Turkish Airlines has outlined plans to launch scheduled service to Lima, Peru, marking a further step in the carrier’s Latin American expansion.
In a brief regulatory filing, the Istanbul-based carrier said it had decided to begin scheduled flights to the Peruvian capital “based on market conditions,” but provided no details on launch timing, routing, frequencies or aircraft type.
Lima would become the airline’s 10th destination in Latin America and the Caribbean, joining Bogota, Buenos Aires, Cancun, Caracas, Havana (currently suspended), Mexico City, Panama City, Santiago and Sao Paulo. Several of those markets are served via tag-on sectors, reflecting both the distance involved and operational constraints associated with ultra-long-haul flying from Istanbul.
The move would strengthen Turkish Airlines’ presence in South America while tapping into Peru’s efforts to attract additional long-haul air service. Tourism promotion agency Promperu has identified several underserved long-haul markets as priorities, including Germany, the Netherlands and the UK, as well as destinations in Asia.
The opening of the expanded Jorge Chavez International Airport has also provided additional capacity for growth and strengthened Lima’s ambitions to develop as a regional hub. Recent route wins include the return of Air Canada’s Toronto service and the launch of Level flights from Barcelona.
However, Lima’s aspirations have faced challenges following the introduction of a transit passenger fee at the airport. Industry groups, including IATA, have argued that the charge risks undermining the airport’s competitiveness against regional connecting hubs such as Bogota and Panama City.
The Lima announcement comes as competition between European airlines for Latin American traffic continues to intensify. Europe-Latin America capacity has climbed to about 754,000 two-way weekly seats in June, with the market led by Iberia (12.7% share), Air France (11%) and Air Europa (7.4%), KLM (6.4%), TAP Air Portugal (6.3%) and British Airways (5.4%).
Turkish Airlines currently offers about 23,100 two-way weekly seats across its Europe-Latin America network, accounting for about 3% of total capacity, according to OAG Schedules Analyser data. The Star Alliance member’s most recent addition was the launch of flights to Santiago, Chile, via Sao Paulo in December 2024.
The airline is looking to further expand in this market through investment in Air Europa. Spain recently approved its acquisition of a minority stake in the Madrid-based leisure carrier, which serves more than 20 destinations across Latin America and the Caribbean region.
Turkish Airlines is also preparing for its next phase of long-haul expansion through a fleet renewal program. The carrier has 15 Airbus A350-1000s on order as part of a broader agreement covering 70 A350-family aircraft, with the first deliveries expected from mid-2027.
The airline has already expanded into Australia, launching one-stop services to Melbourne and Sydney, but has previously identified both cities, alongside destinations such as Buenos Aires, Santiago and Lima, as candidates for future nonstop operations once the A350-1000 enters service. Other potential long-haul additions under consideration include Minneapolis, Philadelphia and Orlando.
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