Key Takeaways
- Turkish Airlines Business Class can be booked using miles from various loyalty programs like Miles&Smiles, United MileagePlus, or Aeroplan.
- Transferring points from programs like Citi ThankYou, Capital One, or Marriott Bonvoy can help top up miles balances for bookings through Miles&Smiles or other partner programs.
- Turkish Airlines has a generous amount of award availability for business class seats and generally releases these earlier than other partners.
Turkish Airlines, the flag carrier of Turkey, flies to more than 125 countries around the world, more than any other airline.
Turkish Airlines is a part of the Star Alliance, the largest of the three main global airline alliances. With a strategic location in Istanbul, Turkish Airlines connects the world as well as any airline with its extensive route network. Turkish Airlines is also known for its excellent business class experience, with great service, comfortable seats, and some of the best food you can have in the sky.
A Look Inside Turkish Airlines Business Class
Business Class Seating
Turkish Airlines is known for having a stellar experience overall. The business class is known to be comfortable and practical. Flight attendants are generally attentive, and the food is often considered the highlight of the entire experience.
However, Turkish Airlines’ business class seats can be relatively hit or miss, but that mostly comes down to what aircraft you are flying on. All long-haul international flights on Turkish feature lie-flat business class seats, although some aircraft have different configurations. This can make or break the experience.
On its long-haul routes, Turkish mostly flies its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, Airbus A350-900s, and Boeing 777-300ERs. The aircraft you fly on can significantly impact the overall impression of the business class experience.
On the Boeing 787-9s and the Airbus A350-900s, a business class cabin is designed in a 1-2-1 configuration. However, Turkish’s older 777-300ERs are arranged 2-3-2 configuration, meaning that not all passengers get direct aisle access.
Inflight Dining
Unlike the hard product, the soft product is typically the same no matter what aircraft you fly. With an excellent dining reputation to uphold, the airline has onboard chefs, so you know the food will be great. You can expect a wide selection of meals ranging from grilled meats to vegetarian options and everything in between.
Business class passengers also have the option of on-demand dining — they can enjoy their meal at any time during the flight.
Business Class Lounge
Turkish Airlines’ ground experience is a notch above, too, with the hub in Istanbul (IST) featuring its flagship lounge. The lounge has restaurant-quality food cooked to order, tons of space for seating, showers, nap areas, and even a grand piano!
Even if you’re not departing Istanbul, you’ll have access to a wonderful array of Star Alliance lounges around the world.
How To Fly Turkish Airlines Business Class Using Points
Award availability for Turkish Airlines flights is generally reasonable. Turkish Airlines releases long-haul award availability earlier than virtually any other Star Alliance airline. Best of all, Turkish Airlines offers many nonstop routes between the U.S. and Istanbul.
For our discussion, we’ll look at the prices to fly from the U.S. to Turkey in business class across the various loyalty programs.
Following are the frequent flyer programs best suited for booking Turkish Airlines business class.
Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
First, let’s begin with Turkish Airlines’ own loyalty program: Miles&Smiles, which is one of the best ways to book Turkish Airlines business class seats.
For award redemptions, Miles&Smiles utilizes a zone-based award chart for both its flights and its partner airlines. There are 2 award charts: 1 for promotional award tickets and 1 for regular award redemptions.
For flights strictly on Turkish, you want to focus on the promotional award chart, as those are considered Saver level awards and include the best redemption rates.
Hot Tip:
Look at the promotional award tickets award chart on Turkish Airlines’ website for the lowest award rates.
Turkish allows for one-way award bookings, which makes redemptions much easier. Although booking partner awards on Turkish can be difficult, booking Turkish Airlines-operated flights is much easier.
According to Turkish Airlines award chart, you can book a business class ticket between Istanbul and North America for just 45,000 miles one-way. Better yet, pricing remains the same if you want to connect onward into anywhere in Europe.
To book an award ticket with Turkish Airlines, here is what you need to do:
- Log into your Miles&Smiles account on the Turkish Airlines homepage.
- Check the box Award ticket –Buy a ticket with Miles.
