Turkish Airlines Eyes Premium Economy in 2028 as A350s Lift the Plan

Turkish Airlines is preparing to launch premium economy in early 2028, starting with newly delivered Airbus A350 aircraft, according to Skift.

The decision is a major shift for the carrier, which previously argued that it did not need a cabin between economy and business class.

Premium economy is made for passengers who want more comfort on long flights but do not want to pay for business class. It usually offers wider seats, more legroom, better recline, and improved onboard service. For Turkish Airlines, the new cabin could help attract both leisure travelers and business passengers whose companies limit business-class bookings.

New A350s will come first

The airline has not yet shared the final seat design, cabin layout, or service details. However, the plan is already moving from discussion to development. The first premium economy seats are expected to arrive on new Airbus A350s, while Boeing 787s may follow later.

This rollout fits Turkish Airlines’ long-haul strategy. The A350 and 787 are used on major international routes, where travelers spend more time onboard and are more likely to pay extra for comfort. Adding premium economy gives the airline another product to sell between its lowest fares and business class.

Retrofitting older aircraft will take more time

Turkish Airlines also wants to add premium economy to existing widebody aircraft. That part will be more complex. A retrofit means the airline must redesign cabin layouts, install new seats, update service procedures, and take aircraft out of operation during the work.

The airline may have an advantage because it owns Turkish Technic, its maintenance, repair, and overhaul business. This gives Turkish Airlines more control over cabin modification work. Still, upgrading a large widebody fleet will be a major project and will likely happen gradually.

Premium economy has become harder to ignore

The move follows a wider airline trend. Premium economy has become attractive because it can bring in higher revenue than standard economy without the same cost as business class.

Other major airlines have already expanded this cabin. KLM completed its Premium Comfort rollout across all Boeing 777 and 787 aircraft in 2024. Emirates is also growing its premium economy network and expects the cabin to be available on more than 84 routes by July 2026.

This shift is not limited to Turkish Airlines. Other major carriers are also redesigning long-haul cabins around higher-value passengers. United upgraded Boeing 787-9. The airline’s new layout includes 99 premium seats across business and premium economy, showing how airlines are giving more space to cabins that can generate higher fares.

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