• Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
Live and Let's Fly
  • Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
Home » Turkish Airlines » First Impressions: Turkish Airlines A321neo Business Class
Turkish Airlines

First Impressions: Turkish Airlines A321neo Business Class

Matthew Klint Posted onFebruary 10, 2020November 14, 2023 10 Comments

It was so enjoyable to fly on Turkish Airlines again, reminding me of what intra-Europe service could be like on other carriers.

I must admit, the A321neo was not planned. Rather, it was a fortunate last-minute aircraft swap from an older A321. I say fortunate not because it would have been a difference in terms of the soft product, but because the A321neo is equipped with wi-fi onboard and the flight from Frankfurt to Istanbul took place in the middle of my work day.

Sadly, the internet did not work onboard. Everything else about the flight, however, was lovely.

The business class cabin includes four rows of “real” business class in a 2-2 configuration. I say “real” because the Continental European airlines like Air France, British Airways, and Lufthansa (which competes directly with Turkish on this route) do not offer such seats, only economy class seats with a blocked middle.

a row of seats in an airplane

a person standing in the back of an airplane

a seats in an airplane

a row of seats in an airplane

a seat in an airplane

The seats look unique, principally because of the privacy divider between seats. It is actually quite handy, as you can lean against it if you want to sleep. The seat also includes generous recline and a footrest, plus a power outlet with separate USB charger.

A lovely lunch was served after takeoff, that included Turkish mezze to start followed by a choice between “Karniyarik” (traditional stuffed eggplant with minced beef) or sea bass, or pasta. I’m trying to avoid red meat this year in favor of fish options, but I chose the traditional Turkish dish and was not disappointed.

a plate of food on a table

a plate of food on a table

Service was not only well-intentioned, but well-executed. Lunch began immediately after takeoff and flight attendants were very proactive in ensuring drinks were refilled. Passengers were addressed by name when initial drink orders were taken.

I had a very interesting seatmate, which I will dedicate a separate post to. When not chatting with him, I enjoyed the expansive IFE library, that included hundreds of movies.

a screen shot of a device

CONCLUSION

It’s not a revolutionary seat, but the new A321neo business class seat is very comfortable and the entire business class product is just a step above the competition.

Arriving in Istanbul I faced a hotel dilemma ahead of my flight to Atlanta on the 787-9.

Get Daily Updates

Join our mailing list for a daily summary of posts! We never sell your info.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Previous Article United Airlines Tries To Make Kosher Food Tasty
Next Article The Best Kanafeh In Israel

About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

Related Posts

  • Turkish Airlines New York JFK Lounge Review

    Review: Turkish Airlines Lounge New York (JFK)

    April 9, 2025
  • a plate of food on a table

    Delicious Beef Puff Pastry (Kıymalı Kol Böreği) On Turkish Airlines

    February 6, 2025
  • Turkish Airlines Seat Recline

    Deplorable: Man Shakes Seat Violently To Prevent Recline On Turkish Airlines

    October 2, 2024

10 Comments

  1. Adil Reply
    February 10, 2020 at 1:08 pm

    “I had a very interesting seatmate, which I will dedicate a separate post to.”

    Wonder what this tale will bring 🙂 Can’t wait!

  2. Aaron Reply
    February 10, 2020 at 3:38 pm

    Turkish is nice and all, but it isn’t convenient for connecting to Europe if you’re flying in from North America. It works much better as a Middle Eastern hub along the lines of Dubai, Doha, etc.

  3. UA-NYC Reply
    February 10, 2020 at 6:49 pm

    Same as the new UA Premium Plus seats

    Except UA is too cheap to put in full leg rests in every row

  4. Avi Tod Reply
    February 10, 2020 at 10:47 pm

    And Lufthansa is 5 but Turkish Airlines is 3 star airline defending on Skytrax. Even economy class catering of Turkish Airlines is much better than any intra European and short haul products of any airline. WTF Sillytrax.

  5. Tennen Reply
    February 10, 2020 at 11:43 pm

    The seat looks a bit firm, but it otherwise checks all the boxes for me – IFE, power, head support, privacy, storage, and… LEG RESTS!!! Far too many airlines don’t have leg rests on their long-haul PY seats (they might have those useless drop-down footrests), and almost nobody has them on short-haul C/F.

    Where are the tables stored? The inner armrest seems to have storage space, while the outer armrest looks like it’s retractable. Neither seems to be able to house a tray table…

  6. FF Reply
    February 11, 2020 at 7:00 am

    Internet was horrible on IST to JFK flight. Besides the fact that they block many services, ability to message via WhatsApp was often non existent for hours. Guessing it’s related to cost cutting.

  7. robert Reply
    February 11, 2020 at 10:39 am

    The in airport / airside Yotel @ the new IST is nice and not too expensive. If you leave the airport the hotels are cheaper but you need to buy an entry visa + it’s a hassle.

  8. Jayce Loh Reply
    February 11, 2020 at 6:08 pm

    Hey Matthew, is this known as the N21? EF just sent me an aircraft change notification and I can’t tell if it’s the Neo

    • Matthew Reply
      February 11, 2020 at 10:15 pm

      Yes! Enjoy. But TK is very well-known for last-minute swaps, so don’t be surprised if you wind up with something else.

  9. Hugh Campbell Reply
    November 5, 2021 at 12:27 am

    Hi Matthew,

    Thank you for sharing this! I will be flying some shorter hops in-and-out of IST on an upcoming middle east and Europe vacation so I’m trying to check out as many Turkish Airlines reviews as possible.

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Search

Hot Deals for May

Note: Please see my Advertiser Disclosure

Capital One Venture X Business Card
Earn 150,000 Miles Sign Up Bonus
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Earn 100,000 Points
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Earn 75,000 Miles!
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Earn 75,000 Miles
Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Earn $750 Cash Back
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Earn 120,000 Membership Reward® Points

Recent Posts

  • VE Day
    The World They Died To Build: VE Day 80 Years Later May 8, 2025
  • a plate of food on a table
    American Airlines First Class Sliders Were Too Popular For Their Own Good May 8, 2025
  • American Airlines 787-9 Flagship Routes
    American Airlines Rolls Out Flagship Business Suites On 787-9: Here’s Where To Find Them May 7, 2025
  • Scott Kirby Newark Airport Slot Controls
    United Airlines CEO Says Newark Airport Is Safe—But There’s Just One Problem May 7, 2025

Categories

Popular Posts

  • a room with a table and benches
    Where To Smoke At Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport (CDG) April 26, 2025
  • United Airlines Polaris Lounge Chicago Review
    Review: United Polaris Lounge Chicago (ORD) May 1, 2025
  • United Airlines Refresh Polaris Lounge Chicago
    First Look: United Airlines Reopens Renovated Polaris Lounge In Chicago (ORD) April 29, 2025
  • a hand holding a blue card
    Chase Sapphire Preferred 100K Bonus Offer Ending Soon May 2, 2025

Archives

May 2025
M T W T F S S
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031  
« Apr    

As seen on:

facebook twitter instagram rss
Privacy Policy © Live and Let's Fly All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Live and Let's Fly with appropriate and specific directions to the original content.