Widespread Turkish Airlines business-class award availability to Istanbul from 65,000 miles

20.05.2024 - 21:23 / thepointsguy.com

If you've been considering a trip to Turkey, there is excellent award availability in business class available right now using credit card points.

As first spotted by Find Flights For Me, business-class flights on Turkish Airlines between November 2024 and April 2025 are widely available on almost every date from virtually every United States gateway to Istanbul Airport (IST). There is also great availability in the other direction from Istanbul to the United States between the same months.

The cheapest way to book these flights is with Turkish Airlines' own Miles&Smiles program, which charges 65,000 miles each way in business class from anywhere in the United States despite a recent devaluation. You can transfer miles to Turkish from Bilt, Capital One or Citi.

Related: Credit card transfer partners: Guide to transferring points and miles to airlines and hotels

Another option with more transfer partners is Air Canada's Aeroplan program. To book it, you'll need between 70,000 and 90,000 Aeroplan points per person one-way in business class, plus minimal fees and taxes. Since Air Canada still uses an award chart for partner airlines, business-class flights less than 6,000 miles will cost 70,000 points, while flights between 6,001 and 8,000 miles will cost 90,000 points.

Related: 10 things to know about flying Turkish Airlines

Aeroplan points can be transferred from the following credit card rewards programs at a 1:1 ratio:

If you have United Airlines MileagePlus miles, these flights should also be available for 88,000 miles each way from anywhere in the United States. You can also transfer Bilt points and Chase Ultimate Rewards points to United MileagePlus.

Turkish Airlines flies to more countries than many other airlines. It operates from the following U.S. destinations to its megahub in Istanbul:

Turkish Airlines A330 and Boeing 777 aircraft feature a rather outdated 2-2-2 or 2-3-2 business-class product. If possible, look for flights operated by Boeing 787 or Airbus A350 aircraft with a much more modern premium product.

Paying as little as 65,000 miles for a 13-hour business-class flight is a fantastic deal and a great way to maximize your points and miles to book travel.

Turkish Airlines is known for its excellent onboard cuisine and airport lounges. Whether you want to visit Turkey or travel onward to the airline's hundreds of destinations, this is a great use of points and miles — but book quickly, as this level of availability is rare.