What Happened
Spanish Carrier Expands Into Turkish Market Amid Growing Demand
The Spanish Directorate of Civil Aviation has assigned seven weekly frequencies to Air Europa for a potential Barcelona-Istanbul route. This move follows the airline’s launch of a nonstop Madrid-Istanbul service in May 2025, which was later increased to a daily service. The expansion of air links between Spain and Turkey is driven by growing tourism and business connections, with multiple carriers, including Turkish Airlines and Vueling, launching new services. As Turkish Airlines holds a 26% stake in Air Europa, the launch of new Turkish routes may facilitate closer operational alignment between the two carriers, according to AeroTime.