GUIDE: In-Depth Look at the Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles Loyalty Programme – Is it Right for You?

If you’re looking for a Star Alliance loyalty programme, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles is a standout option with more routes than any other airline, a European base featuring superb lounges and facilities, and an ever-improving cabin experience.

Elite status grants Star Alliance Gold benefits, including access to over 1,000 lounges worldwide (even when flying  Economy), priority check-in, boarding, and baggage handling across all member airlines, as well as an extra checked baggage allowance.

But is Miles&Smiles best for you? This article details the essential things you need to know about the Turkish Airlines (TK) Miles & Smiles programme as part of our series covering the most popular airline loyalty programmes and alliances. Make sure you also read part 2 of this article, which goes into detail about earning and redeeming Turkish Airlines miles.

Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines is the national flag carrier of Türkiye and a member of Star Alliance since 2008. Based at Istanbul Airport (IST), Turkish Airlines now flies to more countries than any other airline.

Flying with TK is very convenient from the UK. Flights operate from:

• Heathrow
• Gatwick
• Manchester
• Birmingham
• Edinburgh
• Stansted (Launching on 18th March 2026)

The Business Class product is regarded among the best, with onboard catering served by Flying Chefs in partnership with Do&Co and a modern cabin experience.

On select short-haul European routes between Istanbul and major European cities, you can also enjoy a lie-flat experience, a rarity for short-haul.

The fleet is made up of 381 Airbus and Boeing aircraft (a mix of widebody and narrowbody jets), including models such as Boeing 777‑300ER, 787‑9 Dreamliner and Airbus A330, A350‑900 and A321neo. More A350s and 787s are on order.

You can read our Turkish Airlines reviews here >>>

Istanbul Airport

Istanbul (IST) is one of the largest and most modern airports in the world. Istanbul Airport has been voted the World’s Best International Airport in Travel and Leisure’s 2025 World’s Best Awards, beating Singapore Changi twice in a row.

The Turkish Airlines International Business Lounge is consistently noted as one of the world’s best. It features private sleep suites (complete with twin beds and work desks), daybeds, conference rooms, shower suites, a play area, a golf simulator, a Champions League Museum, live cooking stations, and even a self-playing grand piano. Read our review of the TK Business Lounge here.

The airport has a layout which supports easy and quick transfers, a centralised terminal, clear, readable signs and a new triple‑runway system.

The Turkish Airlines Frequent Flyer Programme

The Turkish Airlines loyalty programme is free to join. When you fly, you’ll earn both Status Miles and redeemable Miles.

• Status Miles: Determine your tier 

• Redeemable Miles&Smiles Miles: Spent on flights, upgrades and more.

Tracking Period

Status remains valid for two years, running to the last day of the qualifying month, two years after you earn it. Most airlines offer status for one year, so this is a major benefit.

When you’ve earned a set number of miles in the previous 12 months, your status will be upgraded

From this point, you can continue collecting status points and earn higher and higher status. Your status will be extended for an additional two years if you meet one of the first- or second-term protection conditions:

It’s also possible to purchase the last 5,000-10,000 miles to upgrade your status, depending on your status level.

Earning Status with Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles

The Turkish Airlines’ Miles&Smiles loyalty programme features four tiers: Classic, Classic Plus, Elite, and Elite Plus, which are awarded based on the Status Miles earned or the number of flights flown.

Here’s what you need to know:

Classic Miles&Smiles

Requirements: Classic ‘status’ is instant as soon as you sign up.

• The ability to earn & spend Miles

• Unlimited in‑flight messaging

• 1,000 welcome miles post first flight

• Sweet treat on your birthday or wedding anniversary flight

Classic Plus Miles&Smiles (25,000 Miles or 40 Flights)

As well as the Miles&Smiles classic benefits, you’ll also receive the following:

• 25% bonus status miles on Business Class flights
• Star Alliance Silver
• Family Account setup
• Priority and Business check‑in domestically
• 250 MB of Wi‑Fi onboard
• CIP Lounge Access on domestic flights
• 10kg extra baggage allowance (apart from the per-piece baggage concept flights)

CIP Domestic Lounge Access

The major benefit of this status level (as long as you fly domestically) is access to domestic lounges. TK has a separate lounge, the International Business Lounge, described above—a benefit not available to Star Alliance Silver members from other programmes.

