Turkish Miles&Smiles
Estimated value: 1.8¢ per miles
Turkish Miles&Smiles has one of the most generous award charts of any airline program, making it a favorite for savvy travelers. As a Star Alliance member, Turkish provides access to all Star Alliance carriers at fixed, low prices. Key strengths: - One of the cheapest domestic US award charts (7,500 miles one-way on United/Star Alliance) - Fixed award chart with no dynamic pricing - Star Alliance membership for broad partner access - Transfer partner from Citi ThankYou, Capital One, and Bilt - Turkish Airlines business class is excellent with free Istanbul lounge access - Miles don't expire with account activity every 3 years
Best next action
Start with the award chart before transferring points.
Award pricing tells you whether this is the right program for your trip before you commit flexible points.
Other programs with award charts that can book Turkish Miles&Smiles flights
Credit card programs that can transfer points to Turkish Miles&Smiles
Which cards help most with Turkish Miles&Smiles elite progress, and how they fit into a status-focused strategy
Turkish Airlines Premier: Essential for Turkish flyers with Priority Pass and strong earning.
Co-Branded Credit Cards
Past transfer bonuses — useful for spotting seasonal patterns
Citi ThankYou Points
Aug 1, 2026 – Aug 31, 2026
Rove
Jun 1, 2026 – Jun 30, 2026
Citi ThankYou Points
May 21, 2024 – Jun 15, 2024
Citi ThankYou Points
Jan 27, 2019 – Feb 20, 2019
1.8¢
per miles (baseline)
Inbound transfers: - Citi ThankYou: 1:1 - Capital One: 1:1 - Bilt Rewards: 1:1 Strategy tips: - Three 1:1 transfer partners make this very accessible - Transfer only when you have confirmed availability - Turkish can be slow to process transfers (allow 24-48 hours) - The fixed award chart is the main draw — prices don't fluctuate with demand - Search Star Alliance availability on united.com, then book through Turkish
Best redemption values: Domestic US sweet spots (via United/Star Alliance): - 7,500 miles one-way economy (one of the cheapest domestic charts) - 12,500 miles one-way business class domestic - Book United flights through Turkish for these rates - Search united.com for saver availability, then call Turkish to book International sweet spots: - Business class US to Europe: 45,000 miles one-way - Business class US to Asia: 60,000-70,000 miles one-way - Economy US to Europe: 20,000 miles one-way - Within Europe: 7,500 miles one-way economy Turkish Airlines metal: - Business class to Istanbul: 45,000 miles one-way - Excellent catering and free Istanbul lounge access - Connect through Istanbul to hundreds of destinations Important notes: - Book Star Alliance partner awards by calling Turkish Airlines (not all available online) - Fuel surcharges on some routes (especially Turkish metal) - Round-trip bookings required for some award types Avoid: - Fuel surcharges on Lufthansa and other high-surcharge partners - One-way awards when round-trip is required - Booking online when phone agents can find more availability
Earning strategy: Credit cards: - No dedicated US co-brand card - Earn through Citi TYP, Capital One, or Bilt and transfer 1:1 Flights: - Turkish Airlines flights earn based on distance and fare class - Star Alliance partner flights credit to Miles&Smiles - Elite status (Classic Plus, Elite, Elite Plus) through status miles Key tips: - The program is primarily valuable as a transfer destination, not for direct earning - Credit Star Alliance flights to Turkish when earn rates are favorable - Turkish runs occasional bonus mile promotions on flights - Istanbul CIP lounge is available to business class passengers and elite members