Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
Part of Miles&Smiles hub
GUIDE
How to buy Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles is the frequent flyer programme of Turkish Airlines, and it lets members buy miles directly, with a minimum purchase of 1,000 miles and a maximum of 100,000 miles in each calendar year. [2] [3] Purchases made through the website, mobile app, call centre or sales offices need at least one mile-earning Turkish Airlines or Star Alliance member airline flight registered on the account in the previous year. [2]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- Members of Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles can buy miles, in amounts from 1,000 up to a maximum of 100,000 miles within each calendar year, on their own account or for another member's account. [2]
- Website, app, call centre and sales office purchases require at least one mile-awarding Turkish Airlines or Star Alliance member airline flight that was automatically registered at check-in or reservation in the previous year. [2]
- Purchased miles and the fees paid for them are non-refundable, and miles cannot be exchanged for cash equivalents. [2]
- Purchased miles sit in the bonus-mile category: they can be exchanged for awards but do not count toward Classic Plus, Elite or Elite Plus qualification, which rests on Status Miles earned by flying. [2] [3]
How do you buy Miles&Smiles miles?
Buying happens inside the member's own Miles&Smiles account, and miles bought online are credited immediately. [2] The terms name the website, the mobile application, the call centre and sales offices as the channels for miles sales. [2] The smallest purchase is 1,000 miles. [2]
Purchased miles are subject to the Miles&Smiles terms and conditions, the same body of rules that covers miles earned from flights, spending on Miles&Smiles co-branded credit cards and programme partners. [2] [3] Once in the account, miles can be put toward award tickets, cabin upgrades, Cash&Miles and Shop&Miles. [3] An award can only be issued if it exists and the account holds enough miles for it. [2]
Buying miles is separate from moving a balance between schemes: miles earned under Miles&Smiles cannot be transferred to, or combined with, another frequent flyer programme. [2]
What are the caps and who can buy?
The programme states that all Miles&Smiles members can benefit from buying miles, then sets a ceiling of 100,000 miles within each calendar year, whether the miles are bought on the member's own account or for other members' accounts. [2] The real gate is recent flight activity. [2]
| Rule | What applies |
|---|---|
| Maximum per calendar year | 100,000 miles, including miles bought for other members' accounts [2] |
| Minimum per purchase | 1,000 miles [2] |
| Flight activity required | At least one Turkish Airlines or mile-awarding Star Alliance member airline flight automatically registered at check-in or reservation within the last year [2] |
| Crediting | Miles bought online are credited immediately [2] |
| Refunds | Purchased miles and the fees for purchasing them are non-refundable [2] |
What do top-ups and transfers cost?
Two adjacent services carry a published fee in the programme terms: passing miles to another member, and extending miles that are about to expire. [2] Both are charged at US$20 for every 1,000 miles, and the terms include VAT in the transfer fee. [2]
| Service | Fee | Conditions in the terms |
|---|---|---|
| Transferring miles to another member | US$20 including VAT per 1,000 miles [2] | No upper or lower limit on the number transferred; transferred miles and fees are non-refundable; transferred miles are valid three years from the transfer date, may be transferred again, and do not affect the receiving member's status [2] |
| Extending miles about to expire | US$20 per 1,000 miles [2] | Adds another three years of validity; miles that have already expired cannot be made valid again [2] |
Timing matters more than the fee. Miles must be used for ticketing before the expiry date, and holding a reservation is not enough. [2] The programme overview states that miles are valid for three years. [3] The terms say that, unless stated otherwise, miles earned from flights, hotel stays and car rentals expire at the end of the third full calendar year after they are processed, at 23:59 Türkiye local time. [2]
Do purchased miles count toward elite status?
No. The purchase section of the terms is headed "Purchase of Bonus Miles", and bonus miles may only be exchanged for awards and do not count towards Classic Plus, Elite or Elite Plus qualification. [2] Tier qualification instead uses Status Miles, which are earned by flying with Turkish Airlines and other partner airlines, excluding chartered flights and flights taken free of charge. [2]
The programme overview adds that Status Miles come from flights operated by Turkish Airlines and Star Alliance member airlines, determine the member's tier, and cannot be redeemed or spent on awards. [3] Transferred miles follow the same logic for the recipient: the terms say they do not affect the receiving member's status. [2]
Spending bought miles brings its own rules. Journeys taken on award tickets do not earn miles, and an award ticket expires one year after it is issued, cannot be transferred and cannot be extended. [2]
Exceptions and limits
- The flight-activity test. Purchases made through the website, mobile app, call centre or sales offices require at least one flight automatically registered at check-in or reservation within the last year, and the terms count Turkish Airlines and mile-awarding Star Alliance member airline flights for that test. [2]
- Where the ceiling applies. The 100,000-mile maximum is stated per calendar year and covers miles bought for other members' accounts as well as the member's own. [2]
- No refunds. Purchased miles and the fees paid for them are non-refundable. [2]
- No cash value. Miles may only be redeemed as the programme rules state, and may not be exchanged for cash equivalents. [2]
- Awards for other people. A member may have awards issued to any other individual, provided this is not in return for payment in cash or in kind. [2]
- Membership ending. When a membership terminates, rights earned under it stay valid for six months so the miles can still be exchanged for an award, but if Turkish Airlines actively terminates a membership for justifiable reasons, the member loses the right to use the miles in the account. [2]
- Expired is expired. Once miles have expired, they cannot become valid again, and the paid extension applies only to miles that are about to expire. [2]
Frequently asked questions
Can any Miles&Smiles member buy miles?
The terms say all Miles&Smiles members can buy miles, but a purchase through the website, app, call centre or sales offices needs at least one mile-awarding Turkish Airlines or Star Alliance member airline flight registered on the account in the previous year. [2]
How many miles can I buy in a calendar year?
Up to 100,000 miles per calendar year, whether they go into the member's own account or another member's, with 1,000 miles as the minimum purchase. [2]
When do purchased miles arrive in my account?
Miles bought online are credited to the member's account immediately. [2]
Can I buy miles to reach elite status?
No. Purchased miles fall under bonus miles, which can be exchanged for awards but do not count towards Classic Plus, Elite or Elite Plus qualification; Status Miles earned by flying decide the tier. [2] [3]
Are purchased miles refundable if I change my mind?
No. The terms state that purchased miles and the fees for purchased miles are non-refundable. [2]
Sources
Sources checked on 18 October 2026. It covers Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles only; other programmes, including Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles, are not covered here.
- Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles terms and conditions, checked 18 October 2026
- Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles programme overview, checked 18 October 2026