Southwest Airlines–Turkish Airlines Transatlantic Partnership Set to Launch in January 2026
Southwest Airlines (LUV) announced that it has entered into a transatlantic partnership with Turkish Airlines, with the program planned to begin in January 2026. Under the partnership, passengers will be able to combine Southwest’s U.S. domestic network with Turkish Airlines’ global network out of Istanbul on a single ticket.
According to the company’s statement, Turkish Airlines serves more than 350 destinations in 132 countries from its hub at Istanbul Airport and operates flights to 10 U.S. points also served by Southwest. Smoother connections are expected via these shared gateway points, and tickets are expected to go on sale in 2026 through Turkish Airlines channels, travel agencies, and travel platforms.
Southwest COO Andrew Watterson noted that both carriers share a focus on hospitality, operational reliability, and customer experience. He added that the partnership is expected to route thousands of international travelers each week through Southwest’s U.S. network.
Southwest also said this is its sixth partnership with an overseas carrier announced in 2025. Alongside cabin upgrades, the airline plans to introduce assigned seating and extra legroom seat options starting January 27, 2026.
The partner gateway points are as follows:
- Atlanta (ATL)
- Boston (BOS)
- Chicago (ORD)
- Denver (DEN)
- Detroit (DTW)
- Washington, D.C. (IAD)
- Los Angeles (LAX)
- Miami (MIA)
- Seattle (SEA)
- San Francisco (SFO)
