Turkish Airlines vs. Emirates: Which Is Best?

Emirates and Turkish Airways are among the many most well-known airline names on the earth. Each carriers supply nice in-flight service, scrumptious meals and comfy seats on their planes.

Each serve a number of international locations, and it’s seemingly you’ll be offered with a selection between Emirates and Turkish Airways sooner or later.

If there’s no distinction within the ticket worth and journey time is roughly the identical, in a head-to-head competitors of Emirates versus Turkish Airways, which one ought to get your vote?

Here is some assist to make your determination.

The place they’re based mostly and the place they fly

Emirates relies in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and serves greater than 160 locations worldwide.

The airline flies into 13 U.S. cities, together with:

Turkish Airways relies in Istanbul and flies to 12 locations within the U.S. Regardless of a barely smaller footprint within the U.S., the airline’s route community is intensive.

Turkish flies to greater than 272 locations in 120 nations — greater than some other airline.

Because of this, Turkish wins this spherical indisputably.

Skywards is the title of the Emirates loyalty program. The variety of miles you earn on an Emirates-operated flight is determined by the route you fly, fare kind and sophistication of journey.

Having elite standing helps you earn a bonus on the following charges:

For those who’re taking a round-trip flight from Los Angeles to Dubai, right here’s a have a look at the variety of Skywards miles you’ll earn as a Blue member (or a common member with no standing) versus a Platinum Skywards member. 

With regards to redeeming miles for award flights, Skywards miles have devalued lately and supply sky-high redemption alternatives for Emirates flights.

A round-trip enterprise class flight from Los Angeles to Dubai will set you again 315,000 Skywards miles and $1,700 in taxes, charges and carrier-imposed costs. 

For those who’re a U.S. traveler seeking to get your arms on Emirates miles shortly to ebook a enterprise class flight, you’ll be able to switch the next versatile currencies to Skywards:

The Turkish Airways loyalty program is known as Miles&Smiles and it permits you to redeem miles for flights operated by Turkish and different Star Alliance companions.

Miles&Smiles members earn redeemable miles for worldwide flights based mostly on the flight distance, the category of service and the fare code. Home flights inside Turkey earn a hard and fast variety of miles based mostly on the fare class booked.

One other approach to earn Turkish Miles&Smiles miles is by transferring Capital One Miles or Citi ThankYou Factors to this system at a ratio of 1:1. Marriott Bonvoy factors switch 3:1.

As for redemptions, Turkish gives a few of the most favorable charges on its award flights to many areas. For instance, a round-trip flight from the U.S. to Turkey prices 90,000 miles in enterprise class.

It’s best to anticipate to pay just a few hundred {dollars} in taxes and charges, but it surely’s removed from the 1000’s of {dollars} Emirates costs for a round-trip flight.

Lie-flat seats, comfortable leather-based cloth and connoisseur meals are a staple in Emirates enterprise class. For those who’re flying in a premium cabin on the A380, you’ll be able to order drinks at an onboard cocktail lounge.

A totally enclosed, non-public suite is ready aboard each plane for first-class passengers. You will discover à la carte effective eating, a bathe spa, an onboard lounge and complimentary chauffeur-driven transfers between flights — to not point out Dom Perignon Champagne.

For those who’d wish to expertise true luxurious within the sky, Emirates first-class is it.

Sadly, Turkish doesn’t function a first-class cabin on its worldwide flights, however its enterprise class cabin and the service that comes with it are nonetheless value speaking about.

Enterprise class passengers take pleasure in a lie-flat seat, in-flight candle-lit meals cooked by a flying chef, Denon noise-canceling headphones and entry to the Turkish Airways lounge at Istanbul Airport. For those who’re flying on a Boeing Dreamliner 787-9 plane, each one of many 30 enterprise class seats has direct aisle entry.

Emirates permits you to buy further baggage weight or extra luggage on-line or at retail and speak to facilities for a 50%-60% low cost as much as 4 hours earlier than departure.

On the airport, you’ll pay:

• Further baggage allowance per kilogram: $15 to $50.

• Extra piece of bags: $100 to $250. 

You’ll get to decide on your seat totally free on the time of buy whenever you fly first-class, enterprise class saver, flex or flex plus, or premium financial system. Particular Skywards tiers additionally waive seat choice charges. 

In financial system, you’ll be able to choose a seat totally free 48 hours earlier than departure, or pay to pick out a seat at checkout.

Charges range throughout flights:     

• Common seat choice: $15 to $40.

• Most popular seat: $25 to $100.

• Further legroom seat: $55 to $250.

Miles&Smiles members are allowed further weight or baggage relying on their tier. In any other case, for grownup passengers, the next charges apply: 

• Further baggage allowance: Begins at $5.  

• Extra piece of bags: $160.

• Customary seat choice (home): $2.

• Further legroom seat (home): $4.

• Emergency exit seat (home): $3.

• Customary seat choice (worldwide): $9 to $39.

• Further legroom seat (worldwide): $19 to $139.

With regards to premium class, Emirates has fairly the lead. It’s not day-after-day you get to sip on classic Champagne within the sky.

Having stated that, Turkish Airways serves extra locations and has a extra customer-friendly loyalty program, so for the on a regular basis traveler, this can be a better option.

For those who’re flying in financial system class on a paid flight and the costs are comparable, neither possibility will disappoint. On the finish of the day, go along with the provider that provides your most well-liked flight instances or itinerary.