I recently had a chance to share with you my amazing adventure in South Africa, but here is the thing, there is no easy way to get to South Africa. So I decided to start my holiday with a mini holiday in Istanbul, Turkey. I had always dreamed of visiting Turkey and I was so excited to find out the Turkish Airlines travels to Cape Town.
If you have been following along for a while, you would know I travel a lot by now, but it has been a while since my travel time equaled 24 hours in flight. So I decided to splurge a little and upgrade to business class on this trip.
Let me tell you, there is nothing better than arriving at your destination refreshed and relaxed, and that is exactly what I experienced thanks to the easy travel with Turkish Airlines. This was by far one of the most luxurious flights I have ever experienced, and I wanted to share some of the highlights with you.
What to expect
Turkish Airlines has worked hard at establishing themselves as the top airline in Europe. They have one award after award for best business class lounge, best business class lounge catering, and best airline in Southern Europe.”
I was excited to experience how their airline compared to others that I have flown in the past.
Time to board
Once we boarded the plane, we were greeted with friendly smiles and a delicious welcome drink. The flight attendants were so warm and made sure we had everything we needed.
I was then able to find the comfort of my seat, nestled beside the window with all the leg room in the world. My seat itself offered an in-chair massage, personal reading lamp, power supply, and a screen to secure my own private area. It also had the ability to lie fully flat for when it was bed time.
Amenities
I was nervous about flying for such a long period of time. From the jet lag to the not being able to wash my face for two full days, but Turkish Airlines had us covered.
For the two flights we had two different amenity bags. The first was Christian Lacroix and the second was Molton Brown.
Both of the amenity bags offered toothpaste, toothbrush, hair brush, ear plugs, eye mask, socks, lip balm, and the most amazing hand cream. We were also treated to a complimentary pair of slippers, which was really helpful because I didn’t want to have to wear my running shoes for the full flight.
My favourite on board amenity was the bedding. Before bed time one of the incredible flight attendants will come by and fix up your bed. The bedding was so comfortable and the blankets so soft. I slept through the entire night.
I was so impressed with all of the amazing business class amenities. I honestly felt just as comfortable thousands of feet in the air as I do in my own home.
Entertainment
The video-0n-demand entertainment system was incredible and really helped keep me calm during the long haul to South Africa. There was such a wide selection of movies and entertainment. I was able to watch new blockbuster releases and old classics throughout the flight. There is also an option to watch live TV on board. The flight also offered free Wi-Fi so that I could make all my friends jealous back home through my insta stories.
Seating
I shared some details of the insanely comfortable seats but they offered so many different features I wanted to share some more with you. Once again the focus for the Turkish Airline Business Class is ultimate comfort. The seat itself offered a USB port, universal plug, and reading lamp.
Aside from the basics they offer so much more. The seats open up in to a 188cm bed and have complimentary blankets and pillows so that you can sleep in comfort.
This was a huge help for me to arrive revived and didn’t have to miss out on any travel days recovering from jet lag.
Dining
Turkish Airlines is known for their in-flight dining especially those incredible chef hats. In fact, Turkish Airlines was voted the Skytrax World’s Best Business Class Airline Catering
From the moment you walk on the plane, you are handed a menu and you fill out what options you want. The flying chefs prepare some world class meals in the sky. As they bring you the meals, they also bring a little candle along. A true candle lit dinner in the sky.
I loved the fact that they offered some traditional Turkish cuisine. Everything from Turkish tea, to Turkish delights for dessert.
Another fact I loved is that the on-board menu changes every season to ensure that the food is as fresh as can be.
The dishes were delicious and have won numerous awards. I honestly ate like royalty from breakfast omelettes, to smoked salmon snacks, to prawn pasta. I was so full and happy on-board the flight.
Turkish Airlines Lounge
Once we landed in Turkey, we had quite a long layover between the two flights and so we decided to visit the Turkish Airlines Business Lounge. After a long flight I was in the need to freshen up and get a good stretch in. I had the chance to do both in the lounge.
The facilities were amazing. There is over 60,000 square feet of luxury for the more than 4,000 travellers that pass through every day.
There are eight showers available to freshen up in complete with robes and slippers. Once you have finished your shower, you can rest in one of the suite rooms.
The food and drink options in the lounge are endless. You can dine on anything from traditional Turkish treats like tea and beer as well as baklava. There is also delicious meals from around the world to full your belly during your break.
I couldn’t believe the entertainment aspects available in the lounge. There was everything from PGA golf simulator, a slot car racing machine, a prayer room, library, and movie theatre. It really had something for everyone.
My absolute favourite part of the lounge was the free massage. After sitting on an airplane for a long time, no matter how comfortable the seats are, you can get a little stiff. It was so refreshing to be able to get a quality massage to get me ready for round two.
TourIstanbul
I have always wanted to truly discover Istanbul, and while I know eight hours is not nearly enough to discover the beauty of this city, but thankfully Turkish Airlines helped me discover a small but incredible piece.
If you have a connecting flight longer than 6 hours, Turkish Airlines offers free tours. Depending on the day of the week or time of day, the offer different tours.
I had a chance to visit the Old Town and see the beauty of the Topkapi Palace, The Blue Mosque, and the Hippodrome (German Fountain). It was so incredible to see the architecture and also go around with a local guide who had a chance to teach us all about the history.
The end of the tour was capped off with a free meal with our new found friends. It was amazing. On the way I also picked up some Turkish towels to take home with me.
Overall Experience
While writing this, I realized that no matter what I share with you, it is hard to do Turkish Airlines. As mentioned this was the most luxurious flight I have ever taken. Everything from the comfort of the seats, to the delicious food and everything in between made this experience next to none. I can honestly say I believe Turkish Airlines is the best airline in the world and Istanbul is one of the most beautiful cities. I cannot wait to travel with Turkish Airlines in the future again.