- Enter your origin and destination airports, departure date, class of service, and the number of passengers.
- Click on the red arrow to the right to begin the award search.
- Find award space, book with miles, and pay applicable taxes and fees.
Earning Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Miles
There are several ways to earn Turkish Miles&Smiles miles. Turkish Airlines is a transfer partner of Capital One Miles, Citi ThankYou Rewards, Bilt Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy.
Bilt, Capital One, and Citi transfer at a 1:1 ratio. Transfers from Marriott Bonvoy occur at a 3:1 ratio, and you get a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points you transfer.
Recommended Citi Cards
$1,120
21.24%- 29.24% Variable APR
This no annual fee card rewards cardholders for everyday purchases. Earn bonus points at supermarkets and gas stations, plus your points are rounded up on every purchase.
$320
0% intro APR on balance transfers and on purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR of 18.74% – 28.74%.
- Earn 20,000 bonus points after you spend $1,500 in purchases with your card within 3 months of account opening; redeemable for $200 in gift cards at thankyou.com
- Plus, as a special offer, earn a total of 5 Thank You® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com through December 31, 2025.*
- 0% Intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months from date of first transfer and on purchases from date of account opening. After that, the variable APR will be 18.74% – 28.74%, based on your creditworthiness. There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
- Earn 2X ThankYou® Points at Supermarkets and Gas Stations for the first $6,000 per year and then 1X Points thereafter. Plus, earn 1X ThankYou® Points on All Other Purchases.
- The Citi Rewards+® Card – the only credit card that automatically rounds up to the nearest 10 points on every purchase – with no cap.
- No Annual Fee
Financial Snapshot
- APR: 0% intro APR on balance transfers and on purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR of 18.74% – 28.74%.
- Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of each purchase transaction in US dollars
Great card for the average spender with no specific focus category; worry-free cash-back earning on everything!
0% Intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers, then 19.24% – 29.24% Variable
The Citi Double Cash® Card has long been one of the top cash-back credit cards on the market, and the card now has the ability to earn Citi ThankYou Points!
This means that cardholders of the Double Cash card will now earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. Cash back is earned in the form of ThankYou Points. This means each billing cycle, you will earn 1 ThankYou point per $1 spent on purchases and an additional ThankYou point for every $1 paid on your purchase balance as long as there is a corresponding balance in your Purchase Tracker.
Citi has turned the Double Cash card into a top choice for those who are looking for an everyday, no-fuss credit card.
- Bonus Offer: Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
- To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.
- Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% – 29.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
- Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
- If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
- There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
- Citi Double Cash® Card Travel Portal Limited Time Offer: Earn a total of 5 ThankYou Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rental, and attractions, excluding air travel, when booked through the Citi TravelSM portal on ThankYou.com or by calling 1-800-Thankyou and saying “Travel.” Offer is valid through 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET) 12/31/2024.
Financial Snapshot
- APR: 0% Intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers, then 19.24% – 29.24% Variable
- Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of the U.S. dollar amount of each purchase
Rewards Center
Earn big on purchases in your top eligible spend category, up to the first $500 each billing cycle, with no annual fee!
0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% – 29.24%.
Pros
- 5% cash-back (on up to $500 each billing cycle) from your largest purchase category, including restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs, and live entertainment
- No annual fee
- Multiple redemption options
Cons
- Your 5% category is limited to $500 in spend ($25 in cash-back) each month
- Not particularly rewarding for any purchases outside of your top 5% cash-back category
- Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% – 29.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
- Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Also, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. Special Travel Offer: Earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked via the Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2025.
- No rotating bonus categories to sign up for – as your spending changes each billing cycle, your earn adjusts automatically when you spend in any of the eligible categories.
- No Annual Fee
- Citi will only issue one Citi Custom Cash® Card account per person.
Financial Snapshot
- APR: 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% – 29.24%.
- Foreign Transaction Fees: 3%
ANA Mileage Club
In a world where airlines seemingly devalue frequent flyer programs with no end in sight, ANA Mileage Club has held steadfast in its commitment to preserving award flight prices.
