Turkish Airlines introduces a new credit card: A fresh avenue to earn Miles&Smiles

For loyal Turkish Airlines fans, a new cobranded credit card has just launched. This marks the airline's debut in the U.S. credit card market. The Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Premier Visa Signature card, with a $99 annual fee, is issued by First Electronic Bank and is exclusively available to U.S. residents.

Applications opened on July 10, and the first 5,000 customers approved will receive a limited-edition metal version of the card.

Previously, the only means to earn Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles via credit card was through transferring from a Citi ThankYou card like the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card (see rates and fees) or by using cards that accumulate Capital One Miles, such as the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.

Review the card's features to determine if it fits your needs.

The details for the Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Premier Visa Signature credit card have been gathered independently by Dinogo. The information presented here has not been evaluated or supplied by the card issuer.

Overview of the Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Premier card

New cardholders can earn 40,000 bonus miles by spending $3,000 within the first 90 days of account activation. This bonus is sufficient for a one-way economy ticket from any location in North America to Istanbul.

Cardholders will receive 3 miles for every dollar spent on Turkish Airlines purchases, 2 miles per dollar on dining, groceries, entertainment, and lodging, and 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases. As a travel credit card, it imposes no foreign transaction fees.

Being a Visa Signature card, the Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Premier offers perks like access to the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection, Visa Signature Rental Car Benefits, and additional advantages.

Is the Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Premier card a good value?

As a Turkish Airlines enthusiast, I’m pleased to see the airline launch a card for the U.S. market. While it provides bonus miles in various categories, it doesn't quite compete with other airline-branded cards or those that allow transfers to Turkish Airlines.

For instance, the Citi Strata Premier card offers 3 points per dollar across several categories, including dining, groceries, and hotels. In comparison, the Miles&Smiles Premier card provides only 2 miles per dollar. Thus, it may be more advantageous to use the Citi Strata Premier and transfer your points to Turkish Airlines.

With Turkish Airlines devaluing their award chart, several attractive options have vanished, such as the 45,000 points required for a one-way business class ticket from North America to Turkey, and 47,000 points for a one-way trip to the Middle East. Increased award costs and extra charges for multi-segment trips may influence the card's value.

Additionally, the card offers no extra perks or benefits for flying with Turkish Airlines, nor does it assist cardholders in earning elite status with the airline or within Star Alliance.

Conclusion

The Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Premier Visa Signature credit card is the latest entrant in the market. It's encouraging to see international airlines entering the credit card space for U.S. consumers, enhancing competition. While the card features a low annual fee and reasonable earning rates, it lacks several benefits. Additional perks like upgrades, a route to elite status, or statement credits could have distinguished this card, but currently, it remains just average.