Turkish Airlines

3.60/5 from 15 reviews
www.turkishairlines.com
TK
Istanbul new Airport (IST), Sabiha Gokcen Int. Airport (SAW), Esenboga Int. Airport - Ankara (ESB)

Turkish Airlines is the flag carrier of Turkey and one of the largest airlines in the world serving nearly 300 destinations accross the globe, operating out of its main hubs in Istanbul.

Airline transfer policy

Transit / Transfer Passenger Procedures

A transit passenger is a passenger who stops over for no more than 24 hours at a midpoint between the departure and destination points and then continues on his or her journey, whether with the same airline or a different one.

For detailed information on passport and baggage procedures that you must follow in connection with your transfer please click on the relevant heading below.

Domestic transfer passengers continuing to a foreign destination with Turkish Airlines (subject to or exempt from customs control)*
- Passengers disembark with only their cabin baggage and follow the signs to the international terminal.
- Passport procedures are completed at the final international point of destination.
- Passengers continue straight to passport control without any procedure in the international departure level, complete their procedures for border crossing and proceed to the boarding gates. However, passengers who have not obtained their boarding pass for their connecting flight at the point of departure must apply to the relevant airline counter in the international departure hall.
- *Including which flight routes issued on single ticket, Star Alliance members and airlines with a codeshare agreement with Turkish Airlines
Domestic Turkish Airlines transfer passengers continuing to a foreign destination with a different airline (subject to or exempt from customs control)*
- Passengers reclaim their baggage from the domestic arrivals hall and proceed to the international terminal to apply to the relevant airline counter for check-in procedures.
- *Excluding which flight routes issued on single ticket, Star Alliance members and airlines with a codeshare agreement with Turkish Airlines.
International transfer passengers flight routes issued on single ticket continuing to a domestic destination with customs control
- Passengers disembark with only their cabin baggage and complete passport entry procedures.
- All passengers arriving on international flights who are continuing onto a domestic flight in Turkey must take their luggage from the international customs point which is in the domestic arrivals customs station. To avoid wasting time, passengers should follow the direction signs and should not proceed to the domestic terminal before retrieving their baggage.
- Baggage belonging to passengers continuing to a domestic destination is transported from the initial point of departure of the journey to the final point of arrival.
International transfer passengers (flight routes issued on separate ticket ) continuing to a domestic destination with customs control
- Passengers reclaim their baggage from the domestic arrivals hall and proceed to the international terminal to apply to the relevant airline counter for check-in procedures.
- Excluding passangers which traveling with Turkish Airlines to Turkish Airlines (according to connection time avability).
International transfer passengers continuing to a domestic destination without customs control
- In this case transfer procedures are not followed with baggage. After completing passport procedures passengers reclaim their baggage and proceed to the domestic terminal.
International transfer passengers flight routes issued on single ticket continuing to a foreign destination with Turkish Airlines*
- Passengers disembark with only their cabin baggage and proceed directly to the boarding gates without any flight or passport procedures.
- Passengers who have not obtained their boarding pass for the connecting flight at the initial point of departure must apply to the Turkish Airlines Transit Check-in desk.
- *Including which flight routes issued on single ticket, Star Alliance members and airlines with a codeshare agreement with Turkish Airlines.
International transfer passengers (flight routes issued on separate ticket) continuing to a foreign destination with Turkish Airlines*
- Passengers reclaim their baggage from the international arrivals hall and proceed to the international terminal to apply to the relevant airline counter for check-in procedures.
- Including which flight routes issued on separate ticket, Star Alliance members and airlines with a codeshare agreement with Turkish Airlines.
International transfer passengers (flight routes issued on single ticket) continuing to a foreign destination with another airline*
- Passengers disembark with only their cabin baggage, since their hold baggage will be transported to the final point of arrival.
- Without completing passport procedures in the international arrivals terminal continue to the transit desk of the other airline to obtain your boarding pass, and proceed to the boarding gate.
International transfer passengers (flight routes issued on separate ticket) continuing to a foreign destination with another airline*
- Passengers reclaim their baggage from the international arrivals hall
- Without completing passport procedures in the international arrivals terminal continue to the transit desk of the other airline to obtain your boarding pass, and proceed to the boarding gate

