Today, I would like to tell you about my business class flight with Turkish Airlines from Zagreb to São Paulo and back, with a connection in Istanbul. However, on the return journey, the route changed slightly and I ended up returning via a different city - but I will describe that in more detail as the story goes on.

I booked the ticket four months before the planned departure date for EUR 3,071.68, which I found quite reasonable, especially considering that I was traveling during the Christmas and New Year holiday period.

Flight TK1054 was operated by a Boeing 737-900ER with the registration TC-JYM. The business class seats were much more comfortable than standard European business class, which is rarely seen on Turkish Airlines. Even on most of their short-haul flights, they still offer fairly comfortable seats.

As for the food, I chose the appetizers and coffee, as I was not hungry, although the menu also included additional hot meal options.

After arriving in Istanbul, I headed to the hotel, as I had chosen the Istanbul Stopover option. I stayed in the city for 22 hours, since the shortest available connection was around seven hours. Turkish Airlines provided a complimentary night at the Fairmont Quasar İstanbul, including breakfast.

The next morning, I headed to Istanbul Airport for my next flight. Business class passengers have access to a separate entrance with a more comfortable baggage drop-off and check-in area, as well as a dedicated security and passport control zone for faster completion of all formalities.

Flight TK15 was operated by an Airbus A350-900 with the registration TC-LHB.

That day, I had a traditional Istanbul travel companion 🐈 - a passenger flying from Moscow to Buenos Aires. This flight’s final destination is Buenos Aires, with a stop in São Paulo for refueling.

This time, I was assigned seat 3A by the window. On the A350, Turkish Airlines has a very comfortable 1-2-1 business class configuration. Some of their A350 aircraft feature doors, similar to Qatar Airways’ Qsuite. These aircraft came to Turkish Airlines from Aeroflot after aircraft deliveries were suspended following the sanctions introduced in 2022.

So far, I have not yet managed to fly on one of the aircraft in the so-called “Turkoflot” configuration, but I hope that in the future I will get a chance to experience this rather unique aircraft.

Turkish Airlines offers an extensive à la carte menu with a wide selection of dishes, although unfortunately I forgot to take a photo of it. Orders are taken by a flight attendant dressed in a chef’s uniform, which adds a special touch and makes the whole experience feel more distinctive.

On that day, however, I went for a lighter breakfast and chose only the appetizers, yoghurt, and fruit salad.

For dinner, I ordered the soup and a couple of appetizers.

Turkish Airlines also serves what it calls “The Oldest Bread” - a bread inspired by a recipe dating back around 12,000 years. It is connected to the Taş Tepeler region of Anatolia, one of the earliest centers of wheat domestication, and is made using ancient grains such as einkorn and emmer wheat.

For me, this detail added an extra emotional layer to the experience. My father’s ancestors were among the early farming peoples, so the idea of being served bread inspired by the very origins of agriculture felt unexpectedly personal. It was not just another element of the meal, but a small reminder of how deeply food, history, and human memory can be connected.

Overall, flying with Turkish Airlines usually leaves a very positive impression. The crew is generally attentive and welcoming, the seats are comfortable on flights of any length, and the selection of food and drinks is truly extensive.

Each passenger also receives an amenity kit by Lanvin Parfums, which includes various skincare products from the brand, as well as socks, an eye mask, earplugs, and a toothbrush with toothpaste.

During my time in Brazil, I managed to visit several places: São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Florianópolis, and Foz do Iguaçu. Each of them left a very different impression, which made the trip feel especially rich and diverse.

São Paulo felt like a huge, energetic metropolis - intense, businesslike, and endlessly moving. Rio de Janeiro, on the other hand, was all about emotion: the jungle-covered hills, the dramatic coastline, the beaches, and the New Year’s fireworks created a truly unforgettable atmosphere. There are places that look beautiful in photos, but Rio is one of those cities that feels even more powerful in person.

Florianópolis added a calmer, seaside part to the journey, with a more relaxed rhythm and beautiful coastal scenery. And Foz do Iguaçu became one of the brightest natural highlights of the entire trip. Iguazu Falls are without a doubt among the most colorful and impressive waterfalls in the world - the scale, the sound of the water, and the surrounding tropical nature make the whole place feel almost cinematic.

One interesting detail from my time in Brazil was that I also flew with GOL Airlines. On many of their aircraft, the Air France-KLM alliance logos are displayed next to the GOL branding, even though Air France-KLM’s actual shareholding in GOL is relatively small.

Helicopter rides in Brazil are relatively affordable, so I decided to take the opportunity to fly over the waterfalls - and I absolutely did not regret it. A 30-minute flight costs around $120, which feels quite reasonable for such an experience.

