A 75,000-mile award opening from Istanbul to Johannesburg on an A350-900 turned into a full look at Turkish Airlines’ business-class experience—from crowded Istanbul lounges and chaotic gate boarding to solid lie-flat seats and standout catering. The trip also
The decision to fly Turkish Airlines on an A350-900 didn’t come with much debate. When award space from Istanbul to Johannesburg opened for 75. 000 Miles&Smiles miles plus $218 on dates that matched a trip to South Africa already in motion. the newer cabin configuration with direct aisle access made it an easy lock.
After completing Turkish Airlines’ six continents challenge last year, the miles mattered. This was one of the cleaner ways to redeem 1 million Miles&Smiles miles on a long-haul business-class flight—especially when the alternative Turkish long-haul planes often come with older seats and layouts that don’t deliver direct aisle access for every business-class passenger.
Before the flight ever took off, the story started in Istanbul.
Turkish Airlines operates two 60. 000-square-foot lounges in Istanbul: the Miles&Smiles Lounge for elite-status travelers and the Business Lounge for business-class passengers. As a Turkish Elite member flying business class. the reviewer had access to both. but chose the Miles&Smiles lounge because the two spaces are nearly identical.
The lounge felt alive in a way that can be good—or stressful—depending on how your layover lands. With a long layover, the space shifted from nearly empty to very crowded and back again. On earlier visits. getting even two seats together had been difficult; this time. during a quieter period. the reviewer secured a pair of seats at a communal table with power outlets.
Power outlets had been a problem in the past, especially frustrating because many Turkish long-haul economy seats lack them. Still, the reviewer noticed a newly renovated section with additional seating and ample outlets.
The biggest draw, though, has always been food. Live cooking stations for gozleme and manti, freshly baked pide, on-tap Turkish tea and ayran, and sour cherry canned drinks were all called out as personal favorites after multiple visits during the six continents challenge.
Then came the gate.
The reviewer arrived at the gate shortly before the scheduled boarding time to find nearly every seat taken and multiple lines already forming: one for business class and elite members, another for economy rows up to 27, and a third for rows 28 and above.
Boarding didn’t start until 15 minutes past the stated time. When the business class and elite line was finally called. the separate queues had already broken down into clusters of people. Once boarding began. gate agents processed only the business-class and elite lines. with some passengers from later boarding groups moving forward toward the scanners.
Even with the bottlenecks, the cabin came together quickly enough that the reviewer was on board within 10 minutes of when boarding began.
Inside, the A350-900 business-class cabin featured 32 Stelia Aerospace Symphony seats in a staggered 1-2-1 configuration across eight rows. The reviewer also flagged that Turkish Airlines has several A350-900 aircraft with 28 Collins Aerospace Horizon seats in a seven-row business-class cabin. meaning the hard product can differ from what’s described in this review.
For this flight, each seat was 20 inches wide with direct aisle access. Seat selection was guided by Aerolopa. with the note that A and K seats are window seats and D. E. F. and G seats are in the middle section. Because of the staggered layout. window seats in even rows are closer to the window. and seats E and F in odd rows sit closest together in the middle section.
Each seat included a small side table and a lockable cubby containing a universal power outlet and a USB-A port. An 18-inch inflight entertainment system was mounted in front, offering shows, movies, a moving map, and live exterior camera feeds.
The IFE remote placement was described as poor: the touchscreen could be accidentally brushed overnight. The remote’s screen and the main display repeatedly activated when that happened. and it wasn’t limited to one person—several passengers had screens glowing while asleep when the reviewer walked through the cabin mid-flight.
For sleep, the seat converted into a fully flat bed using the controls, with armrests lowering flush with the bed. The reviewer found it comfortable overall, though a bit firm even with the mattress pad. Bedding also didn’t breathe well, and that was noticeable given the warm cabin temperature.
Below the IFE screen was a footwell with a small storage compartment underneath, likely intended for shoes. The tray table deployed from beneath the IFE screen via a release lever and, once unfolded, was described as large and sturdy.
Still, the seat design left some unused space where the shells curve. The reviewer felt that wasted space limited window views and made the cabin feel smaller, even if the shell shape might be intended to reduce noise or add padding.
Amenities, meanwhile, were described as solid. Turkish business class offers a throw blanket, a shoe bag, and slippers waiting in the footwell at boarding, with no pajamas provided.
A gender-specific amenity kit from French fashion brand Lanvin and headphones were also placed at the seat. The women’s kit included fluffy socks. a toothbrush and toothpaste. earplugs. a hair tie. lip balm. hand cream. and an eye mask. The reviewer appreciated that the mask had contoured eye cups. but said it slipped during the night because it used a single band rather than two.