These lounges are located in dedicated terminals at major Turkish airports, including IST, SAW, and ESB, and feature private check-in, security, and airside transfers. Classic Plus members enter solo (no guesting), while Elite and above members can bring a guest or an immediate family member.

This is only worthwhile if you plan to use it regularly. TK also permits paid domestic lounge access at £24-£36, depending on the airport and currency conversion rates. 

Elite Miles&Smiles (40,000 Status Miles)

• Dedicated phone support
• 400 MB Economy Wi‑Fi; unlimited in Business
• Free standard seat selection on all TK flights
• Guaranteed seat if booked 72 hours pre‑flight (for certain fare buckets)
• Lounge access for international flights + one guest (or partner and children) – 1 guest if a contracted lounge outside of the Star Alliance.
• Extra Baggage allowance of 20–32 kg depending on class and route
• Private entrances and passport control at Istanbul Airport
• 50% discount on the second paid Business class ticket
• Star Alliance Gold

Elite status is where the benefits truly begin to take effect. You’ll have all the benefits that come along with Star Alliance Gold, as well as some additional benefits for being a TK elite status holder. 

50% Off a Second Paid Business Class Ticket

One of the most valuable benefits of Turkish Airlines Elite and Elite Plus status is the ability to book a second Business Class ticket at 50% off the base fare. The benefit only applies to paid business-class tickets, not reward tickets or tickets paid for with a combination of miles and cash. 

One upgrade is for one direction only. Most of the time, you will be upgraded on one segment only, and then you will need to visit the help desk to be upgraded again (this is not guaranteed). There is a desk in the TK Business Lounge at Istanbul Airport. This is not guaranteed.

Other Things to Note:

• If you don’t use the upgrades within the year, they expire. You will receive 2 per year.
• As the status is 2 years, you get 4 for the duration.
• You can only use the upgrade award on flights operated by Turkish Airlines, or on award, codeshare, partner, or AnadoluJet flights.
• This only applies to specific fare classes (e.g., C and D) and does not apply to discounted or promotional fares.
• You can upgrade 24 hours before the flight, if available, via the app, website, or call centre. This is where the dedicated phone support, which comes with Elite status, can be invaluable.
• Upgrades are very easy to use at the last minute. Arrive at the desk at check-in time and see if there are any empty seats available.

If you fly Business regularly with a companion and pay for at least one flight a year in cash, this benefit is fantastic!

Elite Plus Miles&Smiles (80,000 Status Miles)

Elite Plus is the top tier of the Miles&Smiles loyalty programme and the one to aim for. As well as 

• 2 complimentary cabin upgrades
• Gift Elite status to 3 people (40,000 Miles each)
• Guaranteed seat in certain cabin classes
• 25kg extra of checked luggage or 1x extra piece, depending on the route

Although this status level is relatively hard to earn, once you reach it, it’s much easier to keep.

Gift Elite Status to Up to Three People

Yes, you can gift Elite status to up to three people, which is more generous than most other programmes (many either don’t offer gifting at all or limit it to one recipient). However, each gift costs 40,000 Miles per person—and you’ll want to ensure it’s worth the expense.

Gifting can only be done once per individual in their lifetime, so choose carefully. Before spending 40,000 miles, consider whether the person would utilise the status enough to make it worth 40,000 miles. 

Two Free Cabin Upgrades

This is very different to the 50% off paid Business ticket award at Elite level. In addition to this benefit, you will receive two complimentary cabin upgrades on paid or redeemed flights.

As of the start of Elite Plus status, the two upgrades must be used in the first and second periods. Each period is 12 months. Rights that are not used by the end of the period lose their validity. 

If you have a family account, you can opt to upgrade those parts of the account. The upgrade is only applicable for certain fare classes in the Business cabin.

Use is straightforward and flexible. While you can upgrade online or via the call centre, app, or website, the app is usually the best option for upgrading both legs of your flight, if available. If not many members find success upgrading last minute at check‑in or at lounge desks. 

Status Benefits with Star Alliance Airlines

Star Alliance is the largest airline alliance in the world, with 25 members, 1,900 destinations and over 19,000 daily flights. Once you reach Classic Plus status, you’ll have benefits when flying with Star Alliance airlines. Classic Plus is equivalent to Star Alliance Silver, whereas Elite will get you Star Alliance Gold benefits:

Airlines in the Star Alliance include:

*ITA will join in early 2026, and Asiana is set to leave.

You can read more about the Star Alliances in our airline alliances guide, including equivalent Silver and Gold Star Alliance status.

