Turkish Airlines Airbus A350-900 on final approach
Airline Guide TK · Star Alliance

Turkish Airlines flights, one stop from almost anywhere.

From its Istanbul hub, Turkish Airlines reaches around 130 countries — more than any other airline. For Europe, Central Asia, Africa and the Middle East it is often the cheapest one-stop option from the U.S.

Airline profile Updated 21 October 2026
IATA / ICAO
TK / THY
Main hub
Istanbul Airport (IST)
Alliance
Star Alliance
Loyalty
Miles&Smiles
Cabins
Economy, Business
Founded
1933
Official airline website

Search My Trip is an independent travel agency, not Turkish Airlines. We help you compare and book TK flights; check-in, seats and onboard service are handled by the airline.

01
The Istanbul advantage

A layover that can be a holiday

Turkish Airlines actively encourages you to leave the airport. Depending on your ticket and layover length, it offers a free guided city tour or free hotel nights in Istanbul — and the food on board is some of the best in Economy.

1–2Free hotel nights on eligible tickets
6h+Layover for a free city tour
20hMinimum stop for a hotel night

Stopover in Istanbul

Free hotel accommodation for international transit passengers on eligible routes when you choose to stop for at least 20 hours.

Touristanbul

A free guided tour of the old city for transit passengers with a long enough layover.

Food worth eating

Turkish Airlines catering is consistently rated among the best in Economy.

Istanbul lounge

A huge Business lounge with live cooking stations and private rest suites.

Why book Turkish Airlines with us

  • Stopover checked

    We tell you if your ticket qualifies for a free Istanbul hotel night.

  • Hard-to-reach cities

    Central Asia, the Balkans, the Caucasus — we know the connections.

  • Bag allowance confirmed

    It varies by route and fare. We check yours before you pay.

  • 24/7 help

    Real people for changes, cancellations and refunds.

02
Routes to watch

Popular Turkish Airlines routes

Flight times are typical scheduled durations and can vary by season. Click a route to see live prices and availability for your dates.

03
How the network works

Europe and Asia meet at Istanbul

IST Istanbul Airport Turkish Airlines' hub since 2019

One of the largest airports in the world. Turkish Airlines uses its position between continents to connect almost anywhere with a single stop.

It is a big building — allow time to walk between gates.

  • All of EuropeIncluding smaller cities in the Balkans and Eastern Europe that other airlines skip.
  • Central Asia and the CaucasusTbilisi, Baku, Tashkent, Almaty and many more.
  • AfricaMore African cities than any other non-African airline.
  • Middle East and South AsiaThe Gulf, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Maldives.
04
Choose your seat

Two cabins, done generously

Turkish Airlines Airbus A350-900 rolling down the runway
Turkish Airlines keeps to Economy and Business on most flights. Both include full meals — even short European hops get a proper hot dish.
Great food

Economy

  • Hot meals on almost every flight
  • Seat-back screen on long-haul
  • Amenity kit on long-haul
  • Fare types from EcoFly to Flex
Long-haul lie-flat

Business

  • Fully flat bed on wide-body jets
  • Flying chef on long-haul routes
  • Istanbul lounge access
  • Extra baggage allowance
05
Pack right

Baggage at a glance

Economy carry-onOne bag, 55 × 40 × 23 cm 8 kg / 17 lb
Business carry-onTwo cabin bags 2 × 8 kg
Checked, U.S. routesEconomy, on most fares 2 × 23 kg
Checked, elsewhereTotal weight by fare type 20–30 kg

Flights to and from the Americas use a piece system; most other routes use total weight. The cheapest fares on some routes include less.

06
Miles&Smiles

Star Alliance status that is easier to keep

Miles&Smiles is popular well beyond Turkey because its upper tiers give Star Alliance Gold benefits — lounge access and extra baggage on United, Lufthansa, Air Canada and other members — and are comparatively easy to renew.

  1. 1 Classic Where you start
  2. 2 Classic Plus Star Alliance Silver
  3. 3 Elite Star Alliance Gold
  4. 4 Elite Plus Star Alliance Gold

Tier requirements are set by Turkish Airlines and can change.

07
From our travel desk

Six tips for cheaper Turkish Airlines fares

  1. Choose a long layover on purpose

    A 20-hour stop can qualify for a free hotel night, turning one trip into two destinations.

  2. Use it for secondary cities

    To the Balkans, the Caucasus or Central Asia, Turkish is often the only sensible one-stop option.

