By Joseph Hellman-Benjamin, Founder and CEO of The Points King. Last updated: October 10, 2026. Editorial Policy
You can use SIA miles on Turkish Airlines flights. Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles book Turkish through a Star Alliance award on singaporeair.com. It is rarely the cheapest way to fly Turkish, though. Between the US and Istanbul, KrisFlyer charges 114,500 miles one way in business class, where Turkish’s own Miles&Smiles program charges 65,000. KrisFlyer miles make more sense on Turkish between Istanbul and Southeast Asia, or when you hold miles that are about to expire.
I have worked with miles for 15 years and have run The Points King since 2017. What I look for first in any redemption is the price in a competing program for the same seat, because that is where most of the value is won or lost. This page gives you both: how to book Turkish with KrisFlyer miles, and what the same flight costs elsewhere.
What KrisFlyer Charges for Turkish Airlines Flights
| Route | Economy | Business | First |
|---|---|---|---|
| US or Canada to Istanbul | 60,000 | 114,500 | 137,000 |
| Istanbul to Singapore and nearby Southeast Asia | 43,000 | 90,500 | 115,500 |
| Europe to Istanbul | Not confirmed | 37,000 | Not confirmed |
Prices are one way, from Singapore Airlines’ Star Alliance award chart for tickets issued on or after November 1, 2025, as quoted by Upgraded Points (October 6, 2026), MileLion and Mainly Miles. Three details matter:
- Turkey is not in the Europe zone. KrisFlyer puts it in “Middle East, North Africa.” That is why a flight from the US to Istanbul costs far more than one to Frankfurt, which is 89,500 miles in business class.
- The chart is published as round trip. One-way awards are allowed and cost half.
- No premium economy. KrisFlyer does not offer premium economy awards on Star Alliance partners.
What Changed in 2025 and 2026
- November 1, 2025: Singapore Airlines raised its Star Alliance award prices by about 5% to 12%.
- December 2025: Turkish raised some Miles&Smiles partner award prices without notice. Its prices between North America and Turkey did not change.
- August 2026: Singapore Airlines added a rule that a newly added redemption nominee cannot be booked on a flight leaving within 72 hours, Mainly Miles reported.
- Still true: KrisFlyer miles expire 36 months after they are earned, and using the account does not reset the clock.
How to Book Turkish Airlines With KrisFlyer Miles
- Sign in to your KrisFlyer account at singaporeair.com and choose to book with miles.
- Enter your route and date. On the results page, select the Star Alliance option to see partner flights, as MileLion describes the process.
- Pick a flight with award seats. Waitlists are not offered on Star Alliance awards, so what you see is what you can book.
- Check the cash amount before you confirm. KrisFlyer passes on the surcharges that partner airlines levy.
- If the site will not let you select your origin or destination, Singapore Airlines says to submit its reservation request form or contact KrisFlyer Membership Services.
Singapore Airlines says on its Star Alliance awards page that online booking is being rolled out to all Star Alliance partners progressively. Bookings made by phone or at an office carry a service fee of $25 or 2,500 miles, waived when the booking cannot be made online.
Fees, Surcharges and Rules
| Item | What applies |
|---|---|
| Carrier surcharges | Passed on. Published examples put Turkish’s surcharges at about $200 to $250 each way between the US and Istanbul on its own awards. We could not confirm the current amount on a KrisFlyer-issued ticket |
| Change fee | $50 on partner awards |
| Cancellation and redeposit | $75 |
| No-show | $100 in economy, $300 in business or first, on top of other fees |
| Who you can book for | Yourself and up to five redemption nominees. A nominee cannot be removed for six months |
| Children | Ages 2 to 11 cost the same miles as adults |
| Waitlist | Not available on Star Alliance awards |
| Miles expiry | 36 months after earning. Base members can extend by 6 months for $12 or 1,200 miles per 10,000 miles |
Fees are from Singapore Airlines’ service fees page. Expiry rules are from AwardWallet, updated April 20, 2026.