For its partner awards, ANA utilizes a zone-based award chart. The mileage required to redeem an award depends on departure and destination zones and the class of service. According to its award chart, the world is divided into eight zones: North America is in Zone 6 and Europe, including Turkey, is in Zone 7.
According to the award chart, business class flights between the 2 zones cost 88,000 miles round-trip. It is worth noting that ANA Mileage Club does not allow one-way award bookings. Award bookings must be round-trip; however, open-jaw bookings are allowed.
ANA does pass fuel surcharges on Turkish Airlines’ flights. The low mileage rates make up for the slightly higher out-of-pocket costs.
Here’s how to book partner awards using ANA miles:
- Use United’s website to search for award space.
- Visit ANA’s website.
- Choose ANA Mileage Club.
- Choose International, then Award Reservation.
- Log into your account.
- Enter your desired route and dates.
- Choose your desired class of travel.
- Choose your flights.
- Reserve your flight and pay for any applicable taxes and fees.
A successful award search on ANA will clearly show Turkish Airlines as the operating airline, as well as the correct mileage amount and total taxes/fees:
Earning ANA Mileage Club Miles
ANA Mileage Club is a transfer partner with Amex Membership Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy.
American Express Membership Rewards transfer to ANA at a 1:1 ratio. Marriott Bonvoy points transfer to ANA at a 3:1 ratio. For every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points that you transfer, you receive an extra 5,000-mile bonus.
Recommended American Express Cards (Personal)
Terms Apply / Rates & Fees
The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.
Learn More(at Amex’s secure site)
Apply With Confidence
Know if you’re approved with no credit score impact
If you’re approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
$1,760
- Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
- $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
- The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
- $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
- $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $199 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
- Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
- Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
- $695 annual fee.¤
- Terms Apply.
Financial Snapshot
- APR: See Pay Over Time APR
- Foreign Transaction Fees: None
Rewards Center
Terms Apply / Rates & Fees
This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!
Learn More(at Amex’s secure site)
Apply With Confidence
Know if you’re approved with no credit score impact
If you’re approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
$1,420
The American Express® Gold Card is a game-changer.
With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants, up to $50,000 per calendar year, and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x.
There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.
- Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide within the first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $100 back. Limited time offer. Offer ends 11/6/24.
- Get the American Express® Gold Card in either the Gold, Rose Gold or Limited-Edition White Gold metal design. White Gold design is only available while supplies last.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
- $84 Dunkin’ Credit: With the $84 Dunkin’ Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Dunkin’ locations.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Financial Snapshot
- APR: See Pay Over Time APR
- Foreign Transaction Fees: None
Rewards Center
Business Owner? Check out our article on the best Amex business cards that earn Membership Rewards.
Bottom Line:
Transferring American Express Membership Rewards to ANA Mileage Club is a great way to book Turkish Airlines business class.
Avianca LifeMiles
Avianca LifeMiles is another solid frequent flyer program to use for Turkish Airlines award flights. The LifeMiles program features great pricing quirks and has some sweet spots for partner awards.
Although the LifeMiles program is known to have bugs when trying to book awards online, it can provide a ton of value if you can stick through the struggle.
Avianca should have the same access to the Star Alliance award availability as other partner airlines, including United and Air Canada. However, this is typically not the case.
When it comes to most award redemptions, there is typically a trade-off between mileage requirements and fuel surcharges. However, things are a bit different with LifeMiles. Avianca offers some of the best rates for Star Alliance awards and does not pass on fuel surcharges, minimizing your out-of-pocket costs.
For most of its flights, LifeMiles follows a standard zone-based award chart. According to the award chart, you can book a Star Alliance business class award ticket for 63,000 miles one-way between the U.S. and Europe. Although this is slightly more than the other programs mentioned above, taxes and fees are minimal.
Here are the steps to booking a LifeMiles partner award ticket:
- Use United’s website to search for award availability.
- Visit the Avianca LifeMiles’ website.
- Change the site language to English by clicking the flag icon in the top-right corner and choosing English.
- Click Log in at the top-right corner and enter your LifeMiles number and password.
- Once logged in and redirected to the homepage, click Fly.
