Turkish Airlines Backtracks On Its Million-Mile Challenge

Just over a week ago, Turkish Airlines rolled out the “Route: 6 Continents” promo, clearly inspired by the recent million-mile giveaways from SAS, Etihad and JetBlue. The premise was simple: fly Turkish-operated flights to all six continents the carrier serves and pick up 1,000,000 Miles&Smiles points.

Turns out the “Smiles” bit wasn’t entirely genuine. As of 8 July 2025, Turkish Airlines has shut the offer down.

The small print that gave it away

Many of us expected a twist thanks to clause 16 in the original terms: “Turkish Airlines reserves the right to modify, suspend, or cancel the campaign, including its terms, definitions, and any other related information.” The airline has now pulled that very lever.

A notice on the promo page now reads:

"Route: 6 Continents Has Ended

Thank you for the great interest you have shown in our Route: 6 Continents campaign.
In line with recent updates, the campaign has officially concluded as of July 8, 2025.
Members who purchased at least one ticket or completed a flight across six continents by July 8, 2025 will retain their eligibility.

If these members complete all flights across six continents by October 27, 2025, they will earn 1 million Miles."

Tickets purchased after July 8, 2025 will not be considered within the scope of the campaign.

That cut-off seems to follows Turkish local time, so any late-night bookings elsewhere will miss the boat.

Why the sudden U-turn?

With many online forum members working out the best possible routes and deals, anyone willing to spend around US$3,000 on strategic economy fares (and a whole lot of hours in economy) could pocket miles worth at least US$10,000. Multiply that by a few hundred/thousands determined travellers and the numbers get ugly fast. No surprise the accountants pulled the handbrake!

What now?

• Booked a ticket before 8 July? You’re still in the running. Keep every receipt, double-check all flights are on Turkish metal, and finish the six-continent run by 27 October 2025. As long as the rules don't change again!
• Still on the fence? You’ve probably missed the entry window unless you book before midnight Turkish time. New tickets won’t count.
• Trust issues? This episode shows Turkish Airlines is happy to move the goalposts. If you plan to continue, proceed with caution.

Summing up

If you were keen to chase the Turkish Airlines 6 Continents Challenge, the door has effectively closed. Those already holding qualifying tickets may yet see 1,000,000 miles drop into their accounts when they complete the challenge, but don't be surprised if other rules change along the way.