Turkish Airlines and Pegasus Airlines are both Istanbul-based Turkish carriers, and they overlap on many domestic routes and on flights between Turkey and Europe. Turkish Airlines is the full-service flag carrier and a Star Alliance member. Pegasus is a low-cost carrier that sells seats through fare bundles.
Quick verdict
Turkish Airlines suits travellers who want meals, a checked bag, seatback entertainment and the option of Business class, especially on long-haul or connecting trips through Istanbul. Pegasus suits those who want the lowest fare on a short or medium route and are happy to pay for extras such as seats, bags and meals. Compare the final price after adding the extras you need, as the gap can narrow.
Choose Turkish Airlines if…
- You want a meal and seatback entertainment included in Economy.
- You are flying long-haul or connecting through Istanbul, with lie-flat Business seats available.
- You collect Star Alliance miles through Miles&Smiles or want Istanbul lounge access in Business.
Choose Pegasus Airlines if…
- You want the cheapest base fare and will travel with just a cabin bag.
- You prefer to pick and pay for only the extras you need, such as a bag, seat or sandwich.
- You fly short or medium routes from Turkish bases such as Sabiha Gökçen, Antalya or Izmir.
At a glance
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Key differences
Airline model and what the fare includes
Turkish Airlines is a full-service carrier. Wego reports that Economy fares include a meal, checked baggage and seatback entertainment, though the checked allowance depends on route and fare. Pegasus is a low-cost carrier. Its basic fare excludes meals, and extras come in four bundles. The Saver Plus bundle includes seat selection, 20 kg of checked baggage, a sandwich and Fly & Watch entertainment.
Network and hubs
Turkish Airlines connects most intercontinental journeys through Istanbul Airport and serves roughly 340 to 350 destinations, with Ankara and Izmir as secondary hubs. Pegasus serves about 156 destinations in Europe, Asia and North Africa, plus a large domestic network, from bases including Istanbul, Sabiha Gökçen, Ankara, Antalya and Izmir. In October 2026, FlightGlobal reported that Pegasus completed its acquisition of Czech Airlines and Smartwings, which are expected to keep separate brands.
Cabins and long-haul
Turkish Airlines offers Economy and Business, with lie-flat Business seats on long-haul aircraft, Flying Chef dining and lounge access. Its fleet includes A350, 777 and 787 widebodies. Pegasus operates a narrowbody fleet of Airbus A320 family and Boeing 737-800 aircraft, with 737 MAX 10s on order, so it suits short and medium routes rather than long-haul. Seat pitch varies by aircraft on both airlines.
Baggage
On Turkish Airlines, Economy cabin baggage is one 8 kg bag plus a 4 kg personal item; Business allows two 8 kg bags. On Pegasus, the Saver bundle includes 15 kg checked on domestic flights and 20 kg on international and Cyprus flights, and cabin bag rules depend on the bundle. Since February 2024, Cabin Zero reports separate limits for cabin and under-seat bags on international bundles.
Punctuality and loyalty
Turkish Airlines recorded 81.41% on-time performance in 2025, ninth on the Cirium list. Turkish earns Miles&Smiles miles, usable for Business awards, and belongs to Star Alliance. Pegasus is not in an alliance. Its BolBol programme pays for seats, extra baggage, Flex and meals through BolPoints.
Frequently asked questions
Is Turkish Airlines better than Pegasus?
Turkish Airlines offers more included services, a Business cabin, a Star Alliance network and long-haul flying. Pegasus is usually the choice for a lower base fare on short routes if you accept paying for extras.
Does Pegasus include checked baggage?
It depends on the bundle. The Saver bundle includes 15 kg on domestic flights and 20 kg on international and Cyprus flights, and the Saver Plus bundle includes 20 kg.
Does Turkish Airlines include food in Economy?
Yes, a complimentary meal is served in Economy and Business. Pegasus does not include meals in its basic fare, though Saver Plus includes a sandwich.
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 Pegasus Airlines Read more
Overview
Pegasus Airlines (Pegasus Hava Taşımacılığı A.Ş.) is a Turkish low-cost carrier. According to Wikipedia, it was founded on 12 January 1991 and is owned by ESAS Holding. Its shares trade on Borsa Istanbul (PGSUS). It is not a member of a major alliance. Its IATA code is PC, its ICAO code is PGT and its call sign is SUNTURK.
In October 2026, FlightGlobal reported that Pegasus had completed its acquisition of Czech Airlines and Smartwings. The airlines are expected to keep separate brands, and the combined fleet is more than 175 aircraft.
Network and hubs
Wikipedia lists operating bases at Istanbul, Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen, Ankara, Antalya, Bodrum, Dalaman, Ercan, İzmir, Adana/Mersin, Kayseri, Samsun and Trabzon. The airline serves about 156 destinations across Europe, Asia and North Africa, as well as a large Turkish domestic network.
Fleet
Pegasus operates about 130 aircraft (Wikipedia, 2026), mostly from the Airbus A320neo family. The Smartwings and Czech Airlines aircraft are not included in this figure.
On board
Pegasus sells seats through fare bundles rather than a single all-inclusive fare. The flight bundles page says the Saver Plus bundle includes seat selection (excluding extra legroom seats), 20 kg of checked baggage, a sandwich and Fly & Watch in-flight entertainment. Other meals can be ordered. Details of cabin classes and seat pitch were not confirmed in the sources used.
Good to know
- Baggage: the Saver bundle includes 15 kg on domestic flights and 20 kg on international and Cyprus flights. Cabin Zero reports that since February 2024 international bundles have set separate limits for a cabin bag and an under-seat bag, so check the rules for the bundle you buy.
- Changes: Pegasus Flex (unlimited changes) can be added to a ticket, according to the airline FAQ.
- Loyalty: the programme is Pegasus BolBol. BolPoints can pay for seat selection, extra baggage, Flex and meals on flypgs.com and the app.
- Punctuality: Statista reported 75.07% of flights departing within 15 minutes of schedule in 2022. This figure is old, so it is not given as a current rating.
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