Turkish Airlines is to start selling package holidays from the UK for the first time, with plans to offer up to 200 destinations in 60 countries.
Accommodation, transfers and excursions will be provided by Palma-based travel tech platform HBX and PerfectStay, and flights will operate via Istanbul and Ankara.
Until now, the airline’s package holiday arm, Turkish Airlines Holidays, has only sold to customers based in Turkey.
However, at a launch event at The Peninsula in central London on Tuesday, Turkish Airlines announced plans to sell packages from several other European countries including Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain, as well as the UK, Europe, South Korea, Mexico and Australia
CEO Bilal Eksi said: “Passengers travelling outbound from Türkiye have enjoyed the convenience of booking their entire trip through Turkish Airlines Holidays. Now, we are extending this seamless experience to travellers worldwide, making holiday planning easier than ever while strengthening our global presence. We are delighted to provide such comprehensive, one-stop booking options for our guests, further improving their travel experiences.
“By launching package holidays we aim to capture a greater share of the travel market.”
Privately-owned Turkish Airlines carries around 60 million passengers a year and claims to fly to more destinations than any other carrier.
In the UK, it flies from London’s Heathrow and Gatwick airports, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh and has announced plans to add flights from Newcastle and Glasgow too.
HBX CEO Nicolas Huss said: “We are launching what we believe is the best dynamic package offering for the industry.”
Booking incentives during an as-yet-unspecified launch period include discounts of up to £350 and complimentary access to airport lounges for those booking their first holiday.
Travel Gossip understands that Turkish Holidays Airlines will sell direct to the public initially, but has plans to work with UK travel agents in the future.
Packages are ATOL and ABTA-protected.
