Annie Zheng

<p>One rule I follow when flying internationally: When in doubt, fly with a flag carrier.</p>

<p>One look at <a id="cfeb9eba-f27c-3748-a4e6-089f9c23b1cb" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/20-best-airlines-world-2017-skytrax-2017-6?utm_source=intl&amp;utm_medium=ingest">  rankings of the best airlines </a> in the world confirms that wisdom. Up and down the list are flag carriers like Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Emirates Airlines, and Etihad Airways, among others.</p>

<p>In my experience, flag carriers tend to go above and beyond other airlines. They usually have state backing and an implicit mandate to serve as an advertisement for the country they hail from.</p>

<p>Qatar Airways, Emirates Airlines, and Turkish Airlines all offer stopover programs that include free hotels or tours if you have a long layover. If you've ever been curious about Doha, Dubai, or Istanbul, those programs are a great way to get a glimpse.</p>

<p>When I was booking a recent trip to Dubai, I spotted that some of the best airfares in terms of both price, departure time, and length were with Turkish Airlines, one of the largest airlines in the world and one of the highest ranked by consumer <a id="973dd491-0d13-37b2-aa51-090b9e55931c" href="https://www.worldairlineawards.com/Awards/airline_year_winners.html">  aviation website Skytrax </a> .</p>

<p>I'd never been to Istanbul before so I decided to pick one of the economy-class itineraries that had a 18-hour layover in the city, enough time to run to all of the main sites. It cost me around $800 round trip. Other flights to Dubai were around $1300.</p>

<p>Read on to see what I thought of my flight on Turkish Airlines, departing from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport to Istanbul's Atatürk Airport and then onward toDubai International Airport, operated on an Airbus A330-300 and a Boeing 777-300ER.</p>

<h1> Turkish Airlines is the flag carrier of Turkey, operating in over 300 destinations in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. It flies to more countries than any other airline. </h1>

<h1> But Id never thought to take it before. These days the big flag carriers that everyone flies are Emirates and Qatar Airways. But Turkish Airlines offers many of the same benefits — great service, fairly new planes, and one-stop itineraries to far destinations. </h1>

<h1> My flight to Dubai (via Istanbul) was due for a little after 1 p.m. Boarding went relatively quickly. </h1>

<h1> Itd be nice to have business class for the nearly 10-hour flight to Istanbul. Id say its the leg room that I dream about, but I can sleep just about anywhere. Really, its the meals. </h1>

<h1> Oh well, onward to "cattle class," as I like to call it. </h1>

<h1> My flight was on an Airbus 330-300, of which Turkish Airlines has 65 in its fleet. While I cant say for certain how new my plane was, most 330-300s in the carriers fleet are between 3 and 7 years old. </h1>

<p>Source: <a id="71b2fbae-a9a5-312c-af3b-9c438c0116fe" href="https://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/THY%20Turkish%20Airlines-active-a330.htm">  Air Fleets </a></p>

<h1> Judging by the spiffy tablet touch screens on the seat backs, I was thinking it was probably on the newer side. </h1>

<h1> The weather was miserable on the day I left New York. Pouring rain turned my ride to the airport into gridlock. But at least Turkish Airlines only had a short delay. </h1>

<h1> It took a while for everyone to get settled with their baggage in the overhead compartment. I suppose thats to be expected with a long-haul flight. </h1>

<h1> Leg room was solid, if unspectacular. Economy seats on the A330-300 have 17-18 inches of width. I can imagine if you are tall — I am only 57" — this could be a problem. The 31 to 33 inches of pitch is okay. </h1>

<h1> But I do love the foot rest. You see these far more often on trains than planes, but they are so underrated in making it comfortable to sleep. </h1>

<h1> Everyone was given a set of headphones and a blanket for the flight. I usually use my own in-ear headphones for better quality sound. </h1>

<h1> One of the best parts of the flight was the amenities package. Flag carriers dont skimp on the freebies. I have a lot of sleeping masks and slippers in my apartment at this point. </h1>

<h1> The safety video was done as an animation with The Lego Movie characters. The first showing was, of course, in Turkish. </h1>

<h1> Once it got to the English version, it was pretty funny. Ill admit Im a sucker for The Lego Movie. </h1>

<h1> But after the safety video came a commercial for Turkish Airlines. There were a couple more Turkish airline ads when clicking through the entertainment system which was weird because ... I had already bought my ticket for Turkish Airlines? </h1>

<h1> I really appreciated how quickly they came around with beverage service after we took off. Some airlines wait until the first meal service to bring drinks. Not so with Turkish Airlines. </h1>

