Turkish Airlines Business Class: What You Need to Know

With flights from nine cities across the U.S., Turkish Airlines makes a trip to Istanbul a cinch. Turkish Airlines’ business class is renowned for comfortable seats, fine food and other onboard comforts. Using miles or points, a vacation with a Turkish Airlines business class flight may be closer than you think.

Based on our most recent analysis, NerdWallet values Turkish Airlines miles at 1.1 cents each.

Turkish Airlines has just two classes of service: economy and business. So you get the premium experience in business class. From posh lounges to free baggage, lie-flat seats and world-class service, Turkish airlines is sure to make a lasting impression.

This Turkish Airlines business class article lays out what you can expect, from the moment you arrive at the airport to the moment you land.

Many of the things you have to pay for when you fly economy class are free when you fly in business class. Extra bags, gourmet meals, tons of legroom — they’re all included in the business class experience.

Baggage allowance

Tempted to pack that third or fourth pair of shoes for a fancy night out? Feel free to overpack. Turkish Airlines business class passengers can check two pieces of luggage weighing up to about 70 pounds (32 kilograms) each for free, plus bring two pieces of cabin baggage.

Priority boarding

Don’t worry about fighting for overhead bin space. In business class, you’re among the first to board the plane, so you’ll have plenty of time to get settled in.

Lie-flat seats

What better way to travel than flying across the Atlantic Ocean in a seat that turns into a bed? No matter which plane you’re on, you’ll have a lie-flat experience in the airliner's business class. There are individual power ports to charge devices, noise-canceling headphones and even massages are available on certain aircraft.

Some of Turkish Airlines’ newer planes, like the 787 Dreamliner, offer aisle access from every seat.

Lounges

Turkish Airlines recently opened a new lounge in the Istanbul Airport that is a sight to be seen. As a business class passenger, you’ll have free access to this sanctuary before you fly.

There, you’ll enjoy free Wi-Fi, a massive children’s play area, free food including Turkish cuisine and private suites to relax. You can freshen up in one of the shower suites or explore the 1,400-square-foot museum, created in collaboration with Istanbul Modern, right inside the lounge.

When flying in Turkish Airlines business class, come hungry. Between the world's oldest bread to a personal chef, expect to eat well.

Take advantage of your personal chef

Another perk of Turkish Airlines’ business class experience: a flying chef. On transatlantic flights, you’ll be greeted with a welcome drink. That's followed by an expansive selection of hors d’oeuvres and soups. Meals are served on porcelain tableware and prepared according to your specifications. It’s all finished with Turkish coffee and Turkish delight.

Nosh on world's oldest bread

One of the neatest, cultural experiences might happen before you even touch down in Turkey. Turkish Airlines serves a unique offering called ‘The Oldest Bread,' which is bread made of Einkorn and Emmer Wheats. These are considered the oldest types in Anatolia, the cradle of the most ancient civilizations.

Its served heated and in a special bag with butter and olive oil before meal service. The offering is available for Intercontinental Business Class passengers.

The best miles and points for a business class seat on Turkish Airlines are its own currency: Miles&Smiles miles. But unless you fly on Turkish Airlines often, there aren’t many ways to earn them.

Citi ThankYou points (1:1) or Capital One miles (1:1) could be the solution as you can transfer those points to your Miles&Smiles account.

Business class tickets from the U.S. to Europe start at 45,000 miles plus taxes and fees. If you’re looking to go farther (to Asia or Africa, for example), the miles you need will vary based on your destination.

If you don’t have a credit card that pays Citi ThankYou points or Capital One miles but you have a Chase Ultimate Rewards® account, you could transfer points to United Airlines MileagePlus, then book a business class flight on Turkish Airlines through United’s website. Your Ultimate Rewards® points transfer to United miles at a 1:1 ratio.

A business class flight on Turkish Airlines costs more in United miles than it does in the airline’s own currency, but you’ll be able to search on the United website easily to see available flights.

» Learn more: Chase Ultimate Rewards®: How to earn and use them

First, book directly with Turkish Airlines if you can. Typically, you’ll find the same flight for fewer miles. In the above example, you can see that the Turkish Airlines flight costing 45,000 Miles&Smiles miles is 77,000 United MileagePlus miles.

Second, flying Turkish business class to Middle East destinations costs only slightly more miles than flying to Turkey: just 2,000 miles more — 47,000 total — on a recent search for a New York-to-Dubai business class flight on Turkish Airlines.

Finally, make sure to check out the Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Special Offers page, where you’ll find occasional discounts on flights between regions, meaning that you can fly in business class for even less.

» Learn more: NerdWallet’s best Citi credit cards

A number of transferrable points currencies programs partner with Turkish Airlines, including Citi ThankYou and Capital One Miles, both of which offer a 1:1 transfer ratio.

Note that you might be required to hold a certain credit card to be eligible for transfers, so read the fine print. If you need to earn a bunch of Miles&Smiles miles quickly, though, consider applying for one of these cards:

Turkish Airlines offers fantastic lie-flat business class seats on all transatlantic flights and allows you the ability to connect to Europe, Africa and beyond. On the ground, you’ll find amazing new lounges with local delicacies, while in the air you’ll have a personal chef whipping up meals at 35,000 feet.

Miles&Smiles miles, which can be hard to come by, are easier to get if you have a credit card that pays Citi ThankYou points or Capital One miles, which transfer into Turkish Airlines miles. With the welcome bonus on the right credit card, you might earn enough miles for a business class flight on Turkish in just the first few months after opening the card.