- You’ll see a menu in the flight search box that says Smart Search by default. Change it to Star Alliance.
- Enter your flight information, select one-way or round-trip, and click Find Flights.
- Choose your dates from the calendar.
- After confirming availability, transfer your points to LifeMiles and make the reservation by redeeming LifeMiles.
- Enter your traveler information and use a credit card to pay any taxes and fees.
Earning Avianca LifeMiles
The Avianca LifeMiles program is a transfer partner of Amex Membership Rewards, Brex Rewards, Capital One Miles, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy.
All of the above transfer instantly at a 1:1 ratio except for Marriott Bonvoy. Marriott Bonvoy points transfer at a 3:1 ratio.
Recommended Capital One Cards
Terms Apply / Rates & Fees
The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.
Learn More(at Capital One’s secure site)
$1,350
19.99% – 29.99% (Variable)
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the premium Capital One travel rewards card on the block.
Points and miles fans will be surprised to see that the Capital One Venture X card packs quite the punch when it comes to bookings made through Capital One, all while offering the lowest annual fee among premium credit cards.
Depending on your travel goals and preferences, the Capital One Venture X card could very well end up being your go-to card in your wallet.
- Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options
- Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
- Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
- Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
- Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
Financial Snapshot
- APR: 19.99% – 29.99% (Variable)
- Foreign Transaction Fees: None
Rewards Center
$1,600
19.99% – 29.99% (Variable)
- Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening – that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options
- Miles won’t expire for the life of the account and there’s no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
Financial Snapshot
- APR: 19.99% – 29.99% (Variable)
- Foreign Transaction Fees: None
Rewards Center
Terms Apply / Rates & Fees
The card offers unlimited miles at 1.25x per $1 and no annual fee. When you consider the flexible rewards, frequent travelers come out on top.
Learn More(at Capital One’s secure site)
$360
19.99% – 29.99% (Variable),0% intro on purchases for 15 months
Interested in a travel rewards credit card without one of those pesky annual fees? Then say hello to the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card.
In addition to no annual fee, the Capital One VentureOne card offers no foreign transaction fees.
But is this card worth its salt, or is it merely a shell of the more popular Capital One Venture card?
- $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
- Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
- Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
- Miles won’t expire for the life of the account and there’s no limit to how many you can earn
- Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% – 29.99% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
Financial Snapshot
- APR: 19.99% – 29.99% (Variable),0% intro on purchases for 15 months
- Foreign Transaction Fees: None
Rewards Center
Bottom Line:
You can book a Star Alliance business class ticket between the U.S. and Europe for 63,000 LifeMiles.
Air Canada Aeroplan
Air Canada’s points program, Aeroplan, is another valuable program for booking Star Alliance partners. The program has a ton of partners both inside an alliance and outside, allows for stopovers, including one-way awards, and does not pass on fuel surcharges.
Although the program uses a zone-based award chart like the other programs mentioned, it also factors the total distance flown. This means that award pricing can vary significantly between regions.
Air Canada Aeroplan divides the world into 4 regions: North America, the Atlantic, the Pacific, and South America. Here are the travel zones for Aeroplan awards:
As mentioned, award pricing depends on the total distance flown within and between regions. The farther you fly, the more expensive your award redemption is.
Here is the award chart for flights between North America and the Atlantic zone, which Turkey is a part of:
For example, a nonstop flight between New York (JFK) and Istanbul is priced differently than a nonstop flight between Los Angeles (LAX) and Istanbul. The distance between Los Angeles and Istanbul is far greater than between New York and Istanbul, causing the award price to fall into the next distance band.
From the East Coast and most of the Midwest, Aeroplan charges 70,000 points one-way, as the flight distances fall within the 4,001-6,000-mile distance band. However, for flights from the western half of the U.S., award pricing is raised to 90,000 points one-way.
If you are unsure what the distance between your origin and destination airports is, you can utilize a tool like Great Circle Mapper, which is a great way to calculate the distance between airports.
Additionally, Aeroplan has an incredibly generous stopover policy. You can add a stopover for just 5,000 miles, including one-way awards. You will still want to factor in the total distance flown, but this allows for creative award redemption opportunities.
