5 Things to Know About the Turkish Airlines Credit Card
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As a company, Turkish Airlines has much to boast about: It flies to the most countries, 129, of any airline in the world. It’s surprising, then, that the Turkish Airlines credit card is a lackluster product. The card just launched in July 2024, so it’s possible it could be revamped with better features over time — but for now, most travelers will find more value in another airline or general travel credit card.
Here are five things to know about the Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Premier Visa Signature, issued by First Electronic Bank.
» MORE: Best airline credit cards
1. It's seriously lacking in perks
Despite its $99 annual fee, the Turkish Airlines card delivers very little in the way of travel perks. At that price point, one might expect benefits such as a free checked bag, a credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, lounge access, early boarding or elevated status within Miles&Smiles, which is Turkish Airlines’ frequent flyer program.
The Turkish Airlines card offers exactly none of these.
If you’re willing to pay an annual fee, there are plenty of superior options to the Turkish Airlines card. Consider the value of the United℠ Explorer Card. The annual fee is $0 intro for the first year, then $95. United Explorer cardholders get free checked bags for themselves and a companion, two lounge passes per year, trip insurance and 25% back on in-flight purchases.
2. The sign-up bonus can be valuable
New Turkish Airlines cardholders can get 40,000 miles after spending $3,000 within 90 days of opening an account. NerdWallet values Turkish Airlines miles at 1.1 cents each, so the sign-up bonus is worth about $440. However, it may be possible to get even more value out of each mile, especially for last-minute bookings.
Earning those 40,000 bonus miles would also elevate you into elite status within the Miles&Smiles loyalty program, the second-highest tier. But as noted earlier, simply having the Turkish Airlines card doesn’t automatically grant you status; you need to spend your way there. That’s not the case with other airline cards.
3. It earns rewards on flights, everyday spending
The card earns:
Unlimited 3x miles on Turkish Airlines flights and purchases.
Unlimited 2x miles on dining, groceries, entertainment and lodging.
Unlimited 1x miles on everything else.
Miles expire three years after they’re earned.
4. Redemption options include travel and travel add-ons
Miles earned with the Turkish Airlines card may be redeemed for the following:
Award tickets.
In-flight service.
Cabin upgrades.
Extra bags.
Goods from Shop&Miles, Turkish Airlines’ shopping portal.
Services from Turkish Airlines’ program partners.
Access to select airport lounges.
Because Turkish Airlines belongs to the Star Alliance, any miles earned with the credit card may be used to book flights on more than two-dozen airlines.
5. You don’t need the card to book award flights
It’s possible you already have a card in your wallet that can help you book award flights on Turkish Airlines. Turkish Airlines is a transfer partner for Capital One Miles, Citi ThankYou Points and Bilt Rewards, so those credit card programs’ proprietary currencies can be converted into Turkish Airlines miles.
Say you’ve accrued 50,000 Bilt Rewards with the Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card. Bilt’s 1:1 transfer ratio means that those 50,000 Bilt Rewards can become 50,000 Turkish Airlines miles.
A general travel card like the Bilt card also gives cardholders more redemption flexibility than a co-branded airline card.
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