Lufthansa vs Turkish Airlines: A Comprehensive Airline Comparison

Airlines

It may be difficult to decide if you should choose economy class or premium economy class for long-haul flights, or how to decide which airline to choose.

In this blog post, we will explain the differences between Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines, and cover everything from flight experience to safety to prices.

An Overview of Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines

Lufthansa was founded in Germany in 1953 and it’s one of Europe’s leaders in terms of aviation. With Lufthansa, you can reach over 200 destinations around the world. Also, it offers extensive connections across Europe, Asia, and North America.

All that aside, Lufthansa is also a founding member of Star Alliance which allows you to benefit from partner airlines and brands by easily connecting flights, getting free miles, and more.

Turkish Airlines was founded in 1933 and, as the name suggests, it’s based in Turkey. Turkish Airlines is one of the world’s most popular airlines since it has over 300 destinations and focuses primarily on Europe, Asia, and Africa. Also, the Turkish Airlines lounge in Istanbul has over 5,000 books in several languages, making it one of the largest airport libraries out there.

It has earned multiple rewards for warm hospitality and excellent meal choices. Turkish Airlines is also a member of Star Alliance and is a great choice for connecting flights to Africa and Asia.

Lufthansa vs Turkish Airlines: A Detailed Comparison

If you found a couple long-haul flights to your desired destination and stumbled upon these two airlines, you might be wondering which one to choose. Here are some criteria to help you make a confident decision.

In-Flight Experience

Both airlines want happy flyers, but they do things their own way. Here are several ways how they differ:

• Seats. Lufthansa has nice seats in all classes and the fancy seats in the front let you stretch out. However, for more legroom, you would have to upgrade from economy class to premium economy class or business class. Turkish Airlines, on the other hand, gives you more leg space in economy class than Lufthansa does. And the special seats up front are super comfortable for long trips.
• In-flight entertainment. Both Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa have screens on the back of their seats, economy class included. You can watch movies, shows, listen to music, and play games. In this comparison, Turkish Airlines seems to get more praise from flyers since it provides more shows and a larger variety of language selection.
• Food. Turkish Airlines have far better food, as complimented by many people in both economy class and business class. They cook fresh Turkish dishes and food from around the world. And if you’re flying business class, the food will be cooked by a real chef on board. Lufthansa’s food is good, too, but according to people it’s no match for Turkish Airlines. 

In general, both airlines are amazing and it’s up to your preferences to choose what you want more – great food and excellent service at economy class prices or fully-reclining and more comfortable seats at business class prices.

At the end of the day, Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa offer high-quality services for passengers in both economy class and business class.

Flight Network and Connectivity

Both airlines can take you to lots of places, but each one is better at different trips. Here’s the main things you need to know:

• Lufthansa’s best routes. This German airline flies mostly from two big airports – Frankfurt and Munich. Lufthansa is a great option if you want to fly around Europe and North America. You will find a larger selection for European flights, but they do have lots of flights to America, too.
• Turkish Airlines best routes. Flying from Istanbul, Turkish Airlines can take you literally anywhere (almost). With over 300 destinations, they’re super good at getting people to Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

In short, if you’re going to explore Europe or North America, go for Lufthansa. If you’re going somewhere more exotic down south or far east, Turkish Airlines offers better options.

Which Airline Offers Better Value?

Both airlines want to give you a good deal for your trip. Ultimately, what’s best for you depends on where you’re going and what you like during your flight. Here’s a brief breakdown:

• Prices. Generally speaking, Turkish Airlines usually offer better prices because of longer trips. Lufthansa costs more, but may have better deals for traveling in Europe or to North America.
• Loyalty programs. Both airlines are part of the Star Alliance, so you can earn award points in many ways. Lufthansa has a Miles & More loyalty program where you get free miles for flying and buying stuff on partner websites. Turkish Airlines has Miles&Smiles, which some people like better because it’s easier to redeem points for Turkish Airlines flights.

Overall, if your goal is to visit lots of far-away places, Turkish Airlines might save you more money. But if you’re flying around Europe or to North America, Lufthansa may be worth the extra cost.

How Safe Are Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa?

Both airlines work hard to ensure safety for their travelers. Let’s look at how they compare.

• Is Lufthansa safe? The German airlines giant has a great safety record. They’re known for being on time and handling problems well. When experts check how safe airlines are, Lufthansa always gets high marks.
• Is Turkish Airlines safe? Turkish Airlines is also very safe. Sometimes bad weather in Istanbul makes flights late but they follow all the rules that keep planes safe, just like other top airlines do.

Also, if your Lufthansa flight is very late or gets canceled, they’ll give you money back. If that’s something you’d like to learn more about, make sure to read about Lufthansa flight delay compensation.

Conclusion

Both airlines are good options for long-haul flights, but each shines in their own way. Let me break it down one last time:

Lufthansa is great if you want to fly around Europe, and Turkish Airlines is amazing if you want to go further to Africa or Asia. Or if you’re keen on visiting the Turkish Airlines lounge for a nice reading session between flights.

Turkish Airlines usually cost less, Lufthansa may have good deals for trips in Europe and America. Turkish Airlines have superior food, while Lufthansa offers better services to business class passengers.

If you have any questions or need help during the flights, make sure to let the flight attendants know what you need and they will help you out, no matter if you’re flying with Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, or British Airways.