  3. Check the fare type

    The lowest Economy fares can limit baggage and changes. Compare before choosing.

  4. Try another U.S. gateway

    Turkish flies from more than a dozen U.S. cities. A nearby gateway may be much cheaper.

  5. Leave time to connect

    Istanbul Airport is very large. Under 90 minutes can be tight, especially with children.

  6. Ask about phone-only fares

    Our agents can sometimes access fares that do not appear online.

Your TK ticket in four steps

  1. Step 1 Search

    Enter your cities and dates and filter results to Turkish Airlines.

  2. Step 2 Compare

    See fares, stops and cabins side by side with taxes shown up front.

  3. Step 3 Add details

    Enter traveller names exactly as on ID and add your Miles&Smiles number.

  4. Step 4 Fly

    Get your confirmation by email, then check in with Turkish Airlines before you fly.

08
Good to know

Turkish Airlines FAQs

Is Search My Trip the same as Turkish Airlines?
No. Search My Trip is an independent travel agency. We help you search, compare and book Turkish Airlines flights, but we are not owned by or affiliated with the airline.
Which U.S. cities does Turkish Airlines fly from?
More than a dozen, including New York JFK, Newark, Boston, Washington, Atlanta, Miami, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle.
How does the free Istanbul stopover work?
On eligible international itineraries with a planned stop of at least 20 hours, Turkish Airlines provides hotel accommodation — one night in Economy and two in Business. It must be requested in advance and is subject to the airline's terms.
What is Touristanbul?
A free guided city tour offered to transit passengers whose layover is long enough, typically between 6 and 24 hours. Check your visa requirements for Türkiye before joining.
Do I need a visa to leave the airport in Istanbul?
It depends on your passport. Many travellers can get an e-visa online or enter visa-free. Check the current rules for your nationality before you travel.
Is Turkish Airlines in Star Alliance?
Yes, since 2008. Miles can be earned and used on United, Lufthansa, Air Canada, Singapore Airlines and the other members.
Is it cheaper to book Turkish Airlines over the phone?
Sometimes. Our travel experts can see phone-only fares and alternative routings. Call +1 (855) 447-1880 any time — we're available 24/7.
Talk to an expert

Flying Turkish Airlines via Istanbul?

Tell us your dates — we will check gateways, stopover eligibility and fare types and find the best option.

Search My Trip is an independent travel agency and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Turkish Airlines. Airline names and programme names are trademarks of their respective owners and are used here only to describe the flights we help you book. Airline policies change, so always confirm details with the airline before you travel. Last updated 21 October 2026.

Cookie Preferences/Opt-Out Rights

We use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to provide a better website experience and support essential functions, personalization, analytics, and advertising. You can manage your preferences using the switches below. Turn a switch off to opt out of that cookie category and select "Save" to confirm your choices. Your preferences are stored using opt-out cookies. If these cookies are deleted from your browser, your selections may need to be made again. Your choices apply specifically to this Website, browser, and device where the preference is set. For privacy choices that are not related to cookies, including certain disclosures covered by applicable state privacy laws, please use the "Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information" option below.


Essential

Essential cookies are necessary to keep our Website secure, stable, and functional. They support core features such as account login, navigation, form submission, load management, security controls, and fraud prevention. Since these cookies are required for basic Website operations, they cannot be turned off through this preference center. Blocking them through your browser may cause certain features or services to work incorrectly.

View Disclosures

Targeted Advertising

These cookies help us and our advertising partners provide advertisements across digital platforms that may be more relevant to your interests. They may also be used to understand how advertising campaigns perform, manage the frequency of advertisements, measure engagement, confirm that ads are delivered correctly, and identify or prevent fraudulent advertising activity.

View Disclosures

Personalization

Personalization cookies allow us to make your experience more relevant based on how you interact with our Website and Services. Depending on your settings, information may include account details, searches, bookings, browsing activity, travel interests, location-related information, and other preferences. This information can help us provide customized content, recommendations, offers, and features that are better suited to your interests.

View Disclosures

Analytics

Analytics cookies help us understand how visitors use and interact with our Website. They may collect information such as page views, clicks, searches, bookings, popular pages, destinations, referral sources, and other interactions. We use this information to evaluate website performance, understand visitor behavior, test new features or page versions, identify improvements, and enhance the reliability and overall experience of our digital services.

View Disclosures

Powered by Search My Trip