Find cheap SunExpress flights

You may not have heard of SunExpress. It’s a joint venture between Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa (based in Germany) that’s been flying since 1989, so it has the pedigree if not the high street profile. I hadn’t heard of it either before my first booking, so I did some digging to see what I was getting into. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly way to get to Turkey and beyond, this guide has all the insider tips you’ll need.

Well-connected

For an airline that flies under the radar, SunExpress is surprisingly well-connected. It serves 12 airports in the UK alone, including Bristol, Glasgow, and Leeds Bradford. From London, you can catch a flight from three airports: Gatwick, Stansted, and Luton. Popular routes from Gatwick will get you to a number of Turkish resorts like Dalaman, Antalya, İzmir, and Bodrum.

Fare classes

SunExpress is a budget airline, so you’ll be picking your fare class with cost rather than luxury in mind. There are four fare types (SunLight, SunValue, SunEco+, and SunComfort), each adding more baggage allowance, flexibility and onboard perks as the price increases.

SunLight

Available on some international flights, SunLight is your classic bare-bones fare. It’s perfect for a quick city break or if you’re a master of packing light (think a couple of your favourite bikinis and not much else). You can always add checked luggage and other extras ,up to 36 hours before departure, if you change your mind.

SunValue

Next up is SunValue, a step up from SunLight that offers more flexibility for travellers who want some extras without committing to a full baggage allowance.

SunEco+

SunEco+ includes free checked baggage with allowances that vary by route:

• 30kg on international flights (except Turkish resort routes)

• 20kg to Antalya, Bodrum, and Dalaman

• 15kg on domestic flights within Turkey

These allowances are built into the fare, making SunEco+ a solid choice if you’re packing more than cabin baggage. This fare also includes SunFlex 7, which lets you rebook free of charge up to seven days before departure.

SunComfort

The top-tier option is SunComfort. This bumps your baggage allowance to 35kg on most international flights (25kg to Antalya, Bodrum, and Dalaman, and 25kg on domestic flights). I found 25kg was more than enough for a fortnight by the coast. This fare also includes a standard seat reservation and SunFlex 3, allowing you to rebook up to three days before your flight for free. Meals and snacks aren’t included, but you can pre-order or buy on board from around €11.99.

Check-in

SunExpress offers online check-in via its app, but there’s a catch. Turkish regulations (I’ve experienced this with Turkish Airlines, too) mean you’ll likely still need to queue at the airport for your boarding pass, even after checking in online. Factor in extra time at the airport accordingly.

SunExpress also charges an extra fee if you skip online check-in and go straight to the airport counter.

I think the online experience could use a little polish. Compared to the slick apps and websites of other budget carriers, SunExpress isn’t quite there yet. For instance, if you select the English language option on its website, the drop-down list still shows countries in Turkish. Thanks to Google Translate, I now know ‘Birleşik Krallık’ is the United Kingdom, but little glitches like this can be off-putting.

Space on board

SunExpress flies standard economy seats, and here’s the real test: my 6ft 4in partner was comfortable on UK-Turkey flights. That’s not always the case with budget airlines. Four hours is pretty much the limit in standard seats though for taller travelers, so longer routes might be a different story.

On-board catering

SunExpress lets you pre-order food, which I’d recommend if you’re arriving late. Finding somewhere to eat at night can be tricky, so it’s one fewer thing to worry about on arrival. This strategy worked especially well on my first, delayed, SunExpress flight.

When travelling with my partner, we’ve been more than happy with the pre-ordered snack boxes. They were delivered right to our seats with our names on them, which felt delightfully old-fashioned. The snacks were good quality, including some of those cake-like biscuits that are so popular in Turkey. My only quibble? The water came in a little foil-sealed plastic pot that you can’t reseal once opened. It was also too small for the length of the flight.

SunExpress offers a comprehensive range of pre-ordered meal options, including vegan choices (which I’m delighted to see, though I haven’t tried them yet). The meals are on the pricier side, but given how difficult it is to find vegan food in Turkey outside resorts and major cities, eating en route might make sense.

Amenities

You get what you pay for, and I wasn’t expecting frills. My experiences were positive because I fly budget carriers regularly and know what to expect. Spoiler: there are no frills. On a return flight from Dalaman, I sat next to a young couple. One watched a film on their phone while the other just sat and stared into space for four hours. My big tip, and this isn’t exactly revolutionary, is to bring your own entertainment. If you don’t want to spend hours twiddling your thumbs, you’ll need to bring a book, download some shows, or have a good podcast ready.

Loyalty programmes

The ‘SunExpress your benefits’ loyalty programme has had a revamp. It used to be a simple ‘fly 10 times, get one free’ deal, but now it’s a points-based system. You earn one point for every €1 spent, which you can redeem on flights, taxes, fees, and almost all additional extras and services.

The more you fly, the better the benefits, and your points are valid for 24 months.

There are three membership tiers:

• Welcome: Your starting point.

• Silver: Achieved after taking 4 to 9 flights within 18 months.

• Gold: Reached after taking 10 or more flights within 18 months.

Is it worth it? If you’re regularly heading to Turkey for work, family, or to a second home, then absolutely sign up. For the casual holidaymaker, it might just be another loyalty scheme that clutters up your inbox without ever providing any real benefits.

Unexpected offerings

Here’s something you might not expect: SunExpress offers a golf package on flights to and from Antalya. This includes a reserved seat and carriage for a golf bag weighing up to 23kg. You can book it with a SunValue fare up to 36 hours before departure. Given that Antalya Airport is just 30km from Belek, a popular golfing destination on the Mediterranean, it’s a pretty clever add-on. They do charge extra for other sports equipment, though.

Cabin crew

My interaction with SunExpress cabin crew has been minimal because I pre-order refreshments and prefer being left to my own devices (as long as I’m fed, watered, and have my headphones). That said, on my delayed first flight with SunExpress, the crew ushered us on board quickly and efficiently, obviously keen to make up lost time.

At the gate

My first experience with SunExpress involved a significant delay and a bit of chaos, though I should say it wasn’t the airline’s fault. Bad storms had caused mass cancellations the day before, and the airport was packed with frustrated travellers and pre-school-age children. A top travel tip: never, ever leave home without your headphones!

Communication during the delay wasn’t great, but that seemed to be the case across all airlines that day. Interestingly, the airline had moved many fellow passengers onto our flight from other cancelled services. Like us, they were new to SunExpress but seemed delighted to have discovered a new option for their travels.