New routes will connect the UK to a European city that pairs culture with picturesque beaches

The airline currently serves London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh, alongside Dublin in Ireland.

Turkish Airlines general manager for London Mehmet Gurulkan said: "This new service increases our total weekly UK-Istanbul frequencies, providing passengers even more choice and greater connectivity to our global network."

London Stansted Airport Managing Director Gareth Powell added: "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 promises warm temperatures and culture, and is popular with tourists seeking a city break or a trip to the beach.

This is not the only airline update benefiting Britons who hope to visit Turkey, as SunExpress, a joint venture between Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines, is also expanding its UK operations for summer 2026.

The airline will introduce a new service from East Midlands Airport to Antalya, operating three times weekly.

In addition, new routes include twice-weekly flights from London Gatwick to Bodrum and Manchester to Bodrum. The carrier is also launching services from Ireland, with two weekly flights from Cork to Antalya and Dublin to Dalaman.

This will bring SunExpress's UK and Ireland network to 12 airports. The airline is also increasing frequencies on existing routes across its network.

The expansion will see SunExpress operate up to 196 weekly flights across 30 routes from 14 airports throughout the UK and Ireland in 2026. This represents a significant increase in capacity, with the airline offering 2.1 million seats for the summer season.

The growth marks a 10 per cent increase compared to 2025 figures, demonstrating the carrier's commitment to expanding its presence in the British and Irish markets. The joint venture airline's network expansion reflects growing demand for direct services to Turkish destinations from regional airports across the UK and Ireland.

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