Turkish Airlines is accelerating the expansion of long-haul transfer demand by leveraging the competitiveness of its Istanbul hub airport.
Turkish Airlines, which connects 353 cities across 131 countries and holds the Guinness World Record for being the airline with the most destinations, is enhancing service quality for long-haul passengers and strengthening its stopover program.
Economy class passengers transiting through Istanbul Airport can take advantage of 2 nights in a 4-star hotel, while business class passengers can enjoy 3 nights in a 5-star hotel, with Korean routes included since September 2022. Reservations are issued in the form of an electronic voucher, and hotel extensions can be made at partner rates.
In particular, the Incheon-Istanbul route is known as the “night goblin route,” departing late at night and arriving in the local morning. It allows for arrival in major European cities by midday without any loss of transfer time, making it popular among office workers who want to optimize their European schedules with a short annual leave.
In fact, approximately 50 major European cities are within 3 to 5 hours of Istanbul, making arrival before noon possible for most. Currently, the Incheon-Istanbul route operates regularly 11 times a week.
In-flight service has been enhanced to a premium level. Business class features fully flat seats, along with a “flying chef” service where a chef boards the flight to serve traditional Turkish cuisine, and Lanvin amenity kits. Economy class offers ample legroom of 79 cm and a Korean-language entertainment system, with Korean in-flight meals (bibimbap) available exclusively on Incheon routes.
Both the business lounge and the Miles&Smiles lounge at Istanbul Airport span 5,600 square meters, featuring showers, sleep rooms, a VR experience zone, a screen golf course, and a Turkish Airlines museum.
A representative from Turkish Airlines said, “Through global service expansion befitting the title of the airline serving the most countries, we plan to intensify efforts to attract long-haul passengers and transfer demand.”