Armenia in talks with Turkish Airlines over direct Yerevan–Los Angeles flights

Armenia is in discussions with Turkish Airlines (THY) regarding the potential launch of direct flights between Yerevan and Los Angeles, a route that would serve a significant Armenian diaspora population in the United States.

Direct Flights to Los Angeles Under Discussion

Lusine Gevorgyan, chair of the Armenian Tourism Committee, stated that talks are currently underway with THY to establish a nonstop route connecting Yerevan and Los Angeles. Gevorgyan noted the frequent inquiries she receives regarding such a flight.

“THY operates this kind of long-haul route and has the capacity to do so,” Gevorgyan said. “I can’t say what their response will be, but as the world’s third-largest airline, they could create a direct connection between Yerevan and Los Angeles.”

She indicated that the route is a recent addition to potential new destinations and that the matter is being prioritized, though a timeline has not yet been established.

THY Expanding Yerevan Operations

THY is scheduled to begin direct flights to Yerevan in March, following an announcement made in October. The airline will initially operate daily flights between İstanbul and Yerevan, increasing to 10 flights per week starting May 14 and 14 weekly flights from June 15.

THY has also launched Armenian-language promotional campaigns on social media to attract passengers. The airline’s entry into the Yerevan market follows service from Pegasus Airlines, which currently operates daily flights between İstanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen Airport and Yerevan.

These discussions are occurring as Turkey and Armenia continue dialogue aimed at normalizing relations after decades of hostility. Representatives from both countries held their sixth round of talks in Yerevan in September, the first such meeting held on Armenian soil.

Following that meeting, both sides agreed to prepare for multiple airlines to operate flights between the two countries starting in the summer of 2026, with the goal of increasing routes and frequency.

Los Angeles is considered a key market due to its large Armenian-American population, making a direct route potentially significant for both commercial and political reasons.

Armenia and Turkey currently have no diplomatic relations and a closed land border, stemming from a long history of hostility rooted in the mass killing of Armenians under the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Flights between the two countries have been limited in recent decades due to these tensions.