When deciding if the loyalty programme is right for you, consider whether Istanbul works well as a layover destination. If you fly East most of the time, Istanbul is a very convenient spot where you can transfer while still in Europe.

Turkish Airlines offers a free stopover programme in Istanbul—1 night in a 4* hotel (Economy) or 2 nights in a 5* hotel (Business) with optional tours. There is also an option which allows a 2-3 night stopover if departing from 15 countries, including the US, Singapore and China.

To be eligible, you must have a minimum of 20 hours in Istanbul and book a route that is eligible for this promotion.

As part of the Star Alliance, when flying West or not flying with Turkish, there are plenty of other options, such as United and South African Airways, where you can add your Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles number to your booking and earn and redeem miles.

You can also earn miles with several non-alliance partners, including Olympic Air, ajet, IndiGo, Azul Brazilian Airlines and GOL Airlines. You can read more about earning and spending TK miles in part 2.

Other Things to Note

Alcohol

Alcohol isn’t served on all routes, especially domestic or Middle East sectors, so check ahead.

A Family-Friendly Airline

Turkish Airlines’ Miles&Smiles programme offers valuable benefits for families, including Family accounts, which allow you, your partner, and unmarried children under 25 to share rewards. This is great, but there are plenty of airlines which offer this without needing any level of status.

When purchasing lounge access with TK, children up to 6 can enter for free. 

When flying with Turkish, I have found it to be extra family-friendly. Great for families, but if you prefer quieter cabins, you may notice more children than usual in Business. Consider this before TK becomes your airline of choice.

Website

The website and app can be buggy, with occasional translation issues (pages not translating), booking errors, and difficulty managing existing bookings.

Status Matches

Once you have Turkish Airlines status, you can use this to match with other airlines and get SkyTeam and Oneworld status. Currently, open matches include:

• Use Star Alliance status for a paid status match to Royal Jordanian (Oneworld Ruby or Sapphire).
• Use the status for the Virgin Atlantic status challenge
• Status to get SkyTeam status via the Vietnam Airlines status match
• TK regularly agrees to unofficial status matches. Read our guide to ‘What is a status match‘ for more details.

Read our guide to airline status matches for detailed info

Star Alliance Vs Oneworld Vs SkyTeam

Is Star Alliance right for you? And more importantly, is Turkish the right Star Alliance airline to commit to?

There’s certainly a strong case for it: There are many standout benefits, including longer status validity, lounge access for domestic flights with Classic Plus status, and the ability to gift up to 3 people with this status, as well as two cabin upgrades per year.

Could you do better crediting to another airline, such as Aegean or Singapore Airlines, and redeeming your miles with Turkish? If you’re weighing up a switch, it’s worth reading our guide to airline alliances first.

Don’t overlook other alliances either. Oneworld features some fantastic loyalty programmes such as the Qatar Privilege Club and Finnair Plus. Then there’s SkyTeam, with Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Air France-KLM’s Flying Blue now among the most flexible and rewarding options.

Summary

Main Benefits

• Two-year status validity
• Fewer miles needed to requalify
• Fantastic stopover programme
• An innovative product
• A Star Alliance member
• Great family features
• 50% off a second paid Business Class ticket (Elite)
• Two free Business class Upgrades (Elite Plus)
• Gift elite status to 3x people at 40,000 miles each (Elite Plus)
• Lounge access for domestic flights (Classic Plus)
• An impressive route network

Things to Consider

• Website and app functionality
• All flights are via Istanbul (something to think about if you’re flying West)
• Upgrade limitations
• The 2024 points devaluation
• The website often has issues with translating text and errors
• Family mileage pooling can only be done at Classic Plus and above

Final Words

The Miles&Smiles Turkish Airlines loyalty programme has plenty of strengths, and combined with the excellent TK service, it’s one of the best options in the Star Alliance. 

That said, it’s not without its downsides. The website can be inconsistent, and there are fewer benefits for Miles&Smiles elites compared to those offered by some other airlines.

If you’re someone who appreciates easy transfer (especially if Istanbul is a convenient location for your travel patterns), you’ll find an excellent Business Class product and many excellent loyalty benefits. Turkish Airlines and Miles&Smiles are definitely worth considering. 

Look out for part 2 of this article, ‘Earning and Spending Turkish Airlines miles‘, coming soon!

Is there another airline you’d like us to look at? Let us know in the comments below: