Turkish Airlines has an enormous reach with flights to 130 countries. That’s the most of any airline in the world at the moment. It’s also well-regarded. From its food to its inflight entertainment, it’s an airline that offers a premium product while also publishing some very attractive airfares, especially for business class. That means it can be a great way to fly long-haul, and even within Europe (if you don’t mind going a little out of your way). Here’s what to expect – and how to make the most of it – if you decide to fly with them.
Why should you consider flying with Turkish Airlines?
With such a comprehensive route network and a tendency to offer low airfares, it’s not unlikely that Turkish may appear among the top choices on your next international airfare search. This is true of both economy and business class.
While I do think that Turkish Airlines can sometimes be a little over-hyped, and they don’t offer quite as good an inflight service as some of the Gulf carriers for example, they usually represent very good value. And if you’re looking to go to certain less-traveled destinations in central Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, Turkish will in some cases represent by far the best option, cutting out a stop enroute versus many other airline combos.
And if you’re into food while flying, Turkish Airlines will keep you happy. Their catering is consistently good, in all classes. They even have onboard chefs who work alongside flight attendants to ensure the preparation and presentation of food in business class is up to standard.
If you’re booking Turkish, the trick is to know what you’re getting and choose your flights wisely, a calculation which may vary depending on what you value, and whether you’re traveling solo or in a group.
Choosing the right aircraft for a long-haul flight
Turkish offers quite a wide range of different seat types depending on the aircraft type. That means your experience can definitely vary and it’s worth paying attention to the aircraft you’re flying on. In some cases it could be worth seeking out certain aircrafts over others. In economy the newer the aircraft the better (bigger screens and better tech) but the experience won’t vary that much. The real difference will be felt in business class.
The short-haul fleet is generally a lot more similar with recliner business class seats akin to domestic first class in the US, just generally with a much better soft product (food, service) compared to most US airlines.
I’ll get into what you can expect in general in the different classes of service, but first let’s dive into each of their main long-haul aircraft types and the business class offering in each. If traveling solo, my order of preference would be A350, 787, 777, A330 – from best to worst.
Boeing 787
On 787 flights you’ll get the airline’s most recent business class seat which is very private and offers direct aisle access to everyone. It’s not as spacious as some competitors, however, and if you’re traveling as a pair most of the seats onboard will have you sitting some distance apart, making chatting difficult.
Boeing 777
A 777 aircraft on the other hand has an older business class with much less privacy that’s arranged 2x3x2 across, meaning if you’re traveling solo you may be seated next to a stranger and have to step over their legs to escape a window seat. However if you’re a pair traveling these seats might actually be desirable, and as a bonus they are quite roomy, with no cramped footwells to contend with.
Airbus A330
The A330 is less commonly seen on Turkish Airlines longer flights and more commonly used to/from major capitals in Europe, however it’s worth knowing that these have an older seat similar to the 777, but with less seat width because the aircraft is narrower. Perfectly nice for a flight from Barcelona to Istanbul, but maybe less so on a transatlantic-length flight.
Airbus A350
The A350 is an interesting one because some of these have the latest Turkish business class seat as seen on the 787, while a handful of them were initially due to be delivered to Aeroflot, meaning they have the Aeroflot business class seat, an entirely different product altogether. These are suites with closing doors, and arguably the best hard product (the seat itself) across the airline. It’s difficult to anticipate which version of A350 business you’ll get, but it’s hard to go wrong with this aircraft in any case.
Onboard experience
Turkish Airlines seems to make an effort to provide an elevated experience onboard whether you’re up front or in the cheaper seats. The result is generally a flight that feels like a step up from what many other airlines offer.
Business class
When flying in business class long-haul with Turkish Airlines you can expect the following: Lie-flat seats, amenity kits with the essentials and in cases that are great for gifting or reusing, free Wi-Fi up to 1GB, extensive meal service (you won’t go hungry) and a wide range of beverages, lounge access at every airport along your journey.
Within Europe you won’t get bedding, and you’ll get a pared down amenity kit, but you’ll get most everything else.
Business class seat selection tip
On the aircraft with Turkish Airlines latest business seat (A350 and 787), if traveling solo the best seats are the even-numbered ones along the sides (A and K) – because these are further from the aisle than the odd-numbered seats and offer more privacy as a result. If traveling as a pair and you don’t need the window view, go for odd-numbered seats in the center (E and F) which are the closest together.
Economy class
If you’re used to the likes of United Airlines economy class, Turkish Airlines will likely be a pleasant surprise. Here’s what to expect: Legroom on the better side of average (30 to 33 inches depending on aircraft), little amenity kits with some basics like eye mask, toothbrush and socks.
The food should also be a step up. While not as elaborate as Business Class, they do put some effort into this. You’ll have an 11.3-inch personal screen with a wide selection of entertainment, and you’ll have USB ports for power. There are three recently introduced Economy fares for domestic flights within Turkey and on several other routes: EcoFly, ExtraFly and PrimeFly (in order of least to most pricey). Outside of EcoFly, you’ll always have at least one 23kg (about 50 pounds) checked bag included with your ticket.
Service
The service experience on Turkish Airlines can vary quite a lot – from super attentive and friendly crews to those who are simply getting the job done but offering nothing extra. This inconsistency is unfortunate. However relative to all airlines, I’d say Turkish manages a service that’s better than the global average on the whole.
Wi-Fi
There is Wi-Fi on many Turkish Airlines aircraft but it can be costly. However if you sign up for the Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles program, you can get a package with unlimited messaging for free. In business class 1GB of data is free, but you’ll have to pay for anything beyond that.
Other things to consider
Here are a few things I’d keep an eye on when booking with Turkish Airlines.
Turkish Airlines loyalty program
It’s probably worth signing up for the Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles program just for the free inflight messaging alone. It takes only five minutes, after all. However most travelers will be best served using a Star Alliance mileage program from where they’re based to actually earn miles for the flight.
Istanbul Airport connections
Turkish Airlines mega-hub, the relatively new Istanbul Airport, tends to split opinions. It is so big that even connections you’d previously have considered ‘safe’ for time may have you rushing. However it is a serious improvement over the old Ataturk Airport without a doubt, which was becoming seriously over-crowded and showing its age.
However this means it’s worth making sure you don’t have too tight a connection at Istanbul. Sure, a 1-hour connection may be technically legal, but do you want to have to do a light jog and be stressed about it? Traffic at the airport can sometimes mean a 45-minute taxi from landing to reaching your gate, so you can see how that connection time can get chipped away pretty quickly. Try to opt for somewhat longer connections if possible.
Istanbul stopover programs
It can be worth considering taking advantage of Turkish Airlines free stopover offerings. These come in two forms.
If you have a connection of between 6 and 24 hours, Touristanbul offers free city tours and experiences as an alternative to spending 8 hours in the terminal. You simply go to the relevant desk after arriving at Istanbul Airport and ask for the tour options.
If you have an overnight stop with a connection of at least 20 hours, Turkish will even put you up in a hotel free of charge. For this one, you need to apply at least 72 hours before.
This can be a nice added value on a trip, getting to see a bit of Istanbul before heading onward to your final destination, or perhaps on the return before heading home.
This KAYAK-commissioned article is presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the article are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others. Find more perspectives in our user reviews below.
