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The new route will cut travel time between Houston and Istanbul to about ten hours, down from about eighteen hours now. Flights will run four times a week between George Bush Intercontinental and Ataturk International Airport.

Mario Diaz is aviation director for the City of Houston.

“What we have is the connection of two very, very powerful hubs that is going to really provide alternative routes to the Middle East, Central Asia, and Africa. Within four hours time of a flight from Ataturk in Istanbul aboard Turkish Airlines, you can be within fifty-two countries.”

Diaz expects the new route will help boost Houston’s trade and investment ties with Turkey. Two-way trade between Houston and Turkey is already growing at a rapid clip. Last year it reached $4 billion, double the level in 2010.