Published on 7 April 2026 · Updated 2026-04-07 · Reading time: 14 min

Istanbul: The Surprising Luxury Destination for Points Travellers from Belgium

Mid-November last year, I was sitting on the terrace of the Four Seasons on the Bosphorus, Turkish tea in hand, gazing at the illuminated silhouettes of the Blue Mosque. No stress, no countdown to my bank balance. That entire trip, from the business class seat on Turkish Airlines to the breakfast overlooking the water, I had largely paid for with points. Istanbul luxury hotels points might sound like a niche hobby, but honestly, it's simpler than you think. Especially when you're departing from Brussels.

What surprised me: Istanbul is comparable to Dubai or the Maldives in terms of luxury experience, but for a fraction of the points and budget. The city is packed with 5-star hotels affiliated with Fine Hotels + Resorts, Turkish Airlines flies you there in business class for ridiculously few miles, and the on-the-ground costs are significantly lower than in Western Europe. For Belgian travellers who make good use of their Amex Platinum, this is one of the smartest destinations out there.

Business class Brussels to Istanbul: how I booked it for points

Let me start at the beginning. The flight. Brussels Airport to Istanbul Airport takes just over three hours. Short enough to avoid jet lag, long enough to enjoy a business class experience you won't soon forget.

Turkish Airlines business class is known as one of the best in Europe. Think wide leather seats, a chef preparing your meal in a flying restaurant, and an arrival at Istanbul Airport where the lounge alone is a sight to behold. And the best part: a return in business class costs approximately 45,000 miles through the Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles programme. That's really low compared to other routes.

How do you get those miles? By transferring your Membership Rewards points to Turkish Airlines. One to one. So with the welcome bonus of 150,000 points that you receive via the TravelLux.be referral link, you could theoretically book three return flights in business class. Three. To a city that's just a three-hour flight from Brussels.

Honestly, for my first time visiting Istanbul I didn't even need that many points. I booked the flight on a Tuesday morning, a few weeks before departure. Availability was no problem. Turkish Airlines is extremely generous with award seats on the route from Brussels, something you can't always say about other airlines.

Another advantage for those travelling with the Amex Platinum: before you even board the plane, you breeze through security at Brussels Airport via the Fast Lane. That easily saves you 20 minutes. The Fast Lane is normally worth €169 per year, but it's included with your card. Then a stop in the lounge, a coffee, and you board your flight while the rest of the terminal queues up.

Fine Hotels + Resorts in Istanbul: luxury hotels with serious benefits

This is where it gets really interesting. Istanbul has multiple hotels in the Fine Hotels + Resorts (FHR) programme from American Express. The Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus, the Raffles Istanbul, the St. Regis Istanbul: each one a gem where you'd normally easily pay €350 to €500 per night.

But when you book through FHR — and you can do that simply with your Amex Platinum — you get a whole list of extras on top with every stay. Complimentary room upgrade when available. Daily breakfast for two. Early check-in and late check-out. And a welcome gift worth approximately €100, often in the form of a spa credit or dining credit. Per stay, that's up to €650 in added value.

My personal favourite? The Four Seasons Bosphorus. The former Ottoman palace on the waterfront is absurdly beautiful. The rooms are spacious, the terrace overlooks the ships chugging past, and the breakfast is a blend of Turkish and international dishes that doesn't make you think about food again until 2pm. The upgrade I received through FHR was from a garden room to a Bosphorus-view room. The difference in atmosphere was enormous.

For comparison: a similar FHR experience in Paris or London easily costs you double per night. In Istanbul you get the same level of service, the same quality, but with views of minarets and the Bosphorus instead of a grey cityscape. And your dinner at a top restaurant here costs you €60 instead of €150.

Why Istanbul works so well as an affordable luxury destination

Let's be honest about the exchange rate. The Turkish lira has dropped significantly against the euro in recent years. That's tough for the Turks themselves, but for a Belgian traveller with euros in their pocket, it means Istanbul has become absurdly affordable. A taxi from the airport to the city centre costs you less than €20. A fantastic meal in Karaköy or Beyoğlu, including wine, comes in under €40 per person. And a treatment at the historic Çemberlitaş Hamamı, a Turkish bath from the 16th century, costs you a fifth of what you'd pay at a Brussels spa.

With your Amex Platinum you also pay no currency conversion fees. That sounds like a small detail, but during a four or five-night stay where you regularly use your card, it easily saves you €30 to €50. And every amount you spend? That earns you Membership Rewards points. 1 point per euro, or 4 points per euro if you activate the Booster option for €10 per month.

