I waited for this flight ticket almost until the very last minute.

I wanted to put together my trip to Mexico using two separate one-way award tickets. Out there with Air France in business class, and back with Turkish Airlines using miles from Aegean.

But I really didn’t fancy buying a single ticket and then not knowing for several weeks how we’d get home.

In the end, two seats became available just under three weeks before departure. And the wait was worth it.

55,000 miles for a business class flight from Cancún to Prague

Turkish Airlines often release bonus seats gradually. In my experience, when booking via Aegean’s Miles+Bonus programme, it’s therefore worth checking availability even relatively shortly before departure.

It’s a bit of a nerve-wracking process, though. Especially if you need two seats and your journey consists of several separate tickets.

In the end, our entire Cancún–Istanbul–Prague itinerary cost 55,000 miles plus 393 eur per person.

Fees totalling 393 eur aren’t exactly a bargain. Not great, not terrible.

However, for a one-way business class ticket from Mexico to Prague, booked just under three weeks before departure, it still seemed like a very decent deal to me.

Fortunately, I had a lot of Aegean miles. I earned the bulk of them on value-for-money flights with Air India in business class from Milan to Melbourne, on Lufthansa first class from Cairo to Japan, and also on several longer journeys in economy. Probably the most came from a flight with Ethiopian Airlines from Jakarta to Manchester via Addis Ababa.

I therefore didn’t even need to resort to transferring RevPoints.

And we even had enough left over for the return journey with Emirates in business class from Japan to Prague two months later.

But back to Cancún.

• Route: Cancún CUN – Istanbul IST
• Flight time: 12 hours 15 minutes
• Seat: 3E
• Aircraft: Boeing 787-9

An Uber from the resort and check-in in 2 minutes

We took an Uber from the Catalonia Resort to the airport and arrived about 3 hours before departure.

Check-in was brilliant. Turkish Airlines have a dedicated counter for business class, and we actually only spent about 2 minutes there.

Our ticket didn’t include fast-track access to security in Cancún, but it did include access to the partner lounge.

The lounge in Cancún? Don’t hang around there for too long

The lounge at Cancún Airport is one of those that would certainly not make me arrive at the airport early.

It’s located in a windowless basement, is rather cramped, and the food selection was poor. We didn’t find the atmosphere very appealing, so we only stayed there for a short while.

We then decided to head off to do some last-minute shopping around the airport.

First impression of the cabin: a bit of a ‘meh’

Boarding started on time and was well organised by groups. There was no chaos at the gate.

We flew on a Boeing 787-9, which is a Turkish Airlines aircraft featuring the newer business class. At first glance, however, the cabin struck me as a bit cold.

Black and very dark grey dominate the colour scheme. Some people might see elegance in that. To me, it seemed rather dull.

The seats are arranged in a 1–2–1 configuration, so every passenger has direct access to the aisle. We managed to snap up the last available pair of so-called ‘honeymoon seats’ in the middle.

If you’re flying as a couple, these are the best seats in the cabin. You sit close together and can chat normally.

The seat is modern, but quite narrow

Even after taking my seat, my first impression hadn’t changed much.

If I were flying business class for the first time, I’d probably be thrilled. But having flown with other airlines, the seat felt a bit cramped to me.

It reminded me of Hainan Airlines’ business class, although I think Turkish is slightly better. Lufthansa’s Allegris or Air France’s new business class, however, have a significantly better ‘hard product’.

The seat is relatively narrow and there isn’t much storage space around it. The window seats, at least when viewed from the aisle, seemed a bit more spacious to me.

The biggest drawback is privacy. There’s no door or substantial partition separating you from the aisle.

At least there’s a pull-out plastic partition between the two middle seats. We didn’t need it, of course. But if you’re sitting next to a stranger, you’ll practically be out of each other’s sight.

Otherwise, I don’t have much to complain about regarding the cabin. It was spotlessly clean, the seats looked modern and everything worked perfectly.

The screen is a nice size and, above all, very responsive. The headphones were good too.

The crew were a bit aloof, but the service was perfect

At first, the crew struck me as a bit aloof. Perhaps a bit too ‘posh’ and strictly by the book.

