Analysis: Why Do No US Airlines Fly To Istanbul?

Istanbul Airport is ranked the sixth-busiest airport in the world, with flights to destinations worldwide. Yet, no US-based carrier flies there. It seems counter-intuitive that no US airlines would fly there. After all, US-based airlines operate in the region; for example, Delta and United fly to Greece’s Athens and Israel’s Tel Aviv airports. The reasons no US airlines fly there are mixed up with politics, code-share agreements, and Turkish Airlines’ dominance (Turkish Airlines offers flights to some 276 destinations – including around 14 destinations in the US).