The effects of turbulence and fluid film inertia on the stability of high-speed, elliptical journal bearings were theoretically investigated. Based on the linearized analysis, the dynamic fluid film coefficients such as spring, damping and acceleration coefficients, considering the combined effects of turbulence and fluid film inertia, were obtained for various values of ellipticity ratio. Moreover, by applying the Routh-Hurwitz stability criterion to the equation of motion for the rigid rotor supported by two identical aligned elliptical bearings, we estimated the whirl onset speeds. From the numerical results, the relationships between the stability and the ellipticity ratio of elliptical bearings in the turbulent inertial flow regime were discussed.