Europe and Australia have never been closer. Turkish Airlines has added a new route between Istanbul and Sydney which will be the longest commercial flight in the world—covering 8,076 nautical miles. According to The Telegraph, Turkish Airlines beat Qantas as the first airline to offer this non-stop flight.
Although initially including a stop-over in Asia, the service will be direct within three years’ time using Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. Despite recent demonstrations in Istanbul's Taksim Square, Turkey remains an undeniably hot tourist destination with barely enough hotel inventory for the demand. By connecting the two continents, Turkish Airlines will no doubt play a role in upping the numbers of travelers who discover Turkey's charms while traveling to other European cities from Australia.
Pictured: The buzzworthy new Shangri-La Istanbul on the Bosphorus