Direct flights are often an impetus for taking a trip in the first place — no layovers, no missed connections. In Greater Miami and other parts of South Florida, they also provide a pipeline for new real estate buyers, according to a report in the Miami Herald.

An influx of new, direct flights from different countries and continents supplies easy access to the city, affording visitors the chance to see — and buy — in the aptly named Gateway to the Americas.

Recently, Turkish Airlines launched a direct flight from Istanbul Ataturk Airport to Miami International Airport, according to the Herald. Qatar Airlines flies direct from Qatar to Miami, and non-stop flights are available, or will soon be available, from international locales including Stockholm and Tel Aviv, offering transit for inquisitive buyers hailing from Europe and the Middle East.

Easy access to the city has brought concrete expansion in real estate transactions, according to the report. ONE Sotheby’s International Real Estate saw a significant increase in Turkish buyers, for example, purchasing mid- to luxury-priced condos at development sites like Icon Brickell and Miami’s Paramount Bay, as well as lower-priced properties in nearby Doral.

Just as direct flights have served as a catalyst for real estate deals from international buyers, so too have long-haul flights hampered potential purchases. The Miami Herald points to Asian countries as a prime example. A lack of direct flights to and from Mumbai, India ultimately served as a deal-breaker for one family looking to purchase in Miami, according to the article.

Efforts to expand seamless air travel between Asia and Miami include a possible direct flight from Hong Kong aboard a new, long-range Airbus A350 aircraft.