With destinations in 120 countries, Turkish Airlines (TK) has been officially lauded by the Guinness World Records for being the airline with the biggest reach.
The Turkish flag carrier has claimed to fly to more countries than any other since 2012, but this is the first time Guinness World Records have formally recognized the claim.
The award was based on active flights during a 12-month period, observed from September 2023 to September 2024. During that period, Turkish Airlines operated commercial flights to 120 countries, from Afghanistan to Zambia and Japan to Argentina.
Current Global Reach
Turkish Airlines claims it flies to 131 countries, 11 more than counted by Guinness World Records. The airline’s tally includes routes that are temporarily suspended, such as a flight from Istanbul (IST) to Tel Aviv, Israel (TLV), canceled through February 2025, and its newly launched flight to Santiago, Chile (SLC).
Turkish Airlines CEO Bilal Ekşi accepted the Guinness World Record certificate at Santiago International Airport, where he was marking the carrier’s inaugural flight to Chile.
Photo: Courtesy of Turkish Airlines
“We are delighted to be in Santiago, Chile, our newest route launched today, and to receive the Guinness World Records title for the Most Countries Flown to by an airline,” he said.
“As the only airline to hold this distinction for over a decade, we proudly showcase the strength of our flight network and reinforce our mission to connect people, cultures, and destinations around the globe,” Ekşi added.
During the ceremony, Talal Omar, VP – MENA & Türkiye, Guinness World Records, said, “This remarkable achievement affirms its vital role in the global aviation landscape, reaching more international destinations than any other airline. We offer our congratulations to Turkish Airlines on this extraordinary accomplishment.”
Photo: Courtesy of Denver International Airport
Turkish Airlines claims to have a lead of more than 30 countries over its nearest competitors. By our count, its lead is even bigger.
The airline with the next biggest global footprint is Qatar Airways, which currently flies to 84 countries, followed by Air France, with 83 countries on its roster.
Future Expansion Plans
Turkish Airlines has ambitious plans for further expansion and wants to double its fleet, passengers, and revenue over the next decade.
However, expansion may not add many more countries to its network. With a few corners of the globe left, the airline is likely to add additional destinations in countries it already serves and increase frequencies in popular markets.
Photo: Turkish Airlines. Courtesy of Samet Dayı / Unsplash
Turkish Airlines regularly reveals a wish list of routes it wants to add to its network. The latest version, published with its second-quarter results over the summer, includes 25 cities but only five new countries: Chile (Santiago), Peru (Lima), Togo (Lomé), Liberia (Monrovia), and Namibia (Windhoek).
Another potential destination is disputably in a new country: Hargeisa (HGA) is the capital of the de facto state of Somaliland but is considered internationally to be part of Somalia, which Turkish Airlines already serves with a flight to Mogadishu (MGQ).
Comparative Global Footprint
Meanwhile, if Guinness World Records were counting the most destinations served by an airline, Turkish Airlines, with 287 destinations, would lag behind the Big Three U.S. legacy carriers.
United Airlines (371 destinations), American Airlines (356), and Delta Air Lines (311) all fly to more cities, although they reach fewer countries.