A contemporary flying carpet fleet, Turkish Airlines whisks more than 60 million passengers a year to over 300 international and domestic destinations in clean, modern, and comfortable airplanes. As one of Europe’s fastest-growing airlines, Turkey’s national carrier has been named “Best Airline in Europe” multiple times by Skytrax. Turkish Airlines’ gateway is the modern Ataturk Airport in Istanbul.

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Equipment

Turkish Airlines flies nonstop to major North American gateways including New York, Chicago, Washington DC, Los Angeles, Houston, and Boston. The fleet consists of B777-300 ERs, A330-300s, A330-200s, A340-300s, A321-200s, along with a few other models. Depending on the aircraft, most planes can accommodate 312 or 337 passengers across Business, Comfort, and Economy sections. The oldest aircraft operated between Turkey and the USA remain relatively modern and well-maintained. The experience of takeoff and landing was exceptionally smooth and quiet, likely due to the combined efforts of skilled pilots and advanced equipment.

Dining

Turkish Airlines is known for its exceptional dining service, largely thanks to the Flying Chefs program. On long-haul flights, business class passengers enjoy authentic Turkish and international dishes curated by on-board chefs. A notable delight was the white Turkish eggplant, served as a delicious variation on babaganoush, along with smoked salmon rosettes, which were equally delightful.

During our JFK-to-IST flight, we had the pleasure of meeting Turkish Airlines’ head chef, Christian Reisenegger, who masterfully manages to create such flavorful dishes in a compact kitchen. The majority of the meals are cooked on the ground and then heated in the air—without the use of microwaves.

Business Class

Flying in business class on Turkish Airlines is a refined experience. After takeoff, passengers receive a personalized menu offering multiple choices for dinner and breakfast. Following this, a complimentary cocktail is served, and the chef presents a tray of hors d’oeuvres. By the time dessert is presented, a nap often feels like a wonderful idea.

Business class seats recline fully, and amenities include a pillow and quilt, noise-canceling headphones, and an amenity kit featuring Hermès products. Moreover, the bathrooms are unusually spacious and equipped with Hollywood-style mirror lights.

Comfort Class

Turkish Airlines previously offered a generously proportioned Comfort Class as a premium product situated between economy and business; however, this service has been discontinued.

Economy Class

Admittedly, flying economy class isn’t the most enjoyable experience on any airline. With 9 seats per row arranged in a 3-3-3 configuration, Turkish Airlines’ seats are 18 inches wide, which remains relatively generous compared to other carriers.

Entertainment and Crew

Passengers across all classes have access to the same entertainment options, although the screens differ. Business and Comfort Class passengers benefit from a swing-out touch screen to select movies, games, and music, along with a Voyager feature tracking flight statistics. Economy-class travelers, on the other hand, use smaller screens embedded in seatbacks.

The crew is Turkish and attentive, although their English proficiency varies. Depending on the aircraft, the crew-to-passenger ratio in business class is approximately 1-to-10, whereas in economy class it’s about 1-to-40.

Turkish Airlines Lounge at Ataturk Airport in Istanbul

To enhance the airport experience, Turkish Airlines has transformed its business class lounge at Ataturk Airport into a luxurious destination. This chic, contemporary two-level lounge features a tea garden, golf simulator, library, children’s playground, billiards area, and more.

Delectable food and beverages are readily available, with chefs preparing Turkish classics like pide flatbreads and manti dumplings right before your eyes. For those seeking tranquility, private rest areas, shower facilities, and massage beds are also available. Access is granted to business class passengers, Miles & Smiles Elite, Elite Plus card holders, and Star Alliance Gold members.

Drawbacks

On our flight from JFK to Istanbul, announcements were made in Turkish first, followed by English. In business class, the audio quality of the public address system was unclear. Additionally, despite multiple requests to adjust the cabin temperature, it remained uncomfortably warm, and personal fans were not available. On a subsequent flight using different equipment, these issues were resolved; every business class seat had an adjustable personal fan.

Insider Tips

For those who have read to this point, here’s a valuable tip: It’s possible to upgrade to Comfort Class from Economy at check-in—for a fee of 200 Euros, provided a seat is available. This is a significant bargain compared to the standard pricing for Comfort Class tickets.

Turkish Airlines operates a frequent-flyer program known as Miles & Smiles, allowing miles to be applied toward flights, select accommodations, car rentals, and additional Star Alliance member services.