They weren’t unpleasant. Just don’t expect the relaxed and friendly manner you sometimes experience with other airlines.

The service itself, however, was excellent. This is where Turkish Airlines really shows why its business class has such a good reputation.

The in-flight chef is also a nice touch. Sure, it’s partly a show. But it fits in well with the overall service and comes across well.

A lovely amenity kit

As a collector of toiletries bags, Turkish Airlines really delighted me!

They give each of us a slightly different amenity kit – black for men and beige for women.

What’s more, the pouch is really lovely and practical. However, it basically just contains standard items such as an eye mask, socks, toothpaste and a toothbrush, and moisturising creams.

As well as the amenity kit, the classic combination of pillow, blanket and slippers (very comfortable) is waiting for us on the seat,

The food was the best part of the whole flight

Even before take-off, we were given a welcome drink and a wet wipe.

The crew then handed out the menu, which we kept with us throughout the flight and used to choose both our dinner and breakfast.

I was surprised by the quite extensive selection of wines and spirits, but there were no mixed cocktails at all.

After take-off, we were served some small canapés. Then came another drink with nuts, and only then did the actual meal service begin.

Everything was served in stages. There were no long delays, but at the same time we didn’t feel that the cabin crew were trying to clear away the service as quickly as possible.

The menu offered plenty of choices, and we both had no trouble choosing.

I also really liked the table setting with a small imitation candle. It’s actually a bit silly, but it’s precisely details like that which can make the atmosphere on board so much more pleasant.

After the soup came the main course. I chose the beef and it was absolutely brilliant.

The desserts were also very good. They tasted brilliant, but at the same time weren’t overly heavy. After the whole meal, I didn’t feel as though I’d be tossing and turning for hours instead of sleeping.

We were given our own bottle of water for the night. Throughout the flight, drinks and small snacks, such as crisps and nuts, were also freely available in the galley.

We didn’t make use of them. After the full meal service, there was no longer any need.

I didn’t sleep very well, but it wasn’t all down to the seat

Once the seat was folded down into a bed, it became clear once again that it’s quite narrow. I noticed this most of all in the legroom.

At the same time, though, I wasn’t tired at all. And of course, I can’t blame Turkish Airlines for that.

In the end, I didn’t get much sleep. Even so, I wasn’t bored for a single moment during the 12-hour flight.

For the first time in ages, I didn’t watch a single one of my own downloaded videos. The in-flight entertainment system was more than enough to keep me occupied for the whole flight.

The selection of films and TV series was good, the screen responded quickly and I had no issues with the controls. Which is actually quite high praise for an in-flight entertainment system.

A fantastic detox drink and a very good breakfast

Before breakfast, the cabin crew served a detox drink. And it was fantastic.

I then had some yoghurt with granola. A light, simple and very tasty breakfast before landing.

My girlfriend chose an omelette with potatoes, which was also fine. Only the coffee wasn’t up to scratch.

A small box of chocolates provided the perfect finishing touch to the flight. Another little thing that isn’t important at all, but it’s a nice touch.

Straight to the fast track upon arrival

After landing in Istanbul, we had about six hours to wait before our flight to Prague.

First, however, we had to go through security for transfer passengers. There’s a dedicated fast track for business class, and the whole process took less than 5 minutes.

I don’t like Istanbul Airport because of its sheer size. But this was well organised.

We spent the rest of our layover in the Turkish Airlines lounge and browsing the shops. But I’ll save my thoughts on the lounge and the connecting flight to Prague for my next review.

Would I fly with Turkish Airlines again?

For 55,000 miles plus a 393 eur, definitely yes.

I wasn’t particularly impressed with the seat itself. I found it narrow, it doesn’t have much storage space, and there’s no real privacy from the aisle.

If I were to choose based solely on the seat, I’d rank the new Air France Business Class and Lufthansa’s Allegris higher.

However, Turkish Airlines more than makes up for this shortcoming with what actually happens during the flight.

The food was above average. The service was of a very high standard. We didn’t have to wait long for anything, the cabin was clean, everything worked, and the in-flight entertainment kept me entertained for the whole flight without any problems.

So, overall? The seat was a bit ‘meh’. The rest of the flight was significantly better.