Turkish Airlines and Icelandair Expand Codeshare Partnership to Boost Global Connectivity

Business

Turkish Airlines and Icelandair Expand Codeshare Partnership to Boost Global Connectivity

Turkish Airlines and Icelandair have officially announced an expansion of their existing codeshare partnership during the 81st IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in New Delhi. The enhanced cooperation is expected to significantly improve connectivity between Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, and foster deeper commercial and tourism ties between Türkiye and Iceland.

Since launching their initial codeshare agreement in June 2023, the two flag carriers have been working together to provide passengers with more seamless travel options. Building on this foundation, Icelandair will begin operating direct flights between Reykjavík and İstanbul starting September 5, 2025, with twice-weekly services during the winter season. These new routes will fall under the existing codeshare framework, with Turkish Airlines placing its marketing code on Icelandair-operated flights.

Conversely, Icelandair will code-share on select Turkish Airlines flights that extend beyond İstanbul, covering a wide network of destinations in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. The deeper integration of both carriers’ networks aims to connect Icelandair’s transatlantic operations with Turkish Airlines’ global reach, offering expanded travel opportunities for both business and leisure passengers.

“This cooperation goes beyond a commercial partnership. It represents a strategic alignment between two trusted carriers,” said Bilal Ekşi, CEO of Turkish Airlines. “By launching direct flights between Reykjavík and Istanbul and integrating our networks, we are opening the door to new traffic flows and connectivity options between Iceland, Türkiye, and beyond.”

Bogi Nils Bogason, CEO of Icelandair, added: “Building on the partnership with Turkish Airlines will offer travelers even greater connectivity and seamless travel options across our combined networks. The expansion of our codeshare partnership to multiple destinations in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa reflects our shared commitment to service excellence and global network growth.”

The expanded partnership not only strengthens the operational ties between the two airlines but also contributes to tourism, trade, and regional economic development, by linking two strategic aviation hubs—Reykjavík in the North Atlantic and İstanbul at the crossroads of Europe and Asia.

This move is in line with the global trend of airline partnerships aiming to enhance connectivity, improve route efficiency, and offer passengers more travel choices without the need for complex booking arrangements or extended layovers.