Seeing Iguazu Falls from above gives a completely different perspective: only from the air do you fully realize the scale of the waterfalls, the endless greenery around them, and the way the water cuts through the landscape. It became one of those moments that instantly justifies the trip.

Originally, I was supposed to return to Zagreb with Turkish Airlines via Istanbul. However, when I opened the app about three hours before departure to check which terminal I should order my taxi to, I discovered that my tickets had been changed to alternative carriers - LATAM and Air France.

Later, during the flight, I discovered that Turkish Airlines had sent me an email explaining that there had been some issue with the seat, which was why they had rebooked me. They also offered compensation, which I received about two weeks after returning to Zagreb. As a result, the effective price of the ticket dropped to around EUR 2,400, while the overall travel time was also significantly reduced.

Flight LA8068 was operated by a Boeing 787-9 with the registration CC-BGP, a Chilean-registered aircraft.

The cabin layout was also comfortable, with a 1-2-1 configuration. The seat has a cube-like design, which creates a certain sense of privacy from the other passengers.

The menu offered a fairly wide selection of drinks, as well as dinner and breakfast options. For passengers’ convenience, it was printed in three languages: English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

The amenity kit also had an interesting concept behind it. According to the description, each color was inspired by one of South America’s natural landscapes, which added a nice regional touch to the design.

LATAM refers to this collection as the “Altitude Series”. It includes six different colorways, each representing a different landscape, climate, and regional spirit. The green version is inspired by the Amazon, the sand-colored one by the Atacama Desert, the pale icy blue by Salar de Uyuni - the world’s largest salt flat - and the deep blue by Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake. There is also a wine-colored version inspired by Vinicunca, the Rainbow Mountain, and a metallic grey version inspired by Aconcagua in the Andes.

I found this concept quite thoughtful. Instead of being just another standard amenity kit, it became a small visual reference to the geography and natural beauty of South America.

The contents of the amenity kit consist of skincare products from Costa Brazil, which fits nicely with the overall South American concept of the collection.

For dinner, I chose the seared salmon with passionfruit chutney as an appetizer, followed by the grilled tenderloin with demi-glace sauce, roasted potatoes, cress, roasted onions and bacon farofa as the main course.

For dessert, I went with the coconut dessert with strawberry mousse, toasted coconut, and cacao nibs.

For breakfast, I chose the free-range egg omelet with cherry tomatoes and grilled zucchini.

After landing and passing through passport control, I waited for my next flight in one of the Air France lounges.

Flight AF1560 was operated by a narrow-body Embraer 190 with the registration F-HBLB, under the HOP! Brand.

I slept through the entire flight, so the only thing I managed to capture was the snow-covered landscape around Zagreb during the approach.

An interesting fact about Air France is that the airline offers champagne in all cabins on its long-haul flights. This is very much part of the brand’s French identity and marketing strategy. I once even saw an Air France stand at an exhibition where anyone could receive a glass of champagne from one of several windows labeled First, Business, and Economy Class - a playful reminder that, at least on long-haul flights, champagne is not reserved only for premium cabins.

To sum up this journey, Brazil is an incredibly colorful and multi-layered country. It is a place where dramatic natural beauty exists side by side with huge, energetic cities. Wealth, glamour, and luxury can be found just a short distance from favelas and deep, seemingly endless poverty. This contrast is one of the things that makes Brazil so fascinating, but it also constantly reminds you that reality can change very quickly from one neighborhood to another.

Personally, I did not experience any incidents in Brazil, and there was no moment when I felt directly unsafe. However, I do think travelers coming from very safe countries need to stay alert. After several years of living in Zagreb and Croatia, I realized that I had become dangerously relaxed when it comes to personal safety. In Brazil, it is better to be more aware of your surroundings, avoid unnecessary displays of valuables, think twice before taking out your phone in random places, and generally trust your instincts. It does not mean you should travel in fear. Quite the opposite, Brazil is absolutely worth visiting. But a certain level of attention and common sense is definitely necessary.

As for the airline experience, Turkish Airlines continues to maintain its reputation and onboard quality. It remains one of the best and most convenient airlines, capable of taking you almost anywhere in the world with a consistently strong onboard product.

LATAM, on the other hand, felt like a fairly average airline. I also used them several times on domestic flights within Latin America, and I cannot say that service quality or consistency is their strongest point. That said, the long-haul flight itself was quite comfortable, although the quality of the food and its presentation were noticeably below what Turkish Airlines offers.

Unfortunately, I cannot say much about Air France within the scope of this review, as I slept through most of the flight. The only thing I can mention is that the cabin crew seemed friendly and welcoming.