Santiago Airport and Turkish Airlines start airline operation in chile with new Santiago - Istanbul route Estambul
19/12/2024 • Starting today, the airline will operate four weekly flights between Chile and Turkey, providing Chilean travelers access to 352 destinations served by the company. • With the addition of Chile to its network, Turkish Airlines now operates in 131 countries worldwide. This achievement was even certified by Guinness World Records when the first flight landed in Santiago.Santiago, Thursday, December 19, 2024 - A significant milestone in Chilean connectivity with the world was achieved this morning with the beginning of Turkish Airlines operations at Santiago Airport.
Turkish Airlines, recognized by Guinness World Records as the airline serving the most countries globally (131), marked the occasion by landing its inaugural flight (TK 215) in Santiago at 9:45 AM.
The new route will operate four times a week on an Airbus A350-900, which has a capacity of 324 passengers. Flights will depart from Santiago on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays at 11:40 AM. After a stopover of an hour and a half in São Paulo, the flight will continue to Istanbul, arriving at 11:20 AM the following day.
From Istanbul, flights will depart on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 8:35 PM. After the stopover in São Paulo, the flight will reach Santiago at 9:45 AM the following day.
Nicolas Claude, Nuevo Pudahuel’s CEO, the operator of Santiago Airport, stated that this new route significantly enhances flight options for Chilean travelers. “This route is the result of eight years of collaboration between Nuevo Pudahuel and the authorities. It allows us to connect our airport with the airline that serves the most countries in the world. This integration not only increases flight alternatives but also helps promote Chile as a key destination for tourism and business, which is a central goal for our airport,” he explained.
“Every time an airline announces new routes to our country, we celebrate at the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications. These developments enhance competition in the industry, attract investment, and, most importantly, improve connectivity for our citizens. So far, nearly 2,000 Chileans have traveled to Turkey for various reasons. We expect this number to grow in the coming months with the arrival of Turkish Airlines, as well as the increase in Turkish visitors to our country,” said Juan Carlos Muñoz, Minister of Transport and Telecommunications.
In addition, Nicolás Grau, Minister of Economy, Development and Tourism, remarked that the opening of the new route is excellent news for our economy. “Greater connectivity leads to tangible opportunities for tourism and international trade. Our government is dedicated to fostering strategic partnerships that create more jobs and encourage productive linkages throughout the country. The arrival of Turkish Airlines not only introduces new air routes but also directly impacts job creation in air transport and the tourism sector, while opening up significant opportunities for trade and logistics.”