A new nonstop Turkish Airlines flight from Denver International Airport will carry travelers 6,130 miles between Denver and Istanbul — the longest flight from DIA and the latest in Colorado’s expansion of global connections.
The recruitment of Turkish Airlines brings the number of airlines at DIA to 26. Searches on Google on Thursday morning showed flights available three days a week, starting June 11, for around $1,329 roundtrip.
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston and DIA chief executive Phil Washington announced the flight Thursday morning, celebrating a milestone in efforts to link the Rocky Mountain West with the rest of the world.
“Turkish Airlines is the most connected airline in the world. This not only opens Denver to Istanbul and Turkey. It also opens up opportunities for us into India, Africa, and the Middle East,” Johnston said.
The new service is expected to bring a $54 million annual economic impact in Colorado and support the creation of 350 new jobs around the state. “We’re looking at companies interested in establishing a North American headquarters here,” he said.
The flight will take about 13 hours, longer than the 12-hour direct flight between Denver and Tokyo. Turkish Airlines offers connecting flights to 300 destinations from its Istanbul hub, including 55 cities in Africa. Denver will be the 14th U.S. city offering direct flights to Turkey. Turkish Airlines officials on Thursday said they’re hoping these will bring 2 million tourists a year to visit Turkey’s ancient historical sites and vibrant cities.
DIA officials in recent years have prioritized “expanding our global connections” as part of their strategic plan for serving 100 million passengers a year by 2027 and more than 120 million by 2045, the airport’s 50th anniversary. A primary goal is to “expand the air networks to the continent of Africa and other disconnected destinations.”
A 21-person delegation of airport, city government, and business officials from Denver visited Ethiopia in February 2023 on a trade mission. They offered economic incentives as part of their efforts to persuade Ethiopian Airlines and, eventually, Egypt Air to commit to starting service to Denver with several flights a week. Another delegation visited Turkey in October 2022 to explore possibilities for starting a Turkish Airlines flight between Denver and Istanbul.
DIA officials anticipate a launch of Ethiopian Airlines flights between Denver and Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa. early next year, Washington said. They’re also working to line up nonstop access to Amsterdam and other cities in Japan. “We’re being very ambitious in terms of increasing our global connections,” he said.
“I see us as the gateway to the United States because of our geographic location.”
The new flight announced Thursday “does not diminish in any way our desire” to line up flights to other cities, said Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce president J.J. Ament, who joined recent delegations.
“The imperative is that we continue to increase Denver’s global reach and the reach of Colorado and the Rocky Mountain West with DIA as the gateway airport. Being able to reach new parts of the world, growing parts of the world, is what is going to keep Colorado globally relevant,” he said, focusing on benefits for business.
“Colorado has great companies that are doing energy infrastructure, specifically around climate resilience. These have applications around the world.”
DIA is the largest airport in the United States by size, covering 53 square miles of land. It also ranks among the busiest airports in the world. A record 77 million passengers went through DIA in 2023, up from 69 million in 2019.
The airport offers flights to 217 destinations, predominantly domestic. International air travel, including air cargo operations, has grown steadily and in 2023 accounted for more than 4 million travelers, up 21% since 2022.
DIA now offers nonstop international access to 31 destinations in 17 countries. Last year, airport officials announced new nonstop flights from DIA on Aer Lingus to Dublin, Ireland, starting on May 17. Other cities that DIA travelers can reach nonstop include London, Paris, Zurich, Reykjavik, Iceland, Munich, Frankfurt, Tokyo, and a dozen cities in Mexico and Central America.
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