The Same Turkish Flight in Other Programs
This is the comparison I would run before moving a single point. All prices are one way in business class between the US and Istanbul, from Upgraded Points (June 3, 2026).
| Program | Miles | Carrier surcharges |
|---|---|---|
| ANA Mileage Club | 50,000 | Yes |
| Turkish Miles&Smiles | 65,000 | Yes, about $200 to $250 |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 75,000 from the East Coast and Midwest, 90,000 from the West Coast | No |
| Avianca LifeMiles | 75,000 to 92,400 | No |
| United MileagePlus | Usually 88,000 or more | No |
| Singapore KrisFlyer | 114,500 | Yes |
KrisFlyer is the most expensive of the six on this route. Upgraded Points also notes that Miles&Smiles has the widest award availability on Turkish flights of any program. For the two programs head to head, see Miles&Smiles vs KrisFlyer.
When Using SIA Miles on Turkish Makes Sense
- Your KrisFlyer miles are about to expire. The 36-month expiry is fixed. A Turkish flight you will take beats miles that lapse.
- You are flying between Istanbul and Southeast Asia. 43,000 miles in economy or 90,500 in business, one way.
- You already hold the miles and cannot move them. Miles in a KrisFlyer account cannot be sent back to a bank.
- It does not make sense if you still hold bank points and the trip is US to Istanbul. Send them to a cheaper program for that route.
How to Get KrisFlyer Miles in the US
American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards and Capital One all transfer to KrisFlyer at 1:1, and Citi ThankYou does on its premium cards, per Upgraded Points. AwardWallet’s tracker puts the average transfer at about 11 hours from Amex and about a day from Chase, so these are not instant. Bilt does not transfer to KrisFlyer. Turkish Miles&Smiles takes points from Citi, Capital One and Bilt, but not from Chase or Amex. See Amex transfer partners and Chase transfer partners for the full lists.
If You Have Miles You Will Not Use
Brokers, including The Points King, buy airline miles for cash. KrisFlyer’s terms prohibit selling miles and allow Singapore Airlines to cancel them. Selling Miles&Smiles miles is against that program’s terms too, which say Turkish Airlines can terminate a membership and declare its miles invalid. Read the risks of selling miles and points first, then see what Miles&Smiles miles sell for or our page on selling airline miles for cash.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Singapore Airlines miles on Turkish Airlines?
Yes. KrisFlyer miles can be redeemed for Turkish Airlines flights as a Star Alliance award, booked on singaporeair.com.
How many KrisFlyer miles does a Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul cost?
From the US or Canada, 60,000 miles one way in economy and 114,500 in business class, plus taxes and carrier surcharges, on the chart in force since November 1, 2025.
Can I book a one-way Turkish Airlines award with KrisFlyer miles?
Yes. The Star Alliance chart is published as round trip, and a one-way award costs half.
Does KrisFlyer add fuel surcharges on Turkish Airlines?
Yes. KrisFlyer passes on the carrier surcharges that partner airlines levy.
Is it cheaper to use Turkish miles or Singapore miles on Turkish Airlines?
Turkish miles, on most routes. US to Istanbul in business class is 65,000 Miles&Smiles miles one way against 114,500 KrisFlyer miles.
Can I cancel a Turkish Airlines award booked with KrisFlyer miles?
Yes, for a $75 redeposit fee. A no-show costs $100 in economy or $300 in business or first on top.
Do KrisFlyer miles expire?
Yes, 36 months after they are earned. Activity in the account does not extend them.
Sources
- Singapore Airlines: award tickets on Star Alliance airlines, read October 10, 2026
- Singapore Airlines: KrisFlyer service fees, read October 10, 2026
- Upgraded Points: how to redeem KrisFlyer miles, October 6, 2026
- AwardWallet: KrisFlyer award chart changes, updated April 8, 2026
- MileLion: KrisFlyer Star Alliance chart changes, August 31, 2025
- Mainly Miles: KrisFlyer Star Alliance award chart, August 27, 2025
- Mainly Miles: KrisFlyer redemption nominees, October 4, 2026
- Upgraded Points: best ways to book Turkish Airlines business class, June 3, 2026
- AwardFares: Miles&Smiles guide, July 14, 2026
- AwardWallet: surcharges on award flights, July 20, 2026
- AwardWallet: KrisFlyer miles expiry, updated April 20, 2026
- AwardWallet: mile transfer times, October 9, 2026
Update Log
- October 10, 2026: rewritten against the KrisFlyer Star Alliance chart in force since November 1, 2025. Prices, fees and booking steps updated, a comparison with five other programs added, and an older video removed.