion of Brazilian destinations and markets in the Lusophone world, where TAP has a strong presence, will also contribute to increasing tourism flows. Additionally, this deal will help strengthen trade relations between the countries, as improved connectivity typically fosters economic exchanges across borders.
Icelandair Partnership: A New Link Between Reykjavik and Istanbul
The second major partnership announced by Turkish Airlines is with Icelandair, which will introduce a new direct flight route between Reykjavik and Istanbul, set to begin on September 5, 2025. Initially operating twice weekly during the winter season, this flight will be integrated into the existing codeshare arrangement between Turkish Airlines and Icelandair. Turkish Airlines will place its marketing code on Icelandair’s Reykjavik-Istanbul route, while Icelandair will add its code to Turkish Airlines flights traveling to Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
This collaboration strengthens the travel bridge between Iceland and Turkish Airlines’ extensive global network, providing more seamless connections for passengers traveling between Iceland and destinations across three continents. The new Reykjavik-Istanbul route will particularly benefit travelers seeking easy access to major hubs like Istanbul before connecting to long-haul flights.
Star Alliance Synergies: Creating Seamless Global Travel Experiences
Although Icelandair is not currently a member of Star Alliance, the collaboration with Turkish Airlines, which is part of this prestigious alliance, aligns with industry trends where legacy carriers forge joint partnerships to extend their reach. These enhanced codeshare agreements will enable Turkish Airlines to offer passengers streamlined booking experiences, more flexible travel itineraries, and reduced layover times at major hubs.
One of the most significant benefits of the Turkish Airlines codeshare expansions is the ability for passengers to book a single ticket across multiple legs of their journey, whether traveling between continents or connecting in regional hubs. This will be particularly beneficial for passengers traveling between cities like Lisbon or Reykjavik, who can now easily connect to popular destinations such as Phuket, Doha, Cape Town, or São Paulo. The cooperation between the carriers will also include aligned frequent flyer programs, enabling passengers to accumulate and redeem miles for a wider range of flight options and travel experiences.
Expanding Global Tourism and Trade Networks
The expansion of codeshare agreements with TAP Air Portugal and Icelandair is expected to have a far-reaching impact, particularly in the realms of tourism, hospitality, and international commerce. By improving access to secondary, but highly attractive destinations like Bodrum and Mauritius, and reinforcing Istanbul as a key hub, Turkish Airlines is playing a critical role in catering to the growing demand for more connected and flexible travel options.
This initiative aligns with global trends where travelers increasingly seek multi-country itineraries and prefer seamless travel experiences. As global travel demand continues to rise in 2025, these partnerships help Turkish Airlines maintain its competitive positioning while contributing to regional economic growth. By offering more options and streamlined routes, Turkish Airlines and its partners are enhancing the global tourism landscape, making it easier for travelers to explore both well-known and emerging destinations.
Strengthening Turkish Airlines’ Role in Global Aviation
As Turkish Airlines expands its codeshare agreements, the airline is solidifying its position as a central player in global aviation. The partnerships with TAP Air Portugal and Icelandair are prime examples of how the airline uses strategic collaborations to strengthen its network and meet the evolving demands of international travelers. These alliances also support Turkish Airlines’ broader ambition of becoming a major global travel gateway, making it easier for customers to access new and exciting destinations.
Looking ahead, it is likely that Turkish Airlines will continue to expand its codeshare agreements with other carriers around the world. Each new partnership brings with it the potential to further enhance connectivity and improve the overall passenger experience, ensuring that Turkish Airlines remains a key player in shaping the future of global travel.
Turkish Airlines has joined forces with TAP Air Portugal and Icelandair to expand its global travel network, offering enhanced connectivity across Europe, South America, and Asia. This strategic partnership enhances route options, simplifies travel bookings, and strengthens the airline’s position as a leader in global aviation.
As a result, Turkish Airlines not only provides a vast network of flight options but also acts as a gateway to global discovery, making international travel more accessible and enjoyable for millions of passengers worldwide.
