Turkish Miles&Smiles

Use it for

• Turkish business US to Istanbul: 65,000 miles plus about USD 200 to 250 in taxes and surcharges each way
• Turkish business US to a European city via Istanbul at the same 65,000 miles (reported), plus similar taxes and surcharges
• Star Alliance business from Europe to the Middle East: 53,000 miles plus taxes
• United business across the US, including lie-flat transcontinental flights: 22,500 miles plus about USD 6, when United releases saver space (rare since December 2025)

Do not use it for

• US to Europe on partner airlines: 90,000 miles business, against 60,000 on Aeroplan
• US mainland to Hawaii: 40,000 miles business since 3 December 2025 (was 15,000)
• Buying a large stock of miles for later: miles hard-expire at the end of the third full calendar year after crediting, with no activity extension

Where to search

turkishairlines.com award search works reliably only for Turkish-operated flights; Turkish's own pages contradict each other on whether Star Alliance partner awards can be booked online, and the 'Star Award Ticket' flow often fails to ticket. Find partner space on aeroplan.com or united.com first. seats.aero covers Turkish, which often releases several business seats per flight.

How to book, step by step

1. Join Miles&Smiles in your passport name and verify the account (credit a flight to it, hold a co-brand card, convert bank points, join a family account or visit a Turkish sales office); unverified accounts cannot book awards for friends or family.
2. Find the seat first: Turkish flights on turkishairlines.com logged in with the award option, partners on aeroplan.com or united.com.
3. Transfer the miles before you book: Turkish requires the full miles in your account to request an award. Citi, Capital One and Bilt transfers are 1:1 and usually immediate.
4. Book online for Turkish flights: one-way or round trip, no stopover or open jaw online, up to 6 legs, and other passengers only if they travel with you (up to 5 including you).
5. Pay the taxes and surcharges; awards are issued immediately after confirmation.
6. Check that every passenger has an e-ticket number in the confirmation. A reservation without a ticket number is not a ticket.
7. For partner awards or stopovers, or if the site stalls, call Turkish (US 1-800-874-8875) or visit a Turkish sales office with flight numbers ready.

When you need to phone

Needed for partner awards that will not ticket online and for stopovers. US: 1-800-874-8875; elsewhere, local Turkish offices. Changes and refunds are handled by Turkish sales offices and call centers, not travel agents.

Fees

No booking fee found. International award change or refund USD 70 per transaction; no-show USD 170; domestic Turkey awards TRY 450.

Surcharges

Turkish-operated transatlantic awards carry about USD 200 to 250 each way in taxes and surcharges. Whether Lufthansa Group surcharges are passed on in 2026 is not confirmed; earlier research says they are.

Getting points in

US: Citi ThankYou, Capital One and Bilt, 1:1, usually immediate. Marriott Bonvoy 3:1 with 5,000 bonus per 60,000, can take a week. Singapore: HSBC 35,000 to 10,000. India: HDFC 2:1; Axis and SBI Card are also partners. Many local bank partners elsewhere, including Garanti, QNB, Hyundai Card, CTBC and Security Bank.

Booking for other people

Online you can book for relatives or anyone else only when they travel with you, up to 5 people including yourself, and only from a verified account. Family pooling is limited to elite parents and unmarried children under 25.