Friends,

Today has been pretty fun (if your name is Tommy Obenchain or you like airplanes) as I had the opportunity to fly domestically between Istanbul and Izmir.

I am writing this to you now from Ephesus, too, which is extraordinary. More on that another time.

As a starting point, domestic flying varies widely from country to country. In New Zealand, for instance, flying feels akin to riding a train — no ID checks, no security on airplanes with less than 90 seats, and overall just a markedly relaxed experience. 

But much of my perspective on domestic flying is shaped by the experience in the USA — which trends towards unnecessarily hectic. Whether gate agents falsely claiming an they are running out of overhead bin space, TSA agents unnecessarily yelling at lines of tired humans, or flight attendants wholesale skipping onboard service — domestic travel in America often leaves a bit to be desired. 

Turkey is different, at least, and there were many parts that stood out:

1. Thanks to low fare carriers like Pegasus, economy tickets are very, very reasonable.

2. The airport experience at large feels pretty low key and relaxed.

3. I traveled on full airplanes on two sectors today, and boarding was relatively orderly PLUS both flights arrived early. 

4. I was able to confirm change onto a flight three hours earlier than my booked return flight at the airport for no charge. There was not a standby list or ‘go to the gate’ element — just a ‘no problem, here is your new boarding pass’.

All in all, a great travel day.

Turkish Airlines also has a short haul business class product that, on balance, I liked even more than their long haul product. And I liked the long haul product. What made it special was how thoughtful it was for the very short flight duration.

Here are a few pics from the outbound and return, because pictures are fun.

Outbound on Pegasus Airlines👇🏼 (economy class on a very low cash fare).

Return Segment on Turkish Airlines👇🏼 (business class using points).

My key takeaways are three fold:

1. Turkish Airlines wins for overall comfort and value today — though to be fair it was a bargain at 10k points for the one way back to IST.

2. When it comes to short haul flying, low-friction options (airports, carriers, and fare products) are the best.

3. A short flight in a premium cabin can still be a great flight, and good airlines pull this off (like Turkish did on my return segment today).

Also the sky is just wonderful.

Fly well.

Links

Super quiet day in the world of travel & points so as of now no links to share. Check back tomorrow, and thanks again for joining me here.