Turkish Airlines has an incredibly impressive route network, as they fly to more countries than any other airline in the world. However, there are some markets they don’t fly to that may surprise some.
In mid-October 2019 the airline announced they’d launch flights between Istanbul and Vancouver, which will be their first flight to Western Canada. This new flight is now bookable.
Turkish Airlines will be launching 3x weekly flights between Istanbul and Vancouver as of June 9, 2020. The Star Alliance airline will operate the flight with the following schedule:
TK75 Istanbul to Vancouver departing 2:05PM arriving 3:50PM
TK76 Vancouver to Istanbul departing 5:20PM arriving 2:50PM (+1 day)
The flight will be operated on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. The 6,105 flight will be blocked at 11hr45min westbound and 11hr30min eastbound.
Turkish Airlines will use a 787-9 for the route, which is their new flagship aircraft. This features a total of 300 seats, including 30 seats in business class and 270 seats in economy class.
Turkish Airlines 787-9
So far this is the only plane to feature Turkish Airlines’ new business class, which you can read a review of here.
Turkish Airlines’ 787-9 business class
While the route is already bookable, as of now it doesn’t seem like Turkish has any award space yet. I imagine that will change soon (and if I notice an abundance of space I’ll be sure to post about it again).
Currently Turkish Airlines’ only Canadian destinations are Montreal and Toronto, so it’s cool to see a third Canadian city get flights to Istanbul.
Furthermore, in many ways Istanbul is a global hub just like you’d find in the Gulf, so this opens up lots of new one-stop routings that weren’t previously possible.
None of the Gulf carriers fly to Vancouver, but rather we just have Emirates and Etihad flights to Toronto, and Qatar flights to Montreal.
Vancouver is an Air Canada hub, so given that both airlines belong to Star Alliance, this should provide quite some connectivity for this new flight.
What do you make of Turkish Airlines’ new flight to Vancouver?
Has this service started yet? I tried to book it today Sep 8, 2020 on Turkish airlines for flight in October and November but it showed no direct flight from IST to YVR on the Turkish airlines web site. Has this been launched?
when we can expecting ( how soon) Vancouver to Istanbul flight will be start ting.
I wish it was Seattle but, Vancouver is close enough..So excited!!
ABSOLUTELY STOKED ABOUT THIS! As a Vancouverite, it is such a pain to get to Turkey quickly and with excellent connections Turkish provides I am excited for new destinations to open up for us!
Excited that award availability just opened up for my trip to Europe. Booked in Sept back home IST - YVR and hoping some availability opens up so I can book my way out there as well.
Does anybody have any idea if the seat configuration will be the current business class seating? Or if it will be the "new" configuration now that some people have complained about how narrow the business class seats are? Hoping it's a bit more spacious!
This is probably the best news I have heard in the last few years,
All my points are now headed in the direction of Star Alliance (probably AC unless the new Aeroplan is eviscerated).
Sorry, Alaska, but your recent service on our flights to and from Asia and associated downgrades just don't cut the mustard. Your FF plan is headed for the dumpster.
wow!
How much turkey enemy too, people said their political views to the site of the airline company. A very nice service Vancuver Istanbul expedition. The Turks are protecting the Kurds, killing the terrorist who attacked them.
@Ghadir The United States violates human rights too. I would say we are among the most prolific human rights violators in the world. I don't see you saying anything about that. Same with the UAE and Qatar, both of which are autocratic dictatorships. Ben also flies on Chinese airlines, run by a country putting your Muslim brothers and sisters in camps.
@Ethflyer If we called every airline that wasn't SQ or Qatar terrible then the...
@Ghadir The United States violates human rights too. I would say we are among the most prolific human rights violators in the world. I don't see you saying anything about that. Same with the UAE and Qatar, both of which are autocratic dictatorships. Ben also flies on Chinese airlines, run by a country putting your Muslim brothers and sisters in camps.
