Turkish Airlines Business Class in the Airbus A321 to Istanbul

Until now, I'd only experienced Turkish Airlines in Economy Class and Premium Economy, which has since been discontinued. On our trip to Kuala Lumpur this year, we finally got to try out Turkish Airlines Business Class on the Airbus A321. In this review, you'll find out what makes Turkish Airlines so much better than other European airlines like Lufthansa, Air France, or SWISS.

How did we book our flight?

Our vacation destination for October 2023 was Malaysia and Thailand. After deciding on a region, I started looking for affordable flights to the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur. Through Miles & More, I finally found an award flight with Turkish Airlines in business class via Istanbul. For this flight, we had to invest 71,000 miles per person. A total of 213,000 miles and €1,100 in taxes and fees.

How did we earn so many Miles & More miles? It's simple: spending on the Miles & More credit card! While building our house, we understandably had a lot of bills to pay, some of them quite large. We handled these primarily through the neobank Revolut. There, we could make free credit card transfers and thus generate valuable miles.

Are you also interested in an online account with the app-based bank Revolut? Then simply open an account at the following address Link.

What is the cabin and seat like in Turkish Airlines Business Class on the Airbus A321?

Turkish Airlines Business Class on the Airbus A321 has a separate cabin, not just a flexible curtain to the Economy Class, as is common on short-haul flights in Europe. Our aircraft's cabin was equipped with a total of 16 seats in four rows. Turkish Airlines also operates Airbus A321s with five rows of Business Class. This meant there were two seats per aisle and row.

The seats in Turkish Airlines Business Class on the Airbus A321 are significantly different from those in Economy Class. They are large armchairs with dark blue leather upholstery. The seat shape reminded me of Turkish Airlines' former Premium Economy (Review from back thenThe headrest was continuously adjustable and tiltable. The seat also features a personal reading lamp. The footrest and backrest are adjustable. However, the footrest's angle of adjustment is very small, and I barely noticed any effect. Legroom is very generous, allowing the passenger at the window to stand up without the other passenger having to stand up as well.

Each seat is equipped with a sturdy table. This can be pushed forward and backward and folded sideways for standing up. Between the seats is a small pull-out table for drinks. Each seat has a universal power outlet. The entertainment system folds out from the center armrest. A cushion with a brown fabric cover was placed on our seat during boarding. There is no amenity kit on short-haul flights.

What is available to eat and drink in Turkish Airlines Business Class on the Airbus A321?

After boarding, we were served a welcome drink. Traditionally, Turkish Airlines doesn't serve alcohol before takeoff. Instead, there was a selection of different soft drinks. Shortly afterward, the meals for the flight to Istanbul were distributed.

Since our flight in Turkish Airlines Business Class was in the early morning hours, breakfast was served. The menu included a ham and cheese omelet, gözleme, a traditional dish made with puff pastry and spinach, or porridge with dried fruit. This was accompanied by almond tarts, croissants, and pastries. I opted for the Turkish specialty and found it delicious. Meal requests are personally requested and then served directly from the galley. Warm towels were also provided before and after the meal.

The beverage selection ranged from various juices and lemonade to ayran and other non-alcoholic beverages. Hot drinks included tea, Turkish coffee, and hot chocolate. Alcoholic beverages included sparkling wine, as well as various wines and spirits.

What is the in-flight entertainment like in Turkish Airlines Business Class on the Airbus A321?

The plane was equipped with overhead monitors displaying the flight route. Each Business Class passenger had a personal monitor in the center armrest. While it worked, it unfortunately didn't offer any movies to choose from. So we were left with only the games to try out. This also made the headphones, which didn't have active noise cancellation, unnecessary. There was another remote control with a small display in the seat for further operation of the entertainment system and for turning on the lights.

According to the display on the plane, it should have Wi-Fi. Unfortunately, that didn't work either, or it was turned off. The 2:30-hour flight went by quickly, even without Wi-Fi.

Did you like this article? Then share it on social media! This way you'll be supporting our work. We also welcome your opinion in the Comments.