Filipinos will now have more options when traveling to Türkiye after the Department of Transportation (DOTr) signed an agreement to double the daily flights between Manila and Istanbul.

In a statement, Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said he signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with his Turkish counterpart on Aug. 13 to expand the bilateral air services agreement between the two countries.

Under the agreement, flights between Manila and Istanbul will now be operated twice daily, up from the current once-a-day service, resulting in 14 flights per week.

Lopez said expanding the flight schedule is crucial in strengthening the country’s international connectivity, especially since Istanbul serves as a major transit point to Europe and other destinations.

Likewise, he said this will generate increased competition among airlines, which could result in lower airfares for travelers.

At present, Turkish Airlines is the only carrier that connects Manila to Istanbul on a direct basis, while other airlines have layovers for their services.

“The expansion of flight frequencies should not only result in more flights, but should also make travel more accessible and affordable for our countrymen, especially OFWs (overseas Filipino workers),” said Lopez.

In line with this, Lopez asked Turkish aviation officials to consider providing special discounted airfares for OFWs as part of the benefits of the expanded air services agreement.

Under the expanded deal, the Philippines and Türkiye also agreed to grant unlimited frequency rights for flights between points other than Istanbul and Manila.

This would give airlines the flexibility to expand flight options to secondary gateways such as Clark, Cebu, and Davao.

Airlines were also granted the ability to operate under co-terminalization under the agreement, provided that cabotage rights are not exercised.

According to Turkish Civil Aviation (TCA), both countries also expressed their commitment to reconvene in the future to potentially expand the agreement further in response to evolving market conditions and rising passenger demand.

“This accord solidifies our strategic alignment, aiming to expand sovereign trade corridors, catalyze state-to-state tourism, and deepen institutional ties to bridge our geographical distance with enduring diplomatic foundations,” said TCA Director General Kemal Yüksek.