@Ethflyer If we called every airline that wasn't SQ or Qatar terrible then the only way we could fly to Europe would be via the Pacific. All I want is the seat to be comfortable, crew to be professional, and food to be decent.
please stop posting about Turkey and Turkish Airlines ! this country violates human-rights and keep killing our Kurdish allies !!! Erdogan is getting more money if you fly them and support them !
Re the 787 pic of guests walking down the steps. A familiar site at so many international airports that don't have enough jetway/gates for all their flights. Or at BKK with empty jetway/ gates yet still use stairs.
DITTO: Having a hard time supporting anything Turkish at the moment.
DITTO: As a turkish citizen i refuse to fly turkish airlines!! Their prices are jacked up!! Service not as use to be!!
I...
Re the 787 pic of guests walking down the steps. A familiar site at so many international airports that don't have enough jetway/gates for all their flights. Or at BKK with empty jetway/ gates yet still use stairs.
DITTO: Having a hard time supporting anything Turkish at the moment.
DITTO: As a turkish citizen i refuse to fly turkish airlines!! Their prices are jacked up!! Service not as use to be!!
I wonder if there is enough salt for sale in Vancouver to use on their marginal meal service?
@Speedbird
Yeah, I don't get the AC hate. Compared to Asian carriers yeah it's not good, but compared to other NA offerings, how can you even complain?
How come the ME3 only have one destination in Canada? I'm sure Emirates could do Montreal/Vancouver.
YVR local here and thrilled for connectivity to TLV faster and better than via LHR and FRA. That said, initial search has J to tlv at $5500 cad and it’s $3900 in J on AC, BA, UA...Also higher in Y by 50 %. Guessing prices are yet to be synced....
@Rico Most staggered business class is as tight as 8 across. It technically is 8 across, just (hence the name) staggered. By the way, this year we are getting the 78J with retrofitted club suites, and the 772 refit is quite aggressive. If I am honest, when a BA flight has up to par cabin crew, I think Club World is an excellent experience. It's the inconsistency that pisses me off.
@Bob From what I...
@Rico Most staggered business class is as tight as 8 across. It technically is 8 across, just (hence the name) staggered. By the way, this year we are getting the 78J with retrofitted club suites, and the 772 refit is quite aggressive. If I am honest, when a BA flight has up to par cabin crew, I think Club World is an excellent experience. It's the inconsistency that pisses me off.
@Bob From what I have read Air Canada J seems quite nice? I trust you will appreciate Air Canada more if you ever fly American or United.
Timing is everything, they say and I'm thrilled (if it comes to fruition).
I'm typing this from 6A on the TK IST-ATL flight. I think I might have to blow some more Aeroplan miles and do this again from my home city. I didn't get to spend any time in IST this trip, but love to.
Good news!
Wishing Qatar would fly to Toronto.
Any option that is not our national embarrassment that is Air Canada is welcomed up here!
Living in Seattle, this is a great option for points flights to Europe. Much better than the 8 across + $500 fee for BA or the Icelandair semi-reclined seat through the transfer circus at KEF at 6AM.
On a leisure trip, I like the propeller plane ride from SEA to YVR and the aquarium in the airport. Also, you go through US immigration in Canada and avoid the international arrivals morning rush at SEA.
SEA is an awful airport, YVR offers a much more relaxed and premium experience. I normally only fly TK from Asia since their J fares are half price, but ill try this flight out.
@Richard
Why even talk about this shit? You gonna stop flying on Chinese and American carriers too? That leaves AC, SQ, and the Japanese airlines.
Very exciting news! Me and my mother visit family in Pakistan regularly. Typically the easiest award flights would be SEA or YVR-FRA-ISL-ISB. This is going to be so much more convinient!
@Richard Who cares? I am sure if you looked past your media you would find that Kurdish government would have a lot of skeletons in their closets. Anytime a Muslim nation starts to act as anything other than a vassal state for the US, American media gets their panty's in a twist.
