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Review by Kaila Yu
- I flew 22+ hours in Turkish Airlines'business class and stopped at its Istanbul airport lounge.
- The food on my flights and in the airport lounge really blew me away.
- I had a great experience and found my seats to be comfortable, too.
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I love flying in business class, but I don't often buy my seats outright because they can cost four figures.
I like upgrading to business class by booking flights using frequent-flyer miles and credit-card points. If that's not your thing, good news: Some data suggests flying business class is slightly cheaper than it was a few years ago (even though economy airfare costs are rising).
Recently, I used points to book a business-class flight with Turkish Airlines from the Maldives to Los Angeles. If I'd booked with cash, the one-layover flight would've cost me more than $4,690.
Here's what it was like spending more than 22 hours traveling in business class with Turkish Airlines.
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The check-in process was extra fast because I was flying business class.
The hotel I stayed at in the Maldives had a representative at the Velana International Airport who helped me walk through security.
This was a huge bonus, and even better, business-class passengers had their own line for security.
The check-in and customs process went quickly for me, though I passed economy travelers waiting in a long check-in line.
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After making it through security, I had access to an airport lounge.
The Turkish Airlines lounge in the Maldives had plenty of items available for breakfast, including pastries and sandwiches.
I didn't eat anything because I knew Turkish Airlines would have delicious food on the flight, and I always overeat when flying business class.
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My seat was in the front row of the business-class section.
This leg of the flight was on an older Boeing 777-300, with seats in a two-three-two configuration.
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I was excited to get the business-class amenity kit.
Turkish Airlines partnered with the luxury fashion house Ferragamo for its business-class toiletry bags filled with products such as recycled-plastic earplugs, an eye mask, Ferragamo toiletries, and a wheat-straw toothbrush.
I also received comfy socks and slippers. During the flight, many passengers, including me, removed their shoes and put on the provided slippers.
After settling into my seat, a flight attendant came by with a selection of juices and lemonade.
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My first meal was a solid selection of appetizers.
I enjoyed the set appetizer plate I got that featured local delicacies such as smoked beef, cheeses, olives, a fruit salad, a raspberry smoothie bowl, homemade apricot jam, and butter.
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I chose a Turkish specialty for the main course, and it didn't disappoint.
The main course was the homemade Turkish-style börek, a layered pastry with spinach and potato. It was nicely flaked and savory with creamy potato.
So far, the flight had been eight hours and 15 minutes. I went to sleep right after my meal.
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About two hours before landing, the lights came on, and I got another meal.
This time, I got a selection of Turkish meze. For my main, I chose the grilled-chicken brochettes with bulgur, tomato, and peppers. The chicken was smoky and tender.
For dessert, I had a mascarpone and passion-fruit tart.
Then, I had a 16-hour layover at Istanbul Airport.
I had the option of leaving the airport and staying at a hotel provided by Turkish Airlines. Instead, I headed to the private Turkish Airlines airport lounge.
I quickly saw why the lounge has a prestigious reputation.
This Turkish Airlines business-class lounge is often listed as one of the world's best airline lounges, and it was easy for me to see why.
It's a sprawling space measuring 60,000 square feet with ample seating, eateries with chefs, resting rooms with beds, and even shower facilities.
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The lounge was easy to enter and leave.
To get in and out of the lounge, I just scanned my boarding pass.
This eliminated the annoying wait I sometimes encounter at check-in counters when there's a rush of customers at airport lounges.
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Even the baggage storage area of the Turkish Airlines lounge looked stunning.
The area for baggage storage was eye-catching, stylish, and smart.
The transparent storage containers seemed to make it even easier to find your bag if you forgot your locker number.
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The bathrooms were incredibly spacious, too.
The lounge bathrooms were large, with tons of hand-washing stations. They were never crowded, and I rarely saw anyone inside other than an attendant.
Well-lit vanity areas with seating were also nice additions to the bathrooms. They seemed like good places to reapply makeup or fix hair.
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During my long layover, I even took a shower.
Showers are available on a first-come, first-served basis in the lounge.
I didn't wait in line when I showered at about 5:30 a.m. It was refreshing to shower in the airport after a long day of traveling.
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Above all, the food options in the lounge blew my mind.
The wildest part of the layover was the food: I'd never seen anything like it at an airport lounge.
I passed at least five live cooking stations in the lounge, many of which featured Turkish specialties. I even saw someone making pastries from scratch.
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A coffee station had a barista making drinks to order.
The lounge had various coffee drinks available to order and an impressive selection of Turkish teas. I recommend trying the Turkish coffee, of course.
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I ate so much while I waited.
I ate constantly (probably every 30 minutes I was awake) during my layover just because there was an overflowing abundance of food.
The salad bar was well-stocked and I especially enjoyed the stations serving traditional grilled meats. The Turkish beef patty I ate was perfectly cooked, and I got it hot off the grill.
After eating, I found a reclined lounge chair and napped through the night.
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Eventually, I headed to the second leg of my flight.
I was excited to board my flight's longer, 13-hour leg on the newer Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
I had my own plush, private window seat, and no one was seated next to me as I headed from Istanbul to Los Angeles.
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Breakfast was my favorite meal on this flight.
I boarded at 7 a.m., and breakfast service started shortly after takeoff.
I'm not usually a huge fan of yogurt, but it was gorgeously displayed on my plate I ate every bite. For my main entrée, I selected the eggs Benedict, which was OK, but the eggs seemed overcooked.
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Before the lights turned down in the cabin, a flight attendant came to make my bed.
The best part of business class is undoubtedly the lie-flat seats that can be customized to any incline.
For turn-down service, a flight attendant added a mattress pad and a velvety blanket to my seat.
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Again, I enjoyed even more food.
Turkish Airlines really stands out for its food offerings, in my opinion.
I really enjoyed selecting appetizers from a meal cart of options. On this flight, I chose the Caesar salad, shrimp salad, roasted eggplant, and cauliflower soup. I especially enjoyed the savory soup.
For my main entrée, I ordered a pasta dish with shrimp, which was heavily cheesed to my liking.
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Overall, Turkish Airlines really impressed me — especially when it came to food.
I loved the flight, especially the last leg with the plush seats. The meals I ate throughout my travel journey were impressive, and I can see why the airline has been nominated for several food awards.
I would fly with Turkish Airlines again and revisit its Istanbul lounge just to eat.
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