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Turkish Business Class flat bed award space is wide open to Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Indian Subcontinent for Summer 2016. You can book award space for 2-8 people in Business Class on routes from America to Turkey and beyond with United miles, LifeMiles, Aeroplan miles, Asiana miles, and many other Star Alliance miles.
Where Turkish Flies
Turkish will soon fly from nine American cities to Istanbul.
From Istanbul, you can connect to over 100 countries. Turkish Airlines has destinations in more countries than any other airline in the world.
The Product
Turkish’s long haul flights feature flat bed Business Class on 777-300ER aircraft in a 2-3-2 configuration. That configuration is far from ideal since no seat has both aisle access and a guarantee that no one will climb over it during the flight. However a fully flat bed and great catering should overcome that moderate inconvenience.
Award Space
Award space is excellent in May and June 2015 from most Turkish gateways in the United States to Istanbul and vice versa for 2+ people in economy and Business Class.
Chicago to Istanbul: 2 people
Atlanta to Istanbul: 2 people (route starts 5/16/16)
Los Angeles to Istanbul: 2 people
The one exception I see is New York to Istanbul where Business Class award space is not available.
On many of the flights with two award seats, there are actually 8+ award seats. Here is Los Angeles to Istanbul in May and June with 21/61 days having 8+ Business Class award seats available.
Best Miles to Use
Any Turkish award space you see on united.com is equally bookable with any Star Alliance miles. Here are the cheapest Star Alliance miles to Europe:
Turkey is the more expensive 52,500 Aeroplan miles each way in Business Class. Asiana, Singapore, Lufthansa, and ANA collect fuel surcharges on Turkish award flights. The other types of miles don’t.
I’d look to use Asiana miles (SPG transfer partner) or Aeroplan (Membership Rewards transfer partner) to book a Turkish award to Europe.
If you want to book the Turkish space to somewhere outside of Europe, check out this comparison of Star Alliance award charts to all regions of the world.
United, ANA, LifeMiles, and Aeroplan display Turkish award space on their websites. If you want to book with another type of miles, search united.com and call the airline whose miles you want to use in order to book.
Example Award
In 2011, I flew from Los Angeles to Entebbe/Kampala, Uganda on Turkish, then returned from Nairobi to Los Angles with a stopover in Istanbul. This was a cash ticket in economy, and the flight from Los Angeles to Istanbul was the most painful of my life because I couldn’t fall asleep despite exhaustion.
You could book the same trip with miles in Business Class at the moment.
It would be 160,000 United miles + $84 or fewer miles with other types of miles.
Bottom Line
Turkish Airlines award space is wide open from the United States to the rest of the world in May and June 2016. Book it with any type of Star Alliance miles.
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Scott,
I have IST-ICN-SEA booked using SQ miles in biz. Flights are on Asiana. I tried to change IST-ICN to a Turkish airlines operated flight. The SQ agent told me it would cost about another $173 USD in taxes/fuel surcharges (not change fees). When I pull up the flights on ITA the Asiana IST-ICN flight shows $158 in taxes and TK on the same route is $174. So I don’t know how they are getting that the tax/surcharge difference for the new flight is $173. Any ideas? Are they wrong? Is there anything I can do? Thanks!
Are they wrong? Sounds like it, but hard to tell because maybe they are pricing it together instead of segment by segment.
Is there anything you can do? Hang up call back. No other options really.
Scott,
I have IST-ICN-SEA booked using SQ miles in biz. Flights are on Asiana. I tried to change IST-ICN to a Turkish airlines operated flight. The SQ agent told me it would cost about another $173 USD in taxes/fuel surcharges (not change fees). When I pull up the flights on ITA the Asiana IST-ICN flight shows $158 in taxes and TK on the same route is $174. So I don’t know how they are getting that the tax/surcharge difference for the new flight is $173. Any ideas? Are they wrong? Is there anything I can do? Thanks!
Are they wrong? Sounds like it, but hard to tell because maybe they are pricing it together instead of segment by segment.
Is there anything you can do? Hang up call back. No other options really.