Since the devaluation in spring 2024, Miles&Smiles miles, Turkish Airlines’ frequent flyer program, have unfortunately become significantly less valuable. However, mileage upgrades from Economy to Business Class are still comparatively worthwhile.
In October, this becomes even more attractive. Those who use their miles for an upgrade on short- and medium-haul flights will receive a 30% discount on the required mileage amount. The offer is only valid for flights until October 31, 2025, and upgrades must be booked no later than October 15, 2025.
The offer applies to selected routes in the following zones:
| Zone | Example Route | Upgrade Price | Colour on Map |
|---|---|---|---|
| Europe 1 | Bucharest – Istanbul | 14,000 | light green |
| Europe 2 | Frankfurt – Istanbul | 17,500 | blue |
| Middle East | Istanbul – Abu Dhabi | 19,600 | orange |
| North Africa | Istanbul – Marrakech | 28,000 | black |
| Central Africa | Istanbul – Nairobi | 42,000 | wine red |
| Far East | Istanbul – Phuket | 45,400 | turquoise |
| Southern Africa | Istanbul – Seychelles | 52,500 | purple |
We’ve mapped all destinations included in the promotion below. You can find the zone assignment in the table above:
Unfortunately, some popular destinations, such as Dubai, are not discounted. Within the UAE, only Abu Dhabi (without a lie-flat seat) is included.
Conditions
- Booking period (for upgrade): October 1 – October 15, 2025
- Travel period: October 1 – October 31, 2025
- All upgrades are subject to availability and are never guaranteed
- Valid only for upgrades completed online
- Applies only to flights operated by Turkish Airlines, not Star Alliance partners
- Valid only for Miles&Smiles miles, not upgrades through other programs
If the conditions are met, the reduced price is automatically displayed when attempting the upgrade. For example, here on the Istanbul – Kuwait route:
Upgrade availability is generally better than for award flights. Based on experience, they are usually available if at least one seat is still being sold in booking class J. However, this is not guaranteed.
European Routes with Lie-Flat Seats
Unlike Lufthansa and others, Turkish Airlines also offers proper Business Class seats on short-haul routes. On Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 aircraft, this means a 2-2 seat configuration.
On some routes from Istanbul to Europe, Turkish Airlines even deploys wide-body jets with lie-flat seats. For the roughly 3-hour flight time, you can expect significantly more comfort and space. This is the case, for example, on the following routes:
- Amsterdam: 3x daily A330 (angled-flat), 1x daily Boeing 777 (lie-flat), 1x daily A321 (recliner)
- London Heathrow: 2x daily Boeing 787 (lie-flat), 2x daily A330 (lie-flat), 2x daily A321 (recliner)
- Paris CDG: 3 daily lie-flat flights on various aircraft types
- Barcelona: 1 daily lie-flat flight
- Rome: 1x daily Boeing 787 (lie-flat), 1x daily A330 (angled-flat), 2x daily Airbus A321 (recliner)
- Dublin: 1x daily A330 (angled-flat), 1x daily A321 (recliner)
Translated and edited by Ditmar
Cover Picture: Ditmar Lange