It’s an exciting day for Southwest® fans.

Southwest Airlines® and Turkish Airlines just announced a new partnership that will make it much easier to book trips from the U.S. to Europe—and well beyond—starting January 2026.

Southwest® isn’t operating long-haul international flights of its own, but this partnership is part of a broader strategy to connect its domestic network to overseas destinations via partner airlines.

 

Southwest® and Turkish Airlines Partnership: What Travelers Need To Know

Beginning in early 2026, travelers will be able to book single-ticket itineraries that combine Southwest’s massive domestic network with Turkish Airlines’s international routes via Istanbul. That means you could fly Southwest® from your home airport to a major U.S. gateway, connect to Turkish Airlines, and continue on to destinations across Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East—all without juggling separate tickets.

And Turkish’s network is huge. The airline serves over 350 destinations in more than 130 countries, making its Istanbul hub one of the most connected in the world.

 

What Southwest’s Turkish Airlines Partnership Unlocks

Southwest® has always been fantastic for getting around the U.S., but international travel has required a bit more creativity. This partnership is helping to close that gap.

For travelers who already earn Rapid Rewards through the many Southwest® credit cards, this expanded connectivity could make those points even more versatile.

Instead of piecing together multiple bookings, travelers can book one itinerary with baggage checked through to their final destination on eligible routes.

It’s also a smart move for Southwest®. Rather than launching long-haul flights or adding wide-body aircraft, the airline continues to expand its customers’ reach internationally through partnerships. Turkish Airlines joins a growing list of global carriers Southwest® has partnered with, including Icelandair and Condor. 

For Turkish Airlines, the benefit is equally clear: access to Southwest’s dense domestic network, including many mid-sized U.S. cities that don’t always have easy international connections.

 

The Istanbul Angle

For Points Talk Squad readers, Turkish Airlines likely already rings a bell, and that’s where this partnership gets especially interesting.

We’ve previously covered what it’s like to fly to and visit Istanbul on points, and it’s the type of experience that sticks with you. Istanbul isn’t just a place you pass through on the way to somewhere else; it’s a destination in its own right. Between the city itself and Turkish Airlines’s long-haul experience, routing through Istanbul can actually feel like part of the trip, not just a connection.

 

What We Still Don’t Know

The partnership is structured as an interline agreement rather than a full codeshare. Travelers can expect single-ticket bookings, but key details like loyalty earning, redemption opportunities, and participating U.S. gateway airports are still pending.

 

What Comes Next

Starting in 2026, this partnership could make international travel with Southwest® far more realistic—especially for travelers who value Southwest’s route map and generally hassle-free experience.

If you’ve ever wished your Southwest® flight could magically turn into a Europe-bound trip without extra hoops, this is the closest thing yet.

As more details are released, we’ll keep you posted. If you want to dig into what this could mean for real-world trips, join the conversation in the Points Talk Squad Facebook group.

 

Related Posts

Five Reasons to STILL Love Southwest Airlines®

How to Travel to Istanbul on Award Points

Five Reasons I Loved Flying Turkish Airlines Business Class to Italy

Reader Success Story: A Family Takes on Türkiye