Shortly after takeoff. a flight attendant added mattress pads to each passenger’s seat. placed a heavier blanket. and dressed the pillow with a pillowcase. The proactive setup was appreciated. but felt slightly awkward to be done before meal service unless a passenger indicated they planned to sleep immediately.
Wi-Fi was included for business-class passengers and select elite members after entering their details—but it was extremely slow, with a reported speed of 10.9 Mbps download, 1.23 Mbps upload, and 1,875 ms ping, described as effectively unusable.
Food is where Turkish Airlines business class left the strongest mark.
Flight service began with flight attendants offering business-class passengers a choice of predeparture beverages. The reviewer said it felt strange to be asked to choose without seeing a menu, and when they asked for something nonalcoholic, the attendant suggested a sparkling fruit juice.
After the drink, the airline’s signature “Flying Chef” brought a menu to the seat. The menu emphasized a “dine on demand” concept where the primary inflight meal could be enjoyed at any point during the flight—at least until the crew closed down the galleys ahead of landing. On this red-eye itinerary, with no heavy time-zone crossing, everyone appeared to default to post-departure meal service.
About shortly after takeoff, the Flying Chef returned to take meal orders. The reviewer said the crew didn’t ask whether they wanted the meal immediately after takeoff or later for the dine-on-demand option. and the Flying Chef asked whether the passenger wanted to be woken up two hours before landing for breakfast.
The drink choice was ayran, followed by a bowl of mixed nuts.
Roughly 15 minutes after takeoff, a plate arrived with stuffed grape leaves and an eggplant-based salad with light accompaniments. Presentation was described as nicely done, with a balanced mix of earthy, tangy, and savory flavors.
Six minutes later came a warm roll of Turkish “world’s oldest bread” delivered in a cloth bag, described as dense and hearty with an earthy flavor.
Seven minutes after that, a salmon poke bowl arrived. Compared with other options—swordfish or lamb chops—the reviewer had been hoping for something lighter, and said the dish delivered: tender fish, creamy sweet potato, diced avocado, and crisp vegetables made for a fresh start.
Dessert arrived roughly 25 minutes later: a bread and butter pudding paired with berries and vanilla sauce. It was described as comforting without being overly heavy.
The beverage list in Turkish business class was detailed as impressive. Nonalcoholic options ranged from soft drinks and wellness teas to mocktails, detox drinks, and coffees. The wine list included Taittinger Brut Réserve Champagne, three white wines, five red wines, one rosé, and one port. There were also four whiskies (including two 15-year varieties), Efes or Heineken beer, vodka, and gin.
About two hours before landing, flight attendants distributed coffee menus and took orders for the arrival meal. A latte was ordered, but about 15 minutes later the reviewer was told the espresso machine was broken. A filter coffee with milk was accepted instead. though it was frustrating to see espresso-based drinks served elsewhere later in the cabin.
Shortly after that, a tray arrived with cheeses, olives, fresh fruit, and a chia, coconut, and oats bowl. Around 30 minutes later, the main course was served: poached eggs with spinach. The reviewer called it one of the better egg dishes on a flight. praising the runny yolks and the savory spinach base.
Service overall was quick, efficient, and professional. During meal services. the crew handled the timing and flow smoothly. even on an overnight flight with a full cabin and two meal services. Yet the reviewer also said interactions felt more procedural than warm. lacking the friendliness and personal touches the passenger had historically associated with Turkish Airlines business class.
By the end. the picture was clear: Turkish Airlines’ A350-900 business class delivers a solid long-haul experience. led by standout catering. efficient service flow. and comfortable lie-flat seats with direct aisle access. The crew did a notable job moving a full cabin through two meal services on an overnight flight.
But the inconsistencies mattered. Chaotic boarding, crowded lounges in Istanbul, and slow Wi-Fi made the experience feel less polished than top competitors.
Still, for travelers focused on comfort plus high-quality dining—and for anyone able to snag a good-value award—the reviewer’s conclusion was that Turkish Airlines business class remains compelling.
MISRYOUM Turkish Airlines A350-900 business class review Miles&Smiles Istanbul lounge Johannesburg lie-flat seats Flying Chef Wi-Fi speed
This is why I hate airports. Like the seats are nice but the boarding is always a mess.
75,000 miles for Johannesburg?? That sounds like a scam because I swear award tickets never look that cheap when I check. Also $218 seems low? Or is that per person or total.
Wait so the “direct aisle access” means you don’t have to crawl over anyone? Because on most airlines that’s basically never true. I love when they say that and then it turns into a crowd situation at the gate anyway.
Turkish Airlines lounges are probably the best part and then the flight experience falls apart lol. Like I’ve heard their A350s are newer but gates get chaotic everywhere, so not surprised. Also “one of the cleanest ways to redeem”?? who even talks like that, just say it’s a good deal and move on.