TK is A 50% state-owned airline. The same State that just launched attacks on The Kurds in Syria. Where do you want to park your money? But hey, they have a great Lie Flat seat for the privileged few.
57,500 to Europe (2). (Business) plus < $100 tax if NOT AC
If you double back to a final destination in Europe (1) it's 55,000
How many miles on AC to redeem for on TK to IST?
This has made my day! Better even than a solid Trudeau defeat next Tuesday.
Want to fly IST-YVR next April so I guess it is too much to hope for. But certainly will be a blessing for future travel. Guess I better start saving more Aeroplan points asap.
Vancouver is a much better hub than SEA for *A partners and connections.
Vancouver means you don't have to have a "TSA" moment which makes travel...
This has made my day! Better even than a solid Trudeau defeat next Tuesday.
Want to fly IST-YVR next April so I guess it is too much to hope for. But certainly will be a blessing for future travel. Guess I better start saving more Aeroplan points asap.
Vancouver is a much better hub than SEA for *A partners and connections.
Vancouver means you don't have to have a "TSA" moment which makes travel through the US so awful. Hate it having to pass through SEA every time I take an AS partner flight and the airport lounges in SEA are either non-existent or plain awful.
TK is a great airline with very reasonable costs with Aeroplan. Flying to Europe just became a joy as TK flights are great and there is no YQ on TK as opposed to horrendous YQ on AC. Recently priced an itinerary from FRA to YVR and the YQ on AC was approx $450C per passenger where on Swiss and partner it was about $90C. I never fly AC because of the YQ. Rather take a bus.
THY all the way !
Glad they didn't launch Seattle. Vancouver is a much better connected airport, and a far superior experience (ie. far less frustration and delays).
Too bad they didn’t launch SEA instead.
As a turkish citizen i refuse to fly turkish airlines!! Their prices are jacked up!! Service not as use to be!!
They had maxed out their bilaterals with YYZ and YUL. Did they renegotiate to have more frequencies?
Another option to the dreadful garbage that is AC is always a win.
I can see them heavily discounting travel to India/Pakistan
@Dick Bupkiss
It is a little surprising to not see a Seattle flight. Perhaps they don’t want to compete with Emirates. However, I know plenty of Seattleites who will be happy to have access to more CAD denominated fares. Driving to YVR really isn’t that far.
I'm a little surprised by this. I had been expecting a Seattle flight (which from an operational standpoint, is essentially the same as a Vancouver flight). I would assume that SEA would offer better connectivity for TK (I had actually been secretly hoping for an AS+TK partnership).
Is YVR that much more viable than SEA?
I've just booked ATH-YVR on Air Canada, had I known this was coming in the timeframe I need I would have waited. AC or TK, no competition, TK every time.
I flew the new 787 J class from IAD to İST on October 5 and flew back with the old business class on a 777 to IAH yesterday. Yes, the new seat finishes look very elegant but the seat feels really claustrophobic. It is indeed very private if it is your thing but I much prefer the old seats. There was also a huge difference in catering. I don’t know if it is because the...
I flew the new 787 J class from IAD to İST on October 5 and flew back with the old business class on a 777 to IAH yesterday. Yes, the new seat finishes look very elegant but the seat feels really claustrophobic. It is indeed very private if it is your thing but I much prefer the old seats. There was also a huge difference in catering. I don’t know if it is because the IAD flight leaves at 11 pm but the food was not great. On the other hand, catering from the İST hub was Just like before, plenty of options, lots of food, etc.
Having a hard time supporting anything Turkish at the moment.
I’m trying to get to the Seychelles next year and going through IST on Turkish would be a lot better then stopping through ADD on Ethiopian. I’m reading that their plane maintenance is terrible, what do you think lucky? Is their 787 nice enough in business class or should I take the longer route through IST if I can?
Color me skeptical. Turkish also 'launched' a route from Istanbul-Newark. That never came to fruition.
Qatar only flies to Montreal.