Turkish Airlines, Air China expand codeshare to Africa, Asia

Turkish Airlines and Air China have broadened their existing codeshare agreement to encompass all direct flights between Türkiye and China, the Turkish flag carrier announced Thursday during the opening ceremony of an aviation conference in Beijing.

Expanded network coverage

The two Star Alliance members launched their free-sale codeshare partnership in June 2024, initially covering flights between Istanbul and Beijing. Under the expanded agreement signed this week, the partnership now includes selected domestic services beyond Beijing and international connections beyond Istanbul. The cooperation allows connecting flights operated by both carriers to be offered under a single ticket — providing passengers with streamlined travel options between China, Türkiye and onward destinations.

New destinations unlocked

Turkish Airlines passengers will be able to travel via Beijing to six additional destinations in mainland China: Shenzhen, Chongqing, Xiamen, Hangzhou, Nanjing and Qingdao. Air China passengers, meanwhile, will gain access through Istanbul to Ankara, as well as selected destinations across Africa and Latin America, including Accra, Lagos, Marrakech, Dar es Salaam, Algiers, Tunis, Cancun and Mexico City.

Future cooperation

The two carriers said they aim to strengthen connectivity and transfer opportunities between their Beijing and Istanbul hubs. Turkish Airlines and Air China also plan to add any new direct routes launched between Türkiye and China to the codeshare partnership in the coming period, according to the Turkish flag carrier's statement.