Turkish Airlines and Airlink Launch Strategic Codeshare to Boost African Connectivity

Turkish Airlines and South Africa-based Airlink will launch a new codeshare agreement that enhances seamless travel across Türkiye and southern Africa. This collaboration goes beyond a standard commercial deal. It’s a strategic effort to bridge continents, connect cultures, and offer smoother, smarter air travel experiences.

A Unified Network That Puts Passengers First

The agreement, signed at Airlink’s Johannesburg headquarters, marks a key milestone in both airlines’ global expansion plans. Senior executives from each carrier attended the event, which further emphasized the importance of this partnership. In a region where better connectivity is increasingly vital, this collaboration aims to close long-standing network gaps.

As part of the codeshare, Turkish Airlines will place its “TK” flight code on a wide selection of Airlink-operated routes. As a result, travelers arriving on Turkish Airlines’ long-haul flights can connect—on a single ticket—to multiple regional and domestic destinations across South Africa and its neighboring countries.

What This Means for Travelers

The new codeshare significantly improves the overall travel experience. It introduces several benefits that make journeys more convenient and flexible:

• More destinations available on a single ticket
• Simplified connections via Johannesburg and Cape Town
• Flexible schedules with better-coordinated flight times
• Consistent, high-quality service across both airlines

By combining Turkish Airlines’ global reach with Airlink’s regional strength, the partnership gives travelers more choices and smoother travel flows. As a result, passengers will enjoy better timing, fewer hassles, and greater comfort when flying across continents.

Strategic Growth with Regional Impact

Levent Konukcu, Turkish Airlines’ Chief Investment & Strategy Officer, emphasized the broader benefits of this collaboration:

“We give importance to this cooperation with Airlink to enhance our connectivity in South Africa and the region. We aim to improve our partnership to maximize the travel opportunities offered to our guests. We believe this partnership will bring benefits to both carriers commercially and strengthen cultural and tourism ties between our countries.”

De Villiers Engelbrecht, CEO of Airlink, shared a similar outlook:

“This collaboration represents a significant opportunity to deepen ties between our airlines. For customers, it means more convenient travel options, world-class service, and better access to destinations across our combined networks.”

It’s clear that the partnership is about more than connecting flights—it’s about connecting economies, travelers, and experiences.

A Boost for Regional Travel and Tourism

This move is expected to stimulate travel in both directions. South African travelers can now explore Türkiye and beyond with greater ease, while visitors from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East gain simpler access to southern Africa’s top destinations.

For the tourism sector, the timing couldn’t be better. With increasing demand for long-haul leisure travel and multi-destination itineraries, seamless routing through Johannesburg and Cape Town could drive more inbound travel and longer stays.

Looking Ahead: More to Come?

While the codeshare begins with Turkish Airlines placing its flight code on Airlink services, this may be just the beginning. With mutual interest in expansion, the partnership could eventually evolve to include reciprocal benefits, frequent flyer integrations, or joint marketing initiatives.

As airlines continue rebuilding stronger post-pandemic networks, collaborations like this one represent a smarter path forward—one that values efficiency, customer experience, and regional integration.

If you’re interested in how other industries are enhancing the travel experience, check out how hospitality brands are designing for the modern traveler.