Something else that makes Istanbul so special: the city is a melting pot of culture that you won't find anywhere else. Ten minutes from your luxury hotel you're standing in the Grand Bazaar, a labyrinth of 4,000 little shops where you buy copper lamps, handwoven carpets and Turkish spices. A five-minute walk and you're in the Hagia Sophia, a 1,500-year-old building that literally takes your breath away. And in the evening you're standing on the rooftop terrace of Mikla, one of the best restaurants in the Middle East, with a cocktail that costs €8.

For those used to heading to Ibiza, Barcelona or the Côte d'Azur for a luxury weekend: give Istanbul a try. You'll get more experience, more culture, more gastronomy, and you'll spend less. The only "investment" is your flight ticket, and you pay for that with points.

My personal Istanbul itinerary for a long weekend from Brussels

I'm happy to share how I planned my last trip. Four nights, departing on Thursday from Brussels Airport, returning on Monday. Enough time to truly savour the city without ending up in a tourist marathon.

Thursday: Flight BRU to IST with Turkish Airlines, departure 10:15, landing 15:25 local time. Fast Lane at Zaventem, lounge beforehand. Upon arrival in Istanbul, a private transfer to the hotel (arranged via the Amex concierge service, available 24/7). Check in at the Four Seasons Bosphorus, receive the FHR upgrade, and relax by the water for the rest of the afternoon. Dinner in the evening at Lokanta Maya in Karaköy: Anatolian cuisine, casual vibe, approximately €35 per person.

Friday: Breakfast at the hotel (complimentary via FHR, and what a breakfast). Then visit the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. Lunch at Hafiz Mustafa, the legendary patisserie. Afternoon: the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Market. Then a hamam visit at Çemberlitaş: an experience you need to have at least once in your life. Dinner in the evening at Neolokal, a modern Turkish restaurant with a Michelin star. Bill for two including wine: €120.

Saturday: Boat trip on the Bosphorus, the classic route from Eminönü to Anadolu Kavağı. Whole day, return trip, costs a few euros. Lunch of fresh fish by the water. Back to the hotel for a spa treatment (paid with the FHR welcome credit). Sundowner in the evening on the rooftop terrace of Mikla, then dinner at Ciya Sofrası in Kadıköy on the Asian side. Cheap, local, and unforgettably delicious.

Sunday: Topkapı Palace in the morning (go early, before the crowds). Lunch at the hotel. Afternoon shopping in Nişantaşı, the Louiza of Istanbul, where you'll find Turkish designer brands at prices that would be unthinkable in Brussels. A last supper in the evening at Sunset Grill & Bar, with views over the Bosphorus bridge.

Monday: Late check-out (FHR benefit, until 4pm), leisurely breakfast, then head to Istanbul Airport for your flight back to Brussels. Lounge access with your Priority Pass at IST, where the IGA Lounge honestly feels like a five-star hotel in itself.

What does all this cost, and how much do you save with the Amex Platinum?

Let me do some concrete calculations. I'm a fan of transparency, so here are my actual figures from November last year.

• Flight BRU–IST return in business class: 45,000 miles (via transfer Membership Rewards → Turkish Airlines). Cash value: approximately €1,200
• Hotel Four Seasons Bosphorus, 4 nights via FHR: €1,400 paid in cash, but with FHR benefits worth €500+ (upgrade, breakfast, credit, late check-out)
• Fast Lane Brussels Airport: included with Amex Platinum (value €169/year)
• Lounge access BRU + IST: included (value Priority Pass Prestige: ~€500/year)
• No currency conversion fees on all payments in Turkish lira: saving approximately €40
• Travel insurance automatically active via Amex Platinum (cancellation, baggage, medical)
• Food, drinks, activities for 4 nights for two: approximately €600

Total out of pocket: around €2,000 for two people, four nights, in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. With the business class flight included (free via points) and the FHR benefits, the equivalent "regular" price would have been well over €3,800. That's a saving of nearly 50%.

And I haven't even mentioned the welcome bonus yet. Those 150,000 points you receive when applying for the Amex Platinum via the TravelLux.be referral link are enough for more than three such flights. Or you use them for a combination of flights and hotel stays. The points never expire as long as your card is active, so you can save them up at your leisure.

Frequently asked questions about Istanbul with Amex Platinum