Turkish Airlines is considering Orlando as its potential 15th destination in the United States, according to its investor relations presentation for the first quarter of 2025. The presentation, held in March, outlined the airline’s financial and operational performance, as well as its plans for the future.

Orlando has been on the airline’s radar for quite some time, with mentions of the city appearing in all of its investor presentations since 2022. The first mention of Orlando was in September 2022, and it has remained a topic of interest for the airline ever since. The inclusion of a destination in these presentations is usually a good indicator of future route launches, with examples like Detroit and Denver being mentioned prior to their actual launch.

If Orlando were to join the network, it would become Turkish Airlines’ second-longest route after Emirates’ connection to Dubai. The airport’s eastbound long-haul routes include destinations such as Dubai, Munich, Frankfurt, London Gatwick, London Heathrow, Manchester, Dublin, and Reykjavik.

While the Istanbul-Orlando market is relatively small, with 9,000 round-trip travelers in the 12 months ending July 2024, it is an important market for connecting traffic. Turkish Airlines operates to the most countries in the world, making it an ideal choice for connecting flights. Some of the key connecting destinations for the potential Istanbul-Orlando route include Mumbai, Delhi, Johannesburg, Cairo, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Amman, Beirut, and Riyadh.

Turkish Airlines already has a strong network in the United States, which has grown significantly since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. The airline introduced flights to Dallas and Newark in 2021, Seattle in 2022, and Detroit in 2023. Denver became its 14th destination in the United States when it launched in July 2024.

The airline has plans to expand its US network to 20 destinations, with Orlando being the only destination mentioned in its investor presentations thus far. However, the airline has also expressed interest in serving Minneapolis, Charlotte, and Philadelphia. Its current US network includes destinations such as Atlanta, Boston, Denver, Dallas-Fort/Worth, Detroit, Newark, Washington, Houston, New York JFK, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago O’Hare, Seattle, and San Francisco.

In conclusion, Turkish Airlines is considering Orlando as its next destination in the United States, which would join its already robust network in the country. With its extensive global reach and growing US network, the potential addition of Orlando would provide more options for travelers and further strengthen the airline’s presence in the United States.