- I flew for over 22 hours Turkish Airlines‘I flew business class and stopped off in the lounge at Istanbul airport.
- I was really impressed with the food on the plane and in the airport lounge.
- It was a great experience and the seats were comfortable.
I love flying business class, but the price can run into four figures, so I don’t often buy a seat directly.
I like to use frequent flyer miles or credit card points to book flights and then upgrade to business class. If that doesn’t suit you, good news: Some data shows that business class is actually slightly cheaper than it was a few years ago (even though economy class airfares have risen).
I recently used points to book a business class ticket on Turkish Airlines from the Maldives to Los Angeles that would have cost me over $4,690 with one stop if I had paid cash.
I’d like to share my experience traveling for over 22 hours in Turkish Airlines Business Class.
After passing through security, I was given access to the airport lounge.
The Turkish Airlines lounge in the Maldives had a wide selection of breakfast items available, ranging from pastries to sandwiches.
I didn’t eat anything because I knew Turkish Airlines’ in-flight meals would be good, but I always end up overeating when I fly business class.
My seat was in the front row of the business class section.
The flight on this leg was on an older Boeing 777-300 with a 2-3-2 seating configuration.
I was happy to receive a business class amenity kit.
Turkish Airlines has partnered with luxury fashion house Ferragamo to launch a business class toiletry bag filled with items such as earplugs made from recycled plastic, eye masks, Ferragamo toiletries and toothbrushes made from wheat straw.
We were also given comfortable socks and slippers, and many passengers, including myself, took off our shoes and put on the provided slippers throughout the flight.
Once I was settled in my seat, the flight attendant brought me some juice and lemonade.
The first meal was a good selection of appetizers.
I enjoyed the antipasti set, which featured local delicacies such as smoked beef, cheese, olives, fruit salad, raspberry smoothie bowl, homemade apricot jam and butter.
For the main course I chose Turkish food and it did not disappoint.
The main course was homemade Turkish Borek, Spinach and potato layered pastry – a delicious flaky pie filled with creamy potatoes.
The flight time so far has been 8 hours and 15 minutes. After the meal, I went to sleep right away.
About two hours before landing, the lights came back on and another meal was served.
This time I ordered the Turkish meze, for the main I chose the grilled chicken skewers with bulgur, tomatoes and peppers, the chicken was smoky and tender.
For dessert I had the mascarpone and passion fruit tart.
Then we had a 16 hour layover at Istanbul airport.
I had the option to leave the airport and stay in a hotel provided by Turkish Airlines, but instead I headed to Turkish Airlines’ private airport lounge.
It quickly became clear why this lounge has such high ratings.
This Turkish Airlines business class lounge is often cited as one of the best airline lounges in the world, and it’s easy to see why.
The sprawling 60,000-square-foot space will feature ample seating, a chef-equipped dining area, a break room with beds, and even shower facilities.
The lounge was easy to get in and out of.
To enter or exit the lounge, simply scan your boarding pass.
This eliminates the annoying wait times sometimes encountered at check-in counters when airport lounges are overrun with customers.
The luggage storage area in the Turkish Airlines lounge was also great.
The luggage storage area was stylish and smart.
Clear storage containers also make it easier to find your bag if you forget your locker number.
The bathroom was also incredibly spacious.
The restrooms in the lounge were spacious and had plenty of hand washing stations. They were never crowded and I rarely saw anyone there apart from the attendants.
The bathroom also added a bright vanity area with seating, which seems like the perfect place to touch up your makeup or style your hair.
I also had the chance to take a shower during my long layover.
Showers in the lounge are available on a first come first served basis.
I didn’t have to wait in line when I took a shower around 5:30am. It was refreshing to have a shower at the airport after a long day of travel.
I was especially impressed with the food options in the lounge.
The best part of the layover was the food – I have never seen anything like it in an airport lounge.
The lounge had at least five live cooking stations, many featuring Turkish specialities, and we even saw someone making pastries from scratch.
At the coffee station, baristas make drinks to order.
A variety of coffee drinks can be ordered in the lounge, and there is also a good selection of Turkish teas – of course, we recommend trying the Turkish coffee.
I ate a lot while I was waiting.
There was so much food that I kept eating throughout my layover (probably every 30 minutes while I was awake).
The salad bar was well stocked and I especially liked the traditional grilled meats section – my Turkish beef patty was perfectly cooked and served hot off the grill.
After finishing my meal, I found a recliner and took a nap all night.
Eventually I headed out for the second leg of the flight.
I was excited to be aboard the new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner for the long 13 hour flight.
I had my own luxurious window seat, and no one sat next to me on the flight from Istanbul to Los Angeles.
My favorite part of this flight was the breakfast.
Boarding began at 7am and breakfast service began shortly after takeoff.
I’m not usually a big fan of yogurt but it was served on a plate and I ate every bite.For the main I chose eggs Benedict which was ok but the eggs seemed overcooked.
Before the lights in the cabin were even turned off, a flight attendant came by to make up my bed.
The best thing about Business Class is undoubtedly the fully flat seats which can be customised to any inclination.
For turndown service, the flight attendant prepared a mattress pad and a velvet blanket for my seat.
And I also enjoyed the food even more.
In my opinion, Turkish Airlines’ food offerings are truly outstanding.
It was really fun to choose an appetizer from the meal cart options – on this flight we chose Caesar salad, shrimp salad, roasted eggplant and cauliflower soup – we especially loved the flavorful soup.
For the main course, I ordered the shrimp pasta with lots of cheese, which is my favorite.
Overall, Turkish Airlines really impressed me, especially when it came to the food.
The flight was fantastic, the seats were luxurious, especially on the final leg, and every meal I had along the way was amazing – I can see why this airline has been nominated for numerous food awards.
I would fly Turkish Airlines again and revisit the Istanbul lounge just for the food.
