Turkish Airlines To Debut New Business Class on Boeing 777s

Turkish Airlines may be well-regarded for its business class catering and onboard experience, but the seating configuration on select aircraft is past its prime, especially compared to competitors.

According to Executive Traveller, that will be changing soon with the debut of a custom-designed product on Boeing 777s.

Here’s what we know about a new business class seat expected on the Istanbul-based carrier’s fleet of Boeing 777 aircraft.

Turkish Airlines Boeing 777 Business Class

Currently, Turkish Airlines operates a fleet of 33 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. These jets make up the backbone of many long-haul routes.

The 49-seat business-class cabin is arranged in a 2-3-2 configuration, meaning there are middle seats, even up front. While privacy is sorely lacking on Turkish’s 777, these forward-facing, lie-flat seats do have one plus: a generous amount of legroom.

With an open layout, there is no concern about tight footwells.

However, the Star Alliance carrier is expected to debut an all-new business class configuration — designed and built entirely in-house — with direct aisle access and “full privacy” for each passenger.

It is still unclear how exactly the cabin will be configured, but Turkish Airlines Chairman Ahmet Bolat revealed that the seat won’t follow a conventional 1-2-1 arrangement, as seen in many airlines’ business classes.

In fact, onboard Turkish’s newest aircraft, the Boeing 787-9, you’ll enjoy seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, a sleek pod design for extra privacy, and direct aisle access.

One potential seating model on the revamped Boeing 777 may be similar to the Apex Suite, a 2-3-2 configured business class that still affords direct aisle access via narrow pathways at the front of each suite.

Japan Airlines, Korean Air, and Oman Air are a few of the operators that use this type of product.

Booking Turkish Airlines Business Class

If you’re using miles, one of the best options is to book directly with Turkish’s Miles & Smiles program. A one-way business-class flight from North America to Europe (including Turkey) costs a fantastic 45,000 miles.

This is one of the lowest non-promotional award redemptions to Turkey. You can transfer Citi ThankYou points or Capital One miles to Turkish at a 1:1 ratio, too.

Alternatively, you can book with other Star Alliance partners, which may be a better option if you have points with another currency such as Amex Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards.

Final Thoughts

In addition to all-aisle access and more privacy, Turkish says that the latest in-seat features will also be included with the revamp, including sliding doors, larger video monitors, and wireless charging.

While many details remain unknown, it’s now confirmed that Turkish Airlines will have a new business class cabin on its Boeing 777 aircraft — and it’s a fully bespoke product.