<h1> My seat-mate convinced me to get a cup of Turkish Raki. He said he usually drinks one glass on a flight and then passes out. I couldnt get past one sip of the anise-flavored liquor. Not my cup of tea. They also offered homemade mint lemonade, which was delicious. </h1>

<h1> I couldnt capture a good photo from afar, but the flight attendants went around to pass out Turkish newspapers. </h1>

<h1> The menus are getting very elaborate these days. Gone are the days where a gruff flight attendant barks, "Chicken or Pasta" at you. Now its "beef or cannelloni." </h1>

<h1> I opted for the beef burger with sautéed vegetables and potato puree. The danger with getting a hunk of meat like this is that it will be dry and rubbery. Im happy to report it was juicy and tasty. </h1>

<h1> The assorted sides were more impressive. Tabbouleh, moutabel (a spicy eggplant dip), and smoked salmon to start. And then the light, frothy panna cotta to finish. </h1>

<h1> The movie and TV selection on the entertainment system was solid. A nice mix of new releases and classics. </h1>

<h1> But, truthfully, Im the kind of person that just passes out right after my meal. Unfortunately, the tray was poorly designed. When the person in front leaned back their chair, it crushed my cup, spilling liquid on my seat. </h1>

<h1> We touched down in Istanbul at 7:05 a.m. I was raring to go see Istanbul. The city is stuffed with more historical sites than Id be able to see before my flight 18 hours later. </h1>

<h1> I had heard that it was a bit confusing to find where the free city tour provided by Turkish Airlines left, so I did research beforehand. For future travelers, it leaves from Turkish Airlines "hotel desk"on the land side of the airport. After about 40 minutes of waiting, the tour guide arrived and brought us to the bus. </h1>

<h1> I had always wanted to see the Blue Mosque (known as the Sultan Ahmet Mosque to locals). Its a spectacular 17th century architectural achievement. Unfortunately, when I visited, half of it was under renovation. </h1>

<h1> Turkish Airlines provides a complimentary local tour guide. She spoke excellent English, but with a tour group of about 30 people, it was sometimes hard to hear her. Every time I got a chance to speak to her alone, she gave excellent local context. </h1>

<h1> After the Blue Mosque, we walked by the Hagia Sofia, one of the most famous religious structures in the world. I was bummed the tour didnt take us inside, but I guess that gives me a reason to come back. </h1>

<h1> As a cultural center for three different empires (Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman), Istanbul has a ton of historical sites. The Topkapi Palace, the main residence for the Ottoman sultans, is one of the highlights. </h1>

<h1> Built in the 15th century by Mehmed the Conqueror, six years after the Turks conquest of Constantinople, the ornate palace outshines many European castles and palaces. One of the main benefits of taking Turkishs tour is that theres no entrance fee or line to wait in. </h1>

I saved $500 on international airfare by flying a top-rated airline most people overlook, and it was one of the best economy trips I've had yet

Politics

Local

Filla

World

News

Football

Ghana Premier League

Black Stars

Sports

Celebrities

Music

Movies

Entertainment

Fashion

Beauty & Health

Relationships & Weddings

Food & Travel

Lifestyle

Domestic

International 

Business

Explore categories

Checkout our authors for the latest content across entertainment, sports, business and more. Be first to receive exclusive updates with your free subscription straight to your phone | Pulse Ghana

Authors | Pulse Ghana

| Pulse Ghana

Read the latest news across entertainment, sports, business and more. Be first to receive exclusive updates with your free subscription straight to your phone | Pulse Ghana

Breaking News & Top Stories | Pulse Ghana

Pulse Ghana is the most followed news and entertainment platform, informing and engaging young Ghanaians round the clock, providing updates by the hour.

Pulse Ghana

Search for the latest content across entertainment, sports, business and more. Be first to receive exclusive updates with your free subscription straight to your phone | Pulse Ghana

Search Results | Pulse Ghana

Watch the latest videos across entertainment, sports, business and more. Be first to receive exclusive updates with your free subscription straight to your phone | Pulse Ghana

Watch our latest videos | Pulse Ghana

Latest News Updates & Newspaper Headlines | Pulse Ghana

Latest Entertainment News Updates & Newspaper Headlines | Pulse Ghana

Latest Ghanaian Lifestyle News & Trends | Pulse Ghana

Latest Sports News Updates & Newspaper Headlines | Pulse Ghana

Latest Ghanaian Business News & Headlines | Pulse Ghana

Annie Zheng

Articles written by the author

I saved $500 on international airfare by flying a top-rated airline most people overlook, and it was one of the best economy trips I've had yet