Turkish Airlines
İstanbul (IST) to Boston (BOS)
Business Class
tel 800 874 8875

Turkish Airlines began servicing Boston (BOS) in June 2014, offering one daily direct to and from İstanbul (IST). After three weeks of travel that included other Turkish Airlines business-class flights connecting with Mumbai (BOM) and Bucharest (OTP), I checked in at İstanbul’s Turkish Airlines business counter for my flight to Boston. I was issued a pass to Turkish Airlines’ flagship CIP lounge.

A dedicated security line provides easy access to the lounge, which sprawls roughly 63,500 square feet over two floors. I easily could have spent days there. There are abundant seating areas, a library, a cinema, shower rooms, sleeping rooms, roving massage therapists, a playroom, a billiards table, a slot-car course, a golf simulator, a video games area, a prayer room, a wall of TVs set to different stations with wireless headsets provided and free WiFi. There’s also abundant and delicious food, with multiple buffet stations, large and small, offering freshly made fare from soups and salads to baklava and Austrian pastries, with plentiful hot and cold dishes — don’t miss the manti, a Turkish pasta, or the flatbreads, as well as tea and coffee bars and both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. There are luggage lockers, but all were in use when I arrived.

I was traveling on a badly sprained ankle, so I took advantage of the segue-style wheelchair transfer to the gate, where I was seated while boarding took place. After the line abated, I was transferred to the plane via a food-service truck, which allowed those with mobility issues to avoid climbing the stairs to the plane. Once aboard, I was welcomed with a drink (I opted for an addictive house-made lemonade with mint); presented with beverage, dining and wine menus; and given a Porsche Design amenity kit, a hard case containing an eye mask, ear plugs, comb-brush combo, socks, shoehorn, toothbrush, toothpaste and Acca Kappa lotion and lip balm.

The kit also contained stickers to affix to the seat top alerting attendants to wake me up for a meal or let me sleep undisturbed. Although I reclined to near-flat status for a nap, I opted to be awakened for meal service, a delightful chef-prepared meal served by LED candle. Menu choices included canapés, breads, soup, three main courses, cheese, fruit and a nice array of desserts. I wish all airlines could prepare food this enticing and flavorful. With the time difference hitting me, I skipped flipping on my screen, affixed the “do not disturb” sticker and snoozed in peace until roused for the landing.

Worthy of note for international travelers with a six- to 24-hour İstanbul layover are Turkish Airlines’ free, professionally guided city tours, including shuttles, entry fees and food. No advance reservations are required, but participants do need a Turkish visa, available online for $20.