Air Canada Expands Connectivity with Türkiye Through New Interline Agreement with Pegasus Airlines
Air Canada has announced a new interline agreement with Pegasus Airlines, significantly expanding travel options between Canada and Türkiye. This partnership will allow passengers to more efficiently access some of the Turkish market’s most popular destinations through seamless connections across multiple European hubs.
The agreement covers the marketing of nine routes operated by Pegasus, facilitating connections to Istanbul and the coastal city of Izmir. Through this initiative, Air Canada strengthens its presence in a market the airline describes as “dynamic,” while broadening the offerings and flexibility available to its international customers.
Structured Connectivity via Major European Airports
Eight Gateway Points to Istanbul Under this agreement, passengers flying from Canada to European airports served by Air Canada—Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Copenhagen, Munich, Geneva, Vienna, Zurich, and Athens—can easily connect to Pegasus flights heading to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport.
This network architecture allows the Canadian carrier to leverage its established European presence to channel traffic toward Türkiye without needing to operate those specific segments directly. From a commercial standpoint, the interline model reduces operational complexity while expanding geographic reach.
Frankfurt–Izmir: A Specific Connection to the Aegean In addition to the Istanbul connections, the agreement includes the option to fly from Frankfurt to Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport, a key gateway to the Turkish Aegean region. This link complements the service to the country’s primary economic center, diversifying access to high-demand secondary destinations.
Operational Benefits and Passenger Experience
A central element of this agreement is the issuance of a single itinerary, which allows passengers to benefit from through-checked baggage to their final destination. While an operational detail, this is a decisive factor in travel experience and competitiveness compared to fragmented itineraries.
Mary-Jane Lorette, Vice President of Revenue Management, Partnerships, and International Affairs at Air Canada, emphasized that the company’s strategy focuses on “connecting people, markets, and opportunities around the world” and that this alliance expands their reach in Türkiye while reinforcing their role as a global airline.
For his part, Onur Dedeköylü, Chief Commercial Officer at Pegasus Airlines, highlighted that the agreement will strengthen connectivity between Canada and Türkiye, offering greater flexibility and ease of travel through connections via major European hubs. He also noted that both companies plan to develop the relationship further as they continue to expand their international networks.
Next Step: Potential Evolution Toward a Codeshare Agreement
Both airlines are exploring the possibility of expanding the alliance into a full codeshare agreement. If finalized, this evolution would include reciprocal benefits for loyalty programs and deeper cooperation across their international networks.
From a strategic perspective, moving from an interline to a codeshare arrangement would represent a more robust commercial integration, with direct implications for traffic capture, revenue optimization, and customer loyalty.
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