- I never expect much from economy flights, but 16 hours in coach with Turkish Airlines impressed me.
- I loved being able to tint the windows blue and enjoy in-flight entertainment on big screens.
While scrambling to find a last-minute flight home from Morocco, I booked a Turkish Airlines flight for me and two of my children.
Using points, I secured three economy flights that also included a stopover in Istanbul (one of my favorite cities).
Although I was dreading extra hours in the air, I wondered if Turkish Airlines would live up to its 2023 titles of the best airline in Europe and the sixth-best airline in the world.
The seats were big and comfortable, with plenty of legroom
I'm a pretty average weight, and I'm 5 feet 5 inches tall, but I still struggle to get comfortable on long flights. I find many coach plane seats to be too narrow with inadequate legroom.
But I was pleasantly surprised to find that my Turkish Airlines seat felt a little wider than most and had a lot more legroom than I was expecting. It was refreshing to be able to stretch out my legs completely straight.
The few extra inches of seat width and legroom made a huge difference. When I landed in DC after 11 hours, my muscles didn't feel as cramped as they usually do after a long flight.
The airplane's windows could be tinted blue — a game changer for daytime flights
My flight from Istanbul to Washington DC, took place entirely during the day.
I'd expected to be plagued by bright light streaming in through the airplane windows for 11 hours, which would've made it hard to relax or nap. It turns out I didn't need to worry.
Unlike most airplanes where windows are either open or closed, my Turkish Airlines flight had windows that could be tinted blue.
This allowed some light in but created a calmer atmosphere than bright daylight.
I really enjoyed the in-flight entertainment, which was provided on a big screen
On a long flight, I enjoy nothing more than zoning out and watching movies. I was thrilled when I discovered that my flight had larger-than-average seat-back screens.
I spent most of the flight happily watching movies and TV shows.
Since I was traveling with children, we also explored the available games. I spent at least an hour playing a seek-and-find game with my son, and my kids played chess together for part of the flight.
Flight attendants even distributed real headphones, which was another nice touch. They were far from expert quality, but they were a nice upgrade from the flimsy earbuds most airlines distribute.
The food was surprisingly good
On long flights I always wonder how many meals will be served and what I might get, so I appreciated flight attendants handing out menus shortly after we took off.
I especially enjoyed my breakfast of Turkish pastry with spinach and also liked a chocolate dessert served with lunch.
For such a long flight, a snack (or two) would've been nice, but I was thrilled with the meals that were provided. I even wondered if I could get a recipe for one of the tasty dishes I ate in the air.
I appreciated the amenities kit and spruced-up bathrooms
During our longest flight, even passengers in coach received an amenities kit with a travel toothbrush and toothpaste, earplugs, an eye mask, socks, and slippers.
Although none of the products were high enough quality for me to want to use them after the flight, I thought the kit was a nice touch.
My children also received kid versions of the amenities kit that came with a toy and a cute airplane bag.
The bathrooms on the plane were also nicer than I'd been expecting. They seemed clean and even had products from the well-known Turkish brand Eyüp Sabri Tuncer.
Overall, Turkish Airlines lived up to its high praise
I was skeptical that flying coach on any airline could be anything other than mediocre, no matter how many awards an airline has won.
But after spending a total of 16 hours in economy on Turkish Airlines flights, I found myself impressed. I wouldn't mind spending a long-haul flight in economy again if I was flying Turkish Airlines.
Awards aside, as a frequent flyer, it's now high on my list of great airlines.