Turkish Airlines adds London frequencies in 2026 with new Stansted flights

Turkish Airlines has officially announced a new direct service from London-Stansted Airport to Istanbul, marking the addition of a sixth UK departure point for the carrier. The launch will provide Turkish Airlines passengers with additional flight options from the Greater London area to Turkey, but also opens up a wider number of connections across the carrier’s vast global network from Istanbul Airport in Turkey.   

The carrier will return to London’s third-busiest airport on March 18, 2026, initially operating ten weekly services. However, this will increase to 14 weekly departures on March 29, 2026, when the IATA summer slot season begins. All flights are expected to be operated by Airbus A321s, although this is subject to change.

yusuf yilmaz / ShutterstockWith London-Stansted now added to its route network, Turkish Airlines will operate out of seven key airports across the United Kingdom – London-Heathrow (LHR), London Gatwick (LGW), Manchester (MAN), Birmingham (BHX), Edinburgh (EDI),  and now Stansted. In addition to its expanding UK operations, the airline continues to maintain a regular service to the Republic of Ireland via regular flights from Dublin Airport (DUB). This strategic growth across both the UK and Ireland strengthens Turkish Airlines’ role as a major connector for long-haul travel between the British Isles and 350 global destinations across Europe, Asia, Africa, and beyond.

Following the launch of the Stansted to Istanbul route in March 2026 and the introduction of the airline’s 2026 summer schedule, Turkish Airlines is scheduled to operate an impressive total of 170 weekly flights between the UK, Ireland, and Turkey. During the peak holiday season, the airline offers the following weekly frequencies to Istanbul –

London-Heathrow – 47

London Gatwick – 28

London-Stansted – 14

Manchester – 28

Birmingham – 18

Edinburgh – 14

Dublin – 21
GCMap.comThis will not be the first time that Turkish Airlines has served London-Stansted Airport. The carrier previously flew passengers to Stansted between 2005 and 2009 when it operated to the now-closed Atatürk Airport in Istanbul. It should be noted that Turkish Cargo, the airline’s freight division, has served London-Stansted with regular A330F cargo flights for many years. Additionally, the carrier’s low-cost subsidiary, A-Jet, also serves the North London Airport with regular daily passenger flights.

Stansted continues to grow  

Turkish Airlines’ expansion into Stansted will coincide with the airport’s ongoing £1.1 billion ($1.52 billion) infrastructure investment program, which began in October 2024. The initiative includes a £600 million ($828) terminal expansion designed to double annual passenger capacity to 51 million. The upgraded terminal will feature improved facilities, expanded check-in areas, modernized security systems, new lounges, and additional retail and dining options.

This major upgrade also supports job creation and economic growth in the region. Once completed, Stansted is expected to contribute £2 billion ($2.76 billion) per year to the UK economy and support up to 5,000 new jobs. The introduction of Turkish Airlines’ long-haul services will help accelerate this growth by boosting international traffic and attracting more airlines to the airport.

London Stansted AirportThe announcement also comes during a busy period for London-Stansted in terms of news. On June 24, 2025, the airport announced the start of a new service by Royal Air Maroc between London and Casablanca. The new flights will operate three times a week during summer 2025 on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, using a Boeing 737-800 aircraft, with a flight time of just over three hours.

Then, on June 27, 2025, the airport unveiled a new brand identity as it continues to welcome record-breaking passenger numbers and progresses plans to increase capacity and transform the airport experience. The new brand takes its inspiration from London-Stansted’s iconic Lord Foster-designed terminal, with the building’s distinctive roof structure reflected in the refreshed logo.

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