Turkish low-cost carrier Pegasus Airlines and Malaysia's AirAsia have launched a codeshare partnership connecting Southeast Asia and Europe through Istanbul, the companies announced Wednesday.
The agreement, AirAsia's first-ever codeshare partnership, combines its network across Asia with Pegasus' European network through Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport.
The partnership will initially cover five destinations: London Stansted, Moscow Vnukovo, Ankara Esenboğa, Zurich and Athens.
Access is expected to expand progressively to more than 100 routes between Asia and Europe through the airlines' combined networks.
Passengers will be able to travel under a single booking and have their baggage checked through to their final destination without checking in again or collecting and rechecking their luggage during transit in Istanbul.
AirAsia will also increase the frequency of its Kuala Lumpur-Istanbul flights from four to seven per week by February 2027.
Operated by AirAsia X, the Kuala Lumpur-Istanbul route has provided a direct connection between Southeast Asia and Türkiye since November 2025.
Pegasus CEO Guliz Öztürk said Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen is a natural connection point between Europe and Asia, adding that the cooperation brings the two continents together.
"We are proud that AirAsia’s first-ever codeshare agreement is with Pegasus," Öztürk said, noting that it reflects the strength of the network the airline has built from Istanbul over more than two decades.
"Our guests can now reach Kuala Lumpur seamlessly and connect from there to more than 140 destinations across the Asia-Pacific region through AirAsia’s network," she added.
Öztürk said travelers from Southeast Asia and beyond would also gain easier access to Türkiye and European destinations.
AirAsia Group CEO Bo Lingam described the agreement as an important milestone in the company’s 25th year and a new chapter in its evolution from a leading ASEAN low-cost carrier into a global travel network.
"By connecting our extensive network across Asia with Pegasus’ strong European network from Istanbul, spanning 160 destinations across 56 countries, we are making Europe more accessible to our guests," Lingam said.
The cooperation would also open the door for European travelers to explore the ASEAN region and destinations beyond, while laying the foundation for broader connectivity through future strategic partnerships, he added.