To look for partner availability, we recommend searching on Aeroplan’s website. Here’s how:
- Visit Aeroplan’s website.
- On the top right, click Sign in and enter your Aeroplan number and password.
- On the resulting page, you’ll see a search box — fill in the desired trip type, origin and destination airports, travel dates, and number of passengers.
- Check the box that says Book with Aeroplan points.
- Click Search.
- Select your flight and pay for any taxes and fees.
Earning Air Canada Aeroplan Points
Aeroplan is a transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Capital One Miles, and Marriott Bonvoy.
All programs aside from Marriott Bonvoy transfer at a 1:1 rate to Aeroplan. Marriott Bonvoy points transfer at a 3:1 ratio to Aeroplan. For every 60,000 Bonvoy points you transfer, you get a 5,000-mile bonus.
Recommended Chase Cards (Personal)
A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.
Learn More(at Chase’s secure site)
$1,200
21.49%-28.49% Variable
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
- Member FDIC
Financial Snapshot
- APR: 21.49%-28.49% Variable
- Foreign Transaction Fees: None
Rewards Center
A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.
Learn More(at Chase’s secure site)
$1,200
22.49%-29.49% Variable
If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is one of the best options out there.
The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like airport lounge access, with excellent point earning and redemption options. Plus it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to keep you covered whether you’re at home or on the road.
Don’t forget the $300 annual travel credit which really helps to reduce the annual fee!
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Member FDIC
Financial Snapshot
- APR: 22.49%-29.49% Variable
- Foreign Transaction Fees: None
Rewards Center
This all-purpose cash-back card offers great bonus categories, including bonus points for every purchase you make!
Learn More(at Chase’s secure site)
0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% – 29.24%.
- INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) – worth up to $300 cash back!
- Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
- After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
- Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% – 29.24%.
- No annual fee – You won’t have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
- Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
- Member FDIC
Financial Snapshot
- APR: 0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% – 29.24%.
- Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
Rewards Center
The Freedom Flex card is an excellent no-annual-fee card that still earns big with 5% cash-back on travel and other bonus categories.
Learn More(at Chase’s secure site)
0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49%-29.24%.
- Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
- 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter!
- 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more
- 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
- 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49%-29.24%.
- No annual fee – You won’t have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Flex® card
- Keep tabs on your credit health – Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, real-time alerts, and more.
- Member FDIC
Financial Snapshot
- APR: 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49%-29.24%.
- Foreign Transaction Fees: None
Rewards Center
Aeroplan also offers a co-branded credit card.
The Aeroplan card is a great option for Air Canada flyers looking to earn more points and receive automatic elite status.
Learn More(at Chase’s secure site)
$1,050
21.74% – 28.74% Variable
Bottom Line:
Aeroplan offers plenty of options for redeeming points for partner awards.
Other Potential Options for Booking Turkish Airlines Awards
Some other frequent flyer programs you can use to book Turkish Airlines business class flights include Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, EVA Air Infinity MileageLands, and Lufthansa Miles & More.
These options are generally unattractive in price or come with extra booking hurdles, or the miles are difficult to earn.
That being said, if you already have a bunch of miles in a different Star Alliance airline’s currency, you might be better off using those before transferring any points.
Great Turkish Airlines Business Class Redemptions
Now that we’ve analyzed the best frequent flyer programs to book Turkish Airlines business class flights, let’s take a look at what it would look like to book a round-trip business class flight on Turkish Airlines with the following table:
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|
Route (Round-Trip) |
ANA Miles Cost |
Turkish Miles Cost |
Avianca LifeMiles Cost |
Air Canada Points Cost |
|
U.S. to Turkey |
88,000 |
90,000 |
126,000 |
140,000 to 180,000 |
When it comes to the lowest mileage option, ANA comes out ahead of other programs. However, ANA requires round-trip bookings, unlike any other program mentioned. This is worth considering, as it may be more difficult to find award space, or if you would like to fly a different product on the return leg.
