Budget airline easyJet has launched its inaugural flight from Bristol Airport to Istanbul.
The carrier will fly twice a week (on Monday and Friday) year-round from the South West transport hub to Turkey’s largest city. It is also offering package holidays from Bristol.
EasyJet was the third-biggest carrier from the UK to Turkey in 2024, offering over 1.7 million seats to cities including Istanbul, Izmir, Bodrum, Dalaman and Antalya.
The new route from Bristol Airport follows the launch of the airline’s twice-weekly service (Wednesday and Saturday) from the city to Agadir, in Morocco, last month. It also comes ahead of a new easyJet route to Tromso in Norway which will begin operating on December 5.
Ali Gayward, easyJet’s UK country manager, said: “Our brand new service from Bristol to Istanbul provides our customers in the South West with a direct connection to one of Europe’s most popular and culturally exciting cities.”
Dave Lees, chief executive of Bristol Airport, added: “We are thrilled to welcome easyJet’s new routes to Istanbul in Turkey and Agadir in Morocco. These exciting new destinations add to the extensive route network and flexibility of flights available from Bristol Airport, and it shows the strength in demand from customers in the South West and Wales wishing to travel further afield.
“Istanbul is a great city for business and leisure, so it’s good news for many of our customers, who can now fly from their local airport. Istanbul also opens up a wide range of connecting flights for those looking to explore Asia and beyond.”
The announcement comes as Bristol Airport forges ahead with a £400m upgrade programme. The improvements, which include adding more space to the terminal, will take place over the next five years. New technology will also be employed and some “key changes” are being made to how passengers arrive and depart from the airport.