Turkish Airlines prepares for landing in Australia.

It’s been a long time coming. Turkish Airlines has been trying to take off Down Under for years. Thanks to the recent relaxation of the federal government’s bilateral air services agreement with Türkiye, it’s finally happening. In 2024, Turkish Airlines will launch its first-ever Australian route. 

Come March 16, the airline will commence flying from Melbourne Airport to Istanbul via Singapore three times a week, with hopes to increase services once established in the market. Turkish Airlines is planning to fly directly between Istanbul and Melbourne upon the purchase of new, longer-range aircraft. 

Melbourne is home to the nation’s largest Turkish community which naturally makes it the first Australian destination the airline begins fly to and from. It will also provide Australians more options to connect to Europe as Istanbul is only a one-hour and 25-minute flight from Athens, Greece, and one-hour and 50-minute flight to Dubrovnik, Croatia.

You can now book flights from Melbourne to Istanbul from as little as $1,477 (Economy, return).

If you’re keen on exploring Türkiye and its stunning seaside spot, Bodrum, make like an influencer and follow Nadia Fairfax-Wayne’s guide, which you can read here.

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