Turkish Airlines A350 Business Class Review: Incredible Food, Great Service, but Which Seat Will You Get?

Turkish Airlines’ business class excels at a few things. The food feels more like a restaurant than an airline meal. Its flagship lounge in Istanbul is virtually a destination in itself.

Also, having an onboard chef walking through the cabin in a crisp white uniform really does make dinner at 35,000 feet feel somewhat special.

However, there is a complication – not all Turkish Airlines A350S offer the same business class experience.

Depending on the aircraft, you might have the airline’s original Stelia Aerospace Symphony seat or one of the ex-Aeroflot A350s fitted with much more private Collins Aerospace Horizon suites. And looking ahead, Turkish Airlines’ new Crystal Business Class will introduce yet another generation of enclosed suites to the fleet.

So before making a reservation, it’s wise to know exactly what you’ll be getting.

Airport Experience: Arrive Hungry in Istanbul

When leaving from Istanbul Airport, be sure to leave some extra time before your flight – not because the airport experience itself is very difficult, but because the Turkish Airlines Business Lounge is well worth your while.

Business class passengers receive priority check-in, fast-track security where available, priority boarding, and entry to the exclusive Business Lounge near gate E1.

And this isn’t a small lounge with a buffet discreetly hidden away in a corner.

At more than 60,000 square feet, the lounge can hold hundreds of travelers while still feeling open. Its unique domed spaces and distinctly Turkish-inspired design will make it feel much more like several restaurants and relaxation areas than your average airport lounge.

Food is really the main event here.

Several cooking stations produce Turkish and international dishes throughout the day, so you can turn your layover into a genuine meal rather than settling for a sandwich kept warm under a light.

There’s a library, a pool table, a golf simulator, and a business center, along with plenty of quieter areas to rest between flights. The lounge is open all hours, which is especially important given Istanbul’s function as one of the world’s major connecting hubs.

Turkish also runs the Miles & Smiles Lounge nearby. It looks similar but is geared mainly toward those eligible under their frequent flyer scheme and Star Alliance Gold passengers, while the Business Lounge is exclusively for business-class travelers.

Outside of Istanbul, Turkish pretty much relies on Star Alliance and contracted lounges, so your experience can actually change quite a bit from one airport to another.

The A350 Seat: Here’s Where Things Get Complicated

Seeing Airbus A350-900’on your booking doesn’t automatically mean you will get one particular Turkish Airlines Business Class seat.

The standard Turkish A350-900 has 32 Stelia Aerospace Symphony seats set out in a 1-2-1 configuration.

Every passenger has direct aisle access, and the seat is about 20 inches wide, turning into a fully flat bed about 76 inches long. It includes a side table, storage cubby, universal power outlet, and USB charging port.

It’ll be quite comfortable enough for sleeping, but privacy is really its main shortcoming. There isn’t a sliding door, and the surrounding shell feels less secluded than lots of other newer Business Class products.

Then there are Turkish Airlines’ ex-Aeroflot A350s.

These planes originally belonged to Aeroflot but eventually made their way to Turkish Airlines whilst retaining their Collins Aerospace Horizon interiors. For Business Class passengers, this could be a lovely surprise.

Only 28 suites are arranged 1-2-1, and each has a sliding privacy door. When you close it, the experience instantly feels much more like a modern Business Class suite.

Many travelers think these seats are much better than Turkish’s standard A350 product.

The catch? Aircraft changes do happen.

You might book a flight thinking you’re getting the Horizon suite, only to find out a standard A350 is running it instead. If the seat is important to you, then checking the aircraft configuration before takeoff would be worth it – but even so, changes can still happen.

And Then There’s Crystal Business Class

Turkish Airlines will be launching its next-generation Crystal Business Class – a product created so that the airline will finally have a more consistent, thoroughly modern hard product.

The new cabin features pod-style seats in a staggered 1-2-1 configuration, with direct aisle access and sliding privacy doors.

Seats in the middle of alternating rows may be able to lower their divider, thus creating a more sociable “honeymoon” arrangement for couples. Marble-effect tables and some refined Turkish-inspired finishes give the cabin a really superior look and feel.

Crystal is part of an ongoing fleet rollout of brand-new aircraft, so travelers should check the specific configuration of their flight’s plane rather than assume every Turkish widebody now has the latest seats.

The Food Is Where Turkish Really Shines

Whatever your seat assignment, dinner might be the best part of your flight. Turkish Airlines has constructed a considerable portion of its Business Class reputation around food itself – and the onboard chef is a key component of the experience.

Dressed in chef whites, the Flying Chef presents the menu and oversees a multi-course meal service that feels far more theatrical than typical airline fare.

The experience usually commences with a welcoming drink and hot towel, then moves on to appetizers, breads, main courses, desserts – and an impressive drinks service.

Turkish specialties inevitably feature prominently, but there are also international options. Presentation is surprisingly refined, down to tiny porcelain salt and pepper shakers.

Even coffee becomes an event in itself.

The menu will feature numerous preparations, with traditional Turkish coffee receiving especially beautiful presentation itself.

The drinks list will include Taittinger champagne, Turkish and French wines, top-class whisky, gin, beer and non-alcoholic options too.

It is polished yet doesn’t become uncomfortably formal – and that equilibrium is one reason why Turkish’s “soft product” quite frequently receives better reviews than the seat itself.

Entertainment Keeps Long Flights Moving

Business class travelers usually have an entertainment screen of about 18 inches, loaded up with movies, TV shows, documentaries, music – and loads of Turkish content.

One feature that stands out as especially enjoyable is the exterior camera system. Based on the plane itself, you’ll see forward, underside, or side-facing views during all stages of your flight.

This is a small thing, but seeing Istanbul slip away from under the plane during take-off is a lot more interesting than staring at the moving map.

Wi-Fi is also available, with business class passengers getting a free data allocation on qualifying flights. As Turkish Airlines continues to update its fleet, its connectivity policies are changing, so check the current allocation for your specific flight.

Lanvin Amenities Add a Fashionable Touch

Over the years, Turkish Airlines has worked with many high-end brands, and its more recent Business Class amenity kits feature designs created in collaboration with Lanvin.

Reusable bags come in a variety of colors and designs, all designed to remain useful post-flight rather than being just another disposable bag.

Inside, you’ll find must-haves like an eye mask, socks, earplugs, a bamboo toothbrush, toothpaste, lip balm, and both hand and body lotions. Lanvin’s skincare products include ingredients such as shea, cocoa seed, coconut, and olive-derived oils.

Your slippers will be provided separately – a lovely touch if you’re looking to get comfy without having to walk round the cabin in your shoes.

Amenity offers can vary by route and also by time, with other top-end collaborations appearing on certain flights too.

The Bottom Line

Turkish Airlines’ business class offers a really interesting mix of an outstanding soft product and a somewhat unreliable hard product.

The Istanbul lounge, Flying Chef service, Turkish cuisine, wine, and warm hospitality are truly on par with the best international first-class airlines. The seat, though, needs your closest attention.

Original A350 Symphony product seating is pretty comfortable but doesn’t really stand out from the crowd anymore. Ex-Aeroflot Horizon suites offer significantly more personal space whilst Crystal Business Class is the epitome of the airline’s future premium cabin designs.

Whatever option you select, Simply Business Class (SBC) will frequently assist passengers in saving up to 50 % off those expensive premium fares – all dependent on route and availability.

So have a look at the aircraft, arrive ravenous and make a bit of space for Turkish coffee. On this airline, the meal may well be what you remember most about your business class experience.