Turkish Airlines has unexpectedly closed its widely promoted “Route: 6 Continents” campaign as of July 8, 2025—nearly three months ahead of its scheduled end—citing “great interest” from global flyers Reddit+14Turkish Airlines+14Frequent Miler+14.
🚀 The Challenge: Earn 1 Million Miles on a Global Odyssey
Launched June 27, the campaign promised 1 million bonus Miles&Smiles to passengers who flew on Turkish-operated flights to six continents (Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South America, and Oceania) between June 27 and October 27, 2025 Turkish Airlines+8Turkish Airlines+8Aviation A2Z+8.
However, Turkish Airlines stated that to retain eligibility, members had to book at least one eligible flight by July 8—effectively ending the booking window early—while allowing travel to continue through October 27 LoyaltyLobby+9Doctor Of Credit+9AwardFares Blog+9.
🎯 Why the Sudden Stop?
Frequent flyer industry experts say the plan backfired:
- Like SAS’s similar “EuroBonus Millionaire” challenge last year, organizers expected only a few dozen qualifiers but far underestimated demand Reddit+2Frequent Miler+2AwardFares Blog+2.
- Turkish Airlines likely found itself facing an unmanageable financial liability if thousands of participants claimed the full 1 million miles.
- A promotional cap or booking cutoff was implemented mid-course to limit exposure, rather than canceling ongoing travel Reddit+13AwardFares Blog+13Flight Hacks+13.
✅ What It Means for Participants
- If you booked by July 8, any flights through October 27 count toward eligibility.
- New bookings made after July 8 are no longer accepted Flight Hacks+8Turkish Airlines+8Aviation A2Z+8AwardFares Blog.
- Booking must be on Turkish Airlines metal (no codeshares), and each flight must be registered on Miles&Smiles before departure Reddit+8TRAICY Global+8AwardFares Blog+8.
- The 1 million miles will be credited in November 2025 after travel completion Frequent Miler+11AwardFares Blog+11TRAICY Global+11.
💡 Bigger Takeaways for Loyalty Programs
- Ambitious, gamified promotions can go viral fast, attracting hundreds—even thousands—of participants.
- Airlines need robust risk modeling and built-in limitation clauses to manage financial exposure.
- A clear booking cutoff clause preserved legitimacy for early bookers while capping further claims.
✈️ Who Should Keep Going?
If you’re among those who booked before July 8, you still have until October 27 to complete your six-continent itinerary and claim the reward. But building a global route plan—especially to South America and Oceania—demands careful timing, visas, and booking coordination LoyaltyLobby+9AwardFares Blog+9Frequent Miler+9Aviation A2Z.
For everyone else, the takeaway is that speed matters in the world of mileage challenges
