A turbine vane for a gas turbine engine having an outer wall containing a plurality of serpentine cooling channels. The serpentine cooling channels may be configured to receive cooling fluids from internal cooling fluids supply channels. The serpentine cooling channels may be positioned in the pressure side and suction side outer walls and configured such that a first pass is positioned radially outward from an internal chamber a greater distance than a second pass. As such, cooling fluids are first passed proximate to an outer surface where the fluids are heated and then passed proximate to an inner surface, thereby establishing a smaller thermal gradient than typically found in conventional turbine blade outer walls.