Avianca and Air Canada require more mileage. However, neither program tacks on fuel surcharges, which can save a lot of out-of-pocket costs. Aeroplan also allows for stopovers for 5,000 points, which may be enticing for some. Earning these points’ currencies is also easier than, say, ANA Mileage Club.
It’s also important to consider transfer bonuses from bank programs such as American Express and Chase. Transfer bonuses can significantly reduce the points needed for an award redemption. For example, there are frequent transfer bonuses to LifeMiles, which can sometimes be as high as 30%.
How To Earn Enough Miles for Turkish Airlines Business Class
There are many options for booking Turkish Airlines business class awards. Similarly, there are plenty of ways to earn the necessary points and miles needed to make these bookings.
Below, you’ll see the transferrable points currencies that can help you book a Turkish Airlines business class award.
Here is the summary of points you can earn to book Turkish Airlines business class:
- American Express Membership Rewards points transfer at a 1:1 ratio to ANA Mileage Club in around 3 days, and Avianca LifeMiles and Air Canada Aeroplan almost instantly.
- Bilt Rewards points transfer instantly to Turkish Miles&Smiles, and Air Canada Aeroplan at a 1:1 ratio.
- Brex Rewards points transfer instantly to Avianca LifeMiles at a 1:1 ratio.
- Chase Ultimate Rewards points almost instantly transfer to Air Canada Aeroplan and United MileagePlus at a 1:1 ratio.
- Citi ThankYou Rewards Points transfer to Turkish Miles&Smiles at a 1:1 ratio in 1 to 2 business days, and Avianca LifeMiles at a 1:1 ratio almost instantly.
- Capital One miles transfer to Turkish Miles&Smiles at a 1:1 ratio within 1 business day and Avianca LifeMiles and Air Canada Aeroplan at a 1:1 ratio almost instantly.
- Marriott Bonvoy points transfers at a 3:1 ratio to ANA Mileage Club (4 days), Avianca LifeMiles (1 day), Air Canada Aeroplan (5 days), and Turkish Miles&Smiles (unknown time) at a 3:1 ratio.
When Should You Search for Award Space?
Turkish Airlines generously releases award space, anywhere from 2 to 6 business class seats at once. Generally, flights from the U.S. East Coast enjoy the best award availability, while flights from the West Coast are slightly more challenging to find.
Turkish Airlines also releases some award availability around 1 month prior to departure. However, they generally do not release award availability at the last minute.
The Turkish Airlines website is sometimes unable to find Star Alliance availability. We recommend starting your search on United.com and locating flights marked as Saver awards. Partner awards can be booked at the saver level.
What Makes Turkish Airlines a Great Redemption Business Class?
Turkish Airlines doesn’t get the attention it deserves because of its dated hard product on the Boeing 777-300ER. However, if you look past that, you’ll actually find that Turkish Airlines excels in pretty much every other aspect.
With that in mind, there are several reasons why you should want to book Turkish Airlines business class.
Great Award Availability
Turkish Airlines does provide a ton of award availability, including in business class. Turkish Airlines is known for releasing award availability (especially for travel during the prime summer months) earlier than most of its other partners.
Turkish Airlines also offers last-seat availability, meaning that if a seat is available for sale, it can be booked with miles. Pricing is much higher, but this option provides another opportunity to book if you cannot find saver award availability.
Phenomenal Catering
Probably the most sought-after perk of the Turkish Airlines business class experience is the airline’s food. Turkish Airlines is world-renowned for channeling Turkey’s culinary spirit into its onboard products.
The flag carrier takes this to heart by employing the Do & Co catering company to help its food and beverage program. In addition to a large wine selection, Turkish Airlines boasts multicourse meals and an onboard chef in business class, providing one of the most complete catering services in the sky.
Final Thoughts
Turkish Airlines offers a great overall business class product. Fortunately, thanks to its partnership with Star Alliance, you can use numerous airline loyalty programs to book Turkish Airlines awards.
You can book with Turkish Airlines’ Miles&Smiles program or its many partner award programs, including ANA Mileage Club, Air Canada Aeroplan, and Avianca LifeMiles.
If you stick to the principles outlined in this guide, you will be well on your way to flying Turkish Airlines in business class.
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