In May 2024, China and Turkey officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on air services, expanding scheduled passenger flights from 21 to 49 per week. This marks the most significant liberalization in 15 years and signals a new phase of bilateral aviation cooperation.
A key highlight is Turkish Airlines securing rights to operate flights to three additional Chinese cities: Chengdu, Urumqi, and Xi’an.
Currently, five airlines operate China-Turkey routes: Air China, China Eastern, China Southern, Sichuan Airlines, and Turkish Airlines.
This expansion enables travelers from central and western China to bypass Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, eliminating transfer fatigue and achieving true nonstop international connectivity.
Under the previous agreement, all bilateral flight quotas were fully utilized:
*Turkish Airlines deployed all 21 weekly flights on daily services from Istanbul to Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shanghai.
*Chinese carriers split their 21 flights across five cities, including Xi’an and Chengdu in addition to the three major hubs.
*The Chengdu–Istanbul route resumed last year, operated by Sichuan Airlines with two weekly flights, while the Xi’an–Istanbul route is scheduled to launch on June 24, 2025, operated by China Eastern Airlines.
From a market perspective, the timing of this expansion aligns with the current momentum in outbound tourism.
According to Sabre data, two-way origin-and-destination (O&D) passenger volume between China and Turkey reached 555,000 in 2024, nearly double that of the previous year and surpassing the 449,000 recorded in 2019.
Official figures show that Chinese arrivals to Turkey increased by 65.1% in 2024, making China one of Turkey’s fastest-growing outbound source markets.
Interestingly, beyond Turkey’s visa-friendly policies and affordable prices, Chinese travelers are increasingly discovering its strategic value as a “backdoor to Europe.”
For example, on June 17, direct flights from Beijing to Paris were prohibitively expensive, while connecting through Istanbul not only significantly lowered the fare but also offered the added bonus of exploring a new city en route.
