Turkish Airlines Business Class Review Boeing 787-9 Seattle to Istanbul
I've heard so much about how Turkish Airlines business class is an incredible experience and one of the best products out there. So I was beyond excited to finally try their business class and see how it stacked up against other airlines I've flown!
How I Booked My Turkish Airlines Business Class Ticket
I booked my Turkish Airlines business class ticket 10 months in advance for 67,500 Turkish Airlines miles (pre-devaluation) plus $413.70 in taxes and fees. The entire itinerary was Seattle-Istanbul-Ho Chi Minh City.
You used to be able to book US to Asia in business class for 67,500 Turkish Airlines miles.
Turkish Airlines Business Class Cabin and Seats
Turkish Airlines Boeing 787-9 business class cabin features 30 business class seats in a 1-2-1 configuration. The cabin and finishings honestly looked fantastic.
Modern looking cabin.
Business class seats look great.
I was in seat 2K but noticed that the bulkhead seats in row 1 do have extra footwell space. While the seat looked great, I found it uncomfortably narrow. I kept bumping my shoulder into the sides of the seat and the seat felt too enclosed on both sides.
Individual business class seat.
Seat felt pretty private.
After lunch, there was turndown service and the flight attendant helped set up my bed. The bed and pillow were comfy but the narrowness of the seat made it extremely hard to fall asleep.
Bed was comfortable but very narrow.
The entertainment system was solid. I loved that business class passengers got free Wi-Fi, and the speed was surprisingly fast. There were tons of movies and TV shows to choose from, and the remote was super easy to use.
Storage cubby was very small.
Noise cancelling headphones were good.
Entertainment system and seat controls were easy to use.
TV remote was easy to use.
Turkish Airlines Business Class Amenities
Before takeoff, all business class passengers were given Ferragamo-branded amenity kits, and I have to say, I was pretty impressed. The kit included some really nice items like Ferragamo lip balm and body lotion, plus the usual items like a toothbrush, toothpaste, socks, and an eye mask.
Ferragamo brand amenity kits.
Turkish Airlines Business Class Food
Before takeoff, we could choose from from lemonade, raspberry juice, or orange juice. I went for the lemonade, and it was so refreshing with a nice hint of mint. I’d definitely recommend trying it!
Homemade lemonade with fresh mint.
The onboard chef was definitely one of the coolest parts of the flight. The food cart looked amazing, and the meals were super tasty. That said, the way Turkish handles meals felt a bit inconvenient since there’s no dine-on-demand option. While there are plenty of choices on the menu, the portions aren’t huge, so I found myself hungry about four hours after eating and couldn’t order anything else. Luckily, they did bring around a snack basket, but a dine-on-demand menu would’ve made the whole experience so much better.
Business class drink menu.
Business class drink menu.
Business class drink menu.
Business class drink menu.
Business class food menu.
Nonalcoholic drink menu.
Onboard chef in business class is pretty cool!
Bread basket before main course.
Appetizer cart.
Beautiful presentation.
Fish main course.
Dessert cart.
Fruit appetizer for breakfast.
Omelette main course for breakfast.
Turkish Airlines Business Class Bathroom
The bathroom in business class is standard with nothing too special. There are some nicer soaps and lotions but that's about it.
Standard airline bathroom.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Turkish Airlines business class on the Boeing 787-9 is an enjoyable experience. The service is solid, the food is delicious, and the cabin feels sleek and modern. However, the narrow seats and the lack of a dine-on-demand menu were major downsides that detracted from the overall experience. It's still miles better than American carriers but I’d still rank the Asian and Middle Eastern airlines higher than Turkish Airlines.