Turkish Airlines ups leisure flights

Turkish Airlines will add a sixth weekly Istanbul–Malé flight for the 2026 summer season, increasing service on one of the Maldives’ main Europe links. (corporate.visitmaldives.com) The extra rotation starts on May 13, 2026 from Istanbul and on May 14 from Malé, running through October 20 and October 21 respectively. The added service is scheduled for Wednesdays outbound as TK 740 and Thursdays inbound as TK 741. (corporate.visitmaldives.com) Under the updated timetable, TK 740 leaves Istanbul at 20:20 and arrives in Malé at 06:30 the next day, while TK 741 departs Malé at 08:00 and lands in Istanbul at 14:20. Flight schedule databases still showed five weekly flights in early April, indicating the sixth frequency is a seasonal addition rather than a year-round reset. (corporate.visitmaldives.com) (flightconnections.com) That matters for the Maldives because airlines can add seats faster by inserting extra weekly flights on established routes than by opening entirely new destinations. Visit Maldives said the change is aimed at the 2026 summer season and will give travelers more connecting options through Istanbul. (corporate.visitmaldives.com) Istanbul also functions as a long-haul transfer hub for Europe, North America and other markets, so one added frequency can widen access well beyond Turkey itself. Visit Maldives said the route supports demand from European source markets and offers an alternative path while some Middle East air corridors are still being adjusted. (corporate.visitmaldives.com) The timing comes as Maldives tourism remains large but uneven. The tourism ministry’s daily update for April 13 showed 682,958 total visitors as of April 12, 2026, while a ministry weekly update dated April 9 showed 689,264 visitors as of April 8 and a 1.0% decline from the same point in 2025. (tourism.gov.mv 1) (tourism.gov.mv 2) The same ministry data showed a sharper slowdown at the start of April. From April 1 to April 7, the Maldives received 36,333 tourists, down 26% from 49,074 in the same week a year earlier, according to local reporting based on ministry statistics. (english.sun.mv) Turkish Airlines is also the only airline currently listed as operating nonstop flights between Istanbul and Malé, which makes added frequency on this route more important than a marginal schedule tweak. For the Maldives, six weekly flights means more seats on a proven corridor just before the northern summer travel period. (flightconnections.com)