Turkish Airlines is Turkey's flag carrier and flies worldwide through Istanbul. China Airlines is Taiwan's flag carrier and flies through Taipei Taoyuan. Travellers compare them mainly for Europe–Taiwan and Europe–Asia trips, where a connection through Istanbul competes with a Taipei routing.
Quick verdict
Both are full-service airlines with a meal included, but they suit different journeys. Turkish Airlines is the better fit for itineraries that need a very wide network, with Istanbul as the connecting point. China Airlines is the better fit if Taiwan is the destination, or if you want a Premium Economy cabin on long-haul routes, which Turkish Airlines does not offer. Check the baggage allowance for your specific fare on either.
Choose Turkish Airlines if…
- You need a very large network of roughly 340 to 350 destinations, with one connection in Istanbul.
- You want a Star Alliance airline and Miles&Smiles miles for Business class awards.
- You want Wi-Fi access as a Miles&Smiles member, with wider free Wi-Fi being rolled out through 2026.
Choose China Airlines if…
- You are flying to or via Taipei, which is its main hub, with Kaohsiung and Taipei Songshan as focus cities.
- You want a Premium Economy cabin on the A350-900 or 777-300ER.
- You collect SkyTeam miles and want Dynasty Lounge access as a Business or Dynasty Flyer elite passenger.
At a glance
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Key differences
Network and hubs
Turkish Airlines connects most intercontinental journeys through Istanbul Airport, with Ankara and Izmir as secondary hubs, and serves around 340 to 350 destinations. China Airlines is centred on Taipei Taoyuan and serves about 100 destinations across Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania. For Taiwan-bound trips it has the stronger local network. For almost anywhere else, Turkish Airlines has the broader choice.
Cabins and seats
Turkish Airlines offers Economy and Business, with lie-flat seats in Business on long-haul aircraft. China Airlines adds Premium Economy on its A350-900 and 777-300ER, and on 787-9 layouts once those aircraft arrive, while its A321neo and 737-800 have Business and Economy only. Seat dimensions differ by aircraft on both airlines, so check your flight's seat map.
Food and entertainment
Both airlines include meals. Turkish Airlines serves a complimentary meal in Economy and Business, and Business has Flying Chef dining. It also has seatback entertainment. China Airlines serves meals on board and lets you order special meals in advance. For the entertainment and Wi-Fi on your flight, check the aircraft type on the airline's website.
Baggage
Turkish Airlines allows one 8 kg cabin bag (55x40x23 cm) plus a 4 kg personal item in Economy, and two 8 kg bags plus a personal item in Business. Checked allowance depends on route and fare. China Airlines allowances also vary by fare and route, and Dynasty Flyer elite members get a higher checked allowance. Check the exact allowance at booking on both airlines, especially on connecting itineraries.
Lounges and loyalty
Turkish Airlines is in Star Alliance and runs two large lounges at Istanbul Airport: the Miles&Smiles Lounge for elite members and the Business Lounge for Business passengers. China Airlines is in SkyTeam and operates nine Dynasty Lounges at seven airports, open to Business Class and to Dynasty Flyer Gold, Emerald and Paragon members. Elsewhere it uses partner lounges. Choose based on which alliance's programme you already use.
Fleet and punctuality
Turkish Airlines Group, including AJet, had 516 aircraft in 2025, with up to 570 planned for 2026. It was ranked 9th for on-time performance in the Cirium 2025 list, at 81.41%. China Airlines has about 67 passenger aircraft, plus 18 freighters, and is replacing 737-800s with A321neos. Its orders include the 787-9, with deliveries listed from 2027.
Frequently asked questions
Is Turkish Airlines better than China Airlines?
Neither is better overall. Turkish Airlines has the far bigger network via Istanbul. China Airlines is stronger for Taiwan and offers Premium Economy on long-haul routes.
Which airline has Premium Economy?
China Airlines has Premium Economy on its A350-900 and 777-300ER, and will on 787-9 layouts once those arrive. Turkish Airlines operates Economy and Business cabins only.
Do both airlines include meals and checked baggage?
Both serve meals on board. Turkish Airlines' Economy fares include a meal and checked baggage, but the allowance depends on route and fare. China Airlines baggage also varies by fare and route, so check at booking.
