Turkish Airlines Resumed Flights to Afghanistan After Nearly Three-Year Hiatus

At 6:45 (UTC) this Tuesday (21), the inaugural flight of Turkish Airlines from Istanbul (IST) landed at Kabul International Airport (KBL), marking the company’s return to Afghanistan after nearly three years.

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Turkish Airlines will operate four weekly flights between Istanbul and Kabul, departing on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays at 00:40 (UTC) to arrive in the Afghan capital at 6:45. The return flight will be at 8:45, landing in Istanbul at 12:45 (all times are UTC). These flights will be operated with Airbus A330-200 aircraft, with a capacity for 18 passengers in Business and 232 in Economy. Round-trip fares start at USD 805, including taxes and fees.

Turkish Airlines had operated in Kabul until the fall of the government to the Taliban in August 2021. Only two other international airlines have resumed their flights to the Afghan capital since then: Flydubai and Air Arabia, with services from Dubai (two daily flights on Boeing 737 MAX 8) and Sharjah (one daily flight on A320).

The demand is mostly met by the local airline Kam Air, which flies from Kabul to New Delhi (India), Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Tehran (Iran), Islamabad (Pakistan), Istanbul, Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), Kuwait, Medina (Saudi Arabia), Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), and Tashkent (Uzbekistan). Domestically, it operates flights to Herat, Kandahar, and Mazar-e-Sharif, cities that are also connected to Dubai, Tehran, Istanbul, and Medina.

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The return of Turkish Airlines, which operates to 346 destinations in 130 countries around the world, opens an important window of connectivity to Afghanistan.

Before the fall of Kabul to the Taliban, the capital also received regular flights from Air India, Emirates, and Pakistan International Airlines.