Filipino travelers could soon have more flight choices—and potentially cheaper fares—when flying to Türkiye, Europe, and the Middle East after the Philippines and Türkiye agreed to double flight entitlements between Manila and Istanbul.

Under the expanded air services agreement, airlines can operate up to 14 flights a week between Manila and Istanbul, twice the current entitlement of seven weekly flights.

That effectively allows two flights a day on the route instead of one, increasing available capacity for passengers traveling between the two countries and those using Istanbul as a gateway to destinations farther west.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) said Friday the additional flight options are expected to encourage greater competition among airlines, which could help bring down fares for travelers bound for Türkiye, Europe, the Middle East and other destinations.

Istanbul is one of the world’s major international aviation hubs, giving Filipino passengers access to a wide network of onward connections across Europe and surrounding markets.

The deal could also eventually bring more international flights closer to passengers outside Metro Manila.

Apart from doubling Manila-Istanbul entitlements, the Philippines and Türkiye agreed to allow unlimited flight frequencies through secondary Philippine gateways, including Cebu, Davao and Clark.

The agreement was reached during the Philippines-Türkiye Air Consultation Talks in Istanbul on 13 August and formalized through a memorandum of understanding signed by Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez and Turkish Civil Aviation Director General Kemal Yüksek.

The DOTr said the expanded air links would not only give travelers more options but also improve the country’s international connectivity and support tourism, business, and trade between the two countries.

Lopez said the two sides were seeking outcomes that would be “balanced, equitable, and beneficial to both the Philippines and Türkiye.”