Turkish Airlines & Istanbul Airport Review: Overrated or Top Tier

• Airline: Turkish Airlines
• Class: Business & Economy
• Route: Almaty (ALA) to Johannesburg (JNB) via Istanbul (IST)
• Aircraft: Airbus A350-900 & Boeing 777-300

Every year when Skytrax announces its airline awards, the aviation world gets talking. Skytrax recently named Turkish Airlines among the top five airlines in the world and the best in Europe. Having flown with Turkish Airlines over 35 times, I love holding airlines accountable to their promises.

I set out on a multi-leg journey, flying Business Class on their Boeing 777 from Almaty to Istanbul, spending a 13-hour layover at Istanbul Airport, and continuing in Economy Class on their Airbus A350 down to Johannesburg, to see if the reality matches the hype.

The flight began at Almaty International Airport’s newly built terminal, where check-in was smooth and the local staff was welcoming. However, stepping onboard Turkish Airlines’ Boeing 777 reveals a major drawback immediately: the outdated 2-3-2 Business Class seating layout.

Cabin & Seat Experience

• The Dreaded Middle Seat: Featuring a middle seat in Business Class feels completely outdated. Even with small privacy dividers, you still have to climb over an adjacent passenger to reach the aisle or stretch your legs.
• Cabin Crew Consistency: Service remains hit-or-miss. Across dozens of flights over the years, finding a warm, smiling cabin crew member onboard Turkish Airlines is rare.
• World-Class Catering: Where Turkish Airlines truly excels is their food. They set the industry standard for inflight dining, nothing quite beats a proper Turkish breakfast complete with fresh simit and hot chai.
• Amenities & Connectivity: Business Class passengers receive a nice amenity kit, hot towels, bottled water, and a complimentary 1,024 MB Wi-Fi allowance.
• Lavatory Touch: The Boeing 777 lavatory even features decorative window wallpaper overlooking a painted airplane wing—a fun and unique touch!

13-Hour Layover at Istanbul Airport (IST)

Istanbul Airport is massive, impressive, and often controversial. Here is a realistic look at spending a long layover at IST

What Needs Improvement

• Excessive Walking Distances: Gate-to-gate transfers (such as walking from the A gates to the F gates) can take over 20 minutes at a fast pace. Sudden gate changes can easily disrupt your transit.
• High Airport Prices: IST is one of the most expensive airports in the world. Basic fast food meals often run $20 to $25 USD, and sit-down dining options come with steep price tags.
• Overcrowded Lounges: Despite the terminal’s architectural beauty, both the main Turkish Airlines lounge and partner lounges get extremely crowded, making finding a seat difficult.
• Distance to the City: Taking a taxi to Taksim Square or the city center takes about an hour, taxis can be expensive, and there is no direct express train link serving transit passengers easily.

What Works Well

• Exotic Aircraft Spotting: For aviation enthusiasts, IST is fantastic. You can spot rare carriers that rarely fly into Western Europe or North America, such as Iran Air, Ariana Afghan, and Syrian Air.
• Hourly Transit Hotel: YOTEL inside the terminal allows passengers to book rooms by the hour to catch sleep without clearing immigration.

For the 11-hour long-haul leg down to South Africa, I flew on Turkish Airlines’ modern Airbus A350-900 in Economy Class.

• Seating & Layout: Configured in a standard 3-3-3 layout with 297 seats. By comparison, competitors like Qatar Airways feature 247 seats on their A350s, giving passengers slightly more breathing room.
• Inflight Amenities: Each seat comes equipped with a crisp inflight entertainment screen, power outlets, headphones, a blanket, and an amenity kit.
• Overall Flight Experience: The seat is comfortable, the movie selection is broad, and the meal served two hours prior to landing in Johannesburg was well-prepared.

Breakdown & Ratings

Inflight Catering: 10 out of 10: Unrivaled quality across both Business Class and Economy Class meals.

B777 Business Class Hard Product: 5 out of 10 :Outdated 2-3-2 seating layout with middle seats compromises privacy and aisle access.

A350 Economy Class Seat: 8 out of 10: Modern, clean design with great seatback entertainment options.

Cabin Crew Service: 4 out of 10: Consistently distant and lacking warmth compared to other global carriers.

The Verdict

Turkish Airlines offers an incredible worldwide network and dependable connections. However, calling it the “Best Airline in Europe” ignores their outdated 777 Business Class layout and inconsistent service standards.

---

Planning a trip? Check out my flight deals section for actual bargains, or support the channel by booking through my Skyscanner link 

This is it guys, wherever you’re off to, have a safe trip!