Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) and Turkish Airlines have agreed a partnership that will allow customers to book integrated transatlantic journeys between the United States and Türkiye from beginning in January 2026.
The arrangement will enable travellers to purchase single itineraries combining Southwest’s domestic US network with Turkish Airlines’ long-haul services via Istanbul. The cooperation is designed to link Southwest’s point-to-point network with Turkish Airlines’ global hub at Istanbul Airport.
Under the agreement, customers will be able to connect from cities across the US served by Southwest onto Turkish Airlines’ flights to Istanbul, with onward connections to destinations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Tickets will be available through Turkish Airlines’ sales channels, including its website and travel agency partners.
Andrew Watterson, Chief Operating Officer of Southwest Airlines, said the partnership would introduce international travellers to Southwest’s network while extending the carrier’s reach beyond North America. “We’re grateful for this new relationship that will usher thousands of international travellers each week through experiences around the globe that showcase the best of both carriers and globally enhances awareness of the Southwest brand,” he said in the statement.
Turkish Airlines operates one of the most extensive international networks in the industry, serving more than 350 destinations worldwide. The carrier currently flies to 10 US airports that are also served by Southwest, creating multiple potential connection points under the new arrangement.
The partnership does not involve Southwest operating its own long-haul transatlantic flights. Instead, the airlines will coordinate schedules and ticketing to allow through-checked itineraries and streamlined transfers at shared gateways.
For Southwest, which has historically focused on short- and medium-haul operations within the US and near-international markets, the agreement marks a step towards broadening its global connectivity through commercial partnerships rather than fleet expansion. For Turkish Airlines, the deal strengthens feed traffic from US domestic markets into its Istanbul hub.