Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Guide (2025): Best Transfer & Award Options
Turkish Airlines' Miles&Smiles program is one of Star Alliance's most underrated loyalty programs, offering exceptional value for travelers.
Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Guide
Your complete guide to maximizing credit card transfers and finding exceptional flight redemptions with one of the most valuable airline loyalty programs.
Introduction to Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
Turkish Airlines' Miles&Smiles program is one of Star Alliance's most underrated loyalty programs, offering exceptional value for travelers. With competitive award rates, generous routing rules, and an extensive route network covering more countries than any other airline, Miles&Smiles provides outstanding opportunities for both economy and business class redemptions around the world.
In This Guide:
Credit Card Transfer Partners
One of Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles's biggest strengths is its wide range of transfer partners. You can transfer points from all major flexible points currencies to Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles, typically at favorable ratios.
| Transfer Partner | Transfer Ratio | Transfer Time | Transfer Bonuses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citi ThankYou Points | 1:1 | 1-2 days | Occasional transfer bonuses of 20-25% |
| Capital One Miles | 1:1 | Up to 36 hours | Rare transfer bonuses |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 3:1 (plus 5,000 bonus miles for every 60,000 points transferred) | 3-5 days | Occasional transfer bonuses |
| Bilt Rewards | 1.5:2 | 1-2 days | Monthly 100% transfer bonus on 1st of month (first 5 minutes) |
Pro Tip: Always check for transfer bonuses before transferring points. A 20% bonus effectively makes your points worth 20% more, significantly increasing your redemption value.
How to Earn Points
Credit Card Transfers
- Transfer Citi ThankYou Points from cards like the Citi Premier
- Transfer Capital One miles from cards like the Venture X
- Transfer Bilt Rewards points from the Bilt Mastercard
- Transfer Marriott Bonvoy points with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points
Flying & Travel Partners
- Fly on Turkish Airlines and earn based on fare class and elite status
- Credit flights on Star Alliance partners to Miles&Smiles
- Book hotels through Miles&Smiles hotel partners
For most U.S.-based travelers, credit card transfers represent the fastest and most efficient way to accumulate a substantial balance of points, especially when taking advantage of welcome bonuses and transfer promotions.
Key Program Features
Generous Stopover Policy
For international round-trip awards, enjoy up to 2 stopovers (1 in each direction) and 1 open jaw, allowing you to visit multiple destinations on a single award ticket.
Competitive Redemption Rates
Miles&Smiles offers some of the best Star Alliance business class redemption rates, particularly for flights from the US to Europe.
Miles+Cash Option
When you're short on miles, pay part of your award ticket with miles and part with cash at reasonable rates.
Family Miles Pooling
Up to 9 family members can combine their miles for award redemptions, making it easier to book premium cabin tickets.
Important Note: Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles miles expire after 36 months regardless of account activity, so be sure to use your miles before they expire.
Sweet Spot Redemptions
Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles offers several exceptional sweet spot redemptions that provide outsized value for your points, particularly for premium cabin travel.
| Route | Economy | Business | First | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US to Europe | 30,000 miles (one-way) | 45,000 miles (one-way) | Not applicable | Significantly lower than most Star Alliance programs for business class to Europe |
| US to Turkey | 30,000 miles (one-way) | 45,000 miles (one-way) | Not applicable | Excellent value for direct flights from US gateways to Istanbul |
Spotlight: The US to Europe Sweet Spot
One of Miles&Smiles' most valuable features is the incredibly low rate of just 45,000 miles for business class one-way from the US to Europe. This is significantly lower than most Star Alliance programs, which typically charge 60,000-80,000 miles for the same routes.
Example
- New York (JFK) to Istanbul (IST) on Turkish Airlines Business Class
- Stay in Istanbul for several days (stopover)
- Istanbul (IST) to Paris (CDG) on Turkish Airlines Business Class
- Total cost: 45,000 miles + taxes/fees (approximately $300-400)
Best Credit Cards for Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
These credit cards offer the best opportunities to earn points that can be transferred to Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles.
Citi Premier® Card
Citibank
$95
60,000 ThankYou Points
3X on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel, and hotels; 1X on everything else
- Points transfer 1:1 to Miles&Smiles
- $100 annual hotel savings benefit
- No foreign transaction fees
- Travel and purchase protections
Advanced Tips & Tricks
Pro Insider Tips
- Turkish Airlines typically releases more business class award space to Miles&Smiles members than to partners
- Search 2-4 months in advance for the best Turkish Airlines award availability
- Book round-trip awards to take advantage of the stopover policy
- Consider searching segment by segment for complex itineraries
- Watch for status match promotions, typically announced 1-2 times per year
Start Your Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Journey
With some of the most competitive redemption rates in the industry, particularly for round-trip premium cabin awards, ANA Mileage Club offers exceptional value for travelers planning trips to Japan, across Asia, and even around the world.Whether you're planning a simple trip or a complex multi-destination journey, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles offers exceptional redemption opportunities.