About Turkish Airlines Read more
Overview
Turkish Airlines (Türk Hava Yolları) is the flag carrier of Turkey. According to Wikipedia, it was founded on 20 May 1933, is listed on Borsa Istanbul (THYAO) and has been a member of Star Alliance since 2008. Its corporate headquarters are at the former Atatürk Airport site in Istanbul. Its subsidiaries include the low-cost carrier AJet, Turkish Cargo and Turkish Technic. Its frequent-flyer programme is Miles&Smiles.
Network and hubs
The main hub is Istanbul Airport, which replaced Atatürk Airport in a phased move completed in 2019. CAPA lists Esenboğa (Ankara) and Adnan Menderes (Izmir) as secondary hubs. Wikipedia describes the airline as serving more countries than any other carrier, with about 340 to 350 destinations in Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania and the Americas, including a large domestic network. Most intercontinental journeys connect through Istanbul.
Fleet
Turkish Airlines Group, including AJet, had 516 aircraft in 2025, with up to 570 planned for 2026, according to its CFO (reported 5 March 2026). Third-party trackers such as Plane Finder list roughly 420 mainline aircraft, including Airbus A321neo, A321, A330, A350-900 and A320 types and Boeing 737, 777 and 787-9 types. Figures vary by source and date.
On board
Turkish Airlines operates two cabins, Economy and Business. Wego reports that every Economy fare includes a meal, checked baggage and seatback entertainment. Business class adds lie-flat seats on long-haul aircraft, Flying Chef dining and lounge access. Wego also reports that Wi-Fi is free for Business passengers and Miles&Smiles members, with free Wi-Fi for all passengers being rolled out through 2026. Seat dimensions vary by aircraft type and are not given here.
Good to know
- Cabin baggage: per the airline's baggage page, Economy allows one 8 kg bag (55x40x23 cm) plus a 4 kg personal item. Business allows two 8 kg bags plus a personal item.
- Checked baggage: the allowance depends on route and fare, so check the booking.
- Lounges: The Points Guy notes two large lounges at Istanbul, one for elite members and one for Business passengers.
- Punctuality: Simple Flying reported 81.41% on-time performance for 2025, using Cirium data.
- Safety: Wikipedia records 19 incidents and accidents in the airline's history, 15 of them fatal.
About China Airlines Read more
Overview
China Airlines is the state-owned flag carrier of Taiwan. According to Wikipedia, it was founded on 7 September 1959 and began operations in December 1959. It is part of the China Airlines Group, with headquarters at CAL Park in Taoyuan, and it is a member of the SkyTeam alliance. Group companies include China Airlines Cargo, Mandarin Airlines and Tigerair Taiwan. Its call sign is DYNASTY.
Network and hubs
The main hub is Taipei Taoyuan International Airport. Kaohsiung and Taipei Songshan are focus cities. The airline serves about 100 destinations across Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania. That figure comes from a Wikipedia article that still carries some 2017 data, so check the current route map on the airline's website.
Fleet
Wikipedia's fleet table, dated August 2026, lists 85 aircraft in service. This includes 18 freighters, so the passenger fleet is about 67 aircraft:
- Airbus A321neo: 22
- Airbus A330-300: 12
- Airbus A350-900: 18
- Boeing 737-800: 5
- Boeing 777-300ER: 10
The table shows orders for Airbus A350-1000, Boeing 777-9, 787-9 and 787-10 aircraft. The 787-9 deliveries are listed as starting in 2027. The A321neo is replacing the 737-800, and the A330-300 is due to be replaced by the 787.
On board
Long-haul aircraft such as the A350-900 and 777-300ER have Business, Premium Economy and Economy cabins. The A321neo and 737-800 have Business and Economy only. Layouts vary by aircraft, and some A350-900s have different configurations. Meals are served on board, and special meals can be ordered in advance. Seat pitch, entertainment and Wi-Fi details were not confirmed in the sources used, so check the airline's website for your aircraft.
Good to know
- Lounges: China Airlines runs Dynasty Lounges, nine in total at seven airports. They are open to Business Class passengers and to Dynasty Flyer Gold, Emerald and Paragon members. Elsewhere, SkyTeam partner or local lounges are used.
- Loyalty: Dynasty Flyer has three elite tiers: Gold, Emerald and Paragon. Elite members can get a higher checked baggage allowance and can upgrade their tickets.
- Baggage and fees: allowances and change fees differ by fare and route. Check the official website before booking.
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