Airports Without Customs Control

ADF	Adıyaman
AJI	Ağrı
AOE	Eskişehir
BAL	Batman
BGG	Bingöl
CKZ	Çanakkale
EDO	Edremit
IGD	Iğdır
ISE	Isparta
KCO	Kocaeli
KCM	Kahramanmaraş
KSY	Kars
KFS	Kastamonu
MQM	Mardin
MSR	Muş
MZH	Merzifon
SIC	Sinop
SXZ	Siirt
NKT	Şırnak
TEQ	Tekirdağ/Çorlu
TJK	Tokat
USQ	Uşak
VAN	Van
XHQ	Hopa
OGU	Ordu/Giresun

Airports With Customs Control

ADA	Adana
AYT	Antalya
ESB	Ankara
BJV	Bodrum
YEI	Bursa
DLM	Dalaman
DNZ	Denizli
DIY	Dıyarbakır
EZS	Elazığ
ERZ	Erzurum
GZT	Gaziantep
HTY	Hatay
IST	İstanbul
ADB	İzmir
ASR	Kayseri
KYA	Konya
MLX	Malatya
NAV	Nevşehir
SZF	Samsun
SAW	Sabiha Gökçen
GNY	Şanlıurfa
VAS	Sivas
TZX	Trabzon
ERC	Erzincan
KZR	Kütahya
GZP	Gazipaşa

Source: Turkishairlines.com April 2016

Linked articles

Turkish Airlines - the connecting flights master Missed connecting flights - are we entitled to compensation? What is minimum connection time? Long layover in Istanbul - The airport hotels are a good option Choosing between connecting and direct flight 8 tips on airport transiting: how to make the best out of your connecting flights Connecting flights: When should we shrink wrap our baggage Connecting times at Istanbul Ataturk and Sabiha Gokcen airports Travel Insurance | Reviews and useful tips for travellers Connecting at Istanbul New Airport: Useful information for transit passengers

Reviews

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Stefan 9 years ago

We loved the free city tour of Istanbul and the lunch provided (althou budget). Turkish cream soup from green lentils was amaizing. Guide was cool as well, young guy with awful English, but a nice fella

Very happy with the experience

Flight date

January 2015

Airport from

Sofia International Airport

Airport to

Chhatrapati Shivaji Intl

Connecting airport/s

Istanbul New Airport

Overall rate

On time arrival of all flights

Baggage handling

Clarity of transfer information

Time between connections

Transit process at connecting airports

Baggage arrived

Yes

Missed connecting flight

Recommend this airline for connecting flights

Yes

Kalin 9 years ago

Particularly enjoyed the free hotel room on an overnight overlay at Istanbul airport, including shuttle transfer to the hotel and breakfast.

Flight date

September 2015

Airport from

Lisbon Airport

Airport to

Sofia International Airport

Connecting airport/s

Istanbul New Airport

Overall rate

On time arrival of all flights

Baggage handling

Clarity of transfer information

Time between connections

Transit process at connecting airports

Baggage arrived

Yes

Missed connecting flight

Recommend this airline for connecting flights

Yes

Daniela 9 years ago

The best way to spend the 9 hours stay between flights is with free city tour provided by Turkish airlines. Very efficient service that includes 4 course lunch and stop at some of cities main attractions. If you don’t feel like visiting mosques , you can just have a Turkish coffee and sweets at some nice local place (as we did;). The guide had precise information about the traffic, so he shortened the tour in order to not miss our flights. The only downside actually was quality of service on Turkish airways flights – poor level of English and lack of politeness.

Flight date

March 2016

Airport from

Gandhi International Airport

Airport to

Sofia International Airport

Connecting airport/s

Istanbul New Airport

Overall rate

On time arrival of all flights

Baggage handling

Clarity of transfer information

Time between connections

Transit process at connecting airports

Baggage arrived

Yes

Missed connecting flight

Recommend this airline for connecting flights

Yes

Ned 9 years ago

Flight date

September 2014

Airport from

Sofia International Airport

Airport to

Shanghai Pudong Airport

Connecting airport/s

Istanbul New Airport

Overall rate

On time arrival of all flights

Clarity of transfer information

Time between connections

Transit process at connecting airports

Baggage arrived

Yes

Missed connecting flight

Recommend this airline for connecting flights

Yes

Peter 9 years ago

Turkish is a good airline for connections as they provide good service and offer information on the gates for your next flight on the screens situated on the seats in front of you. That is especially handy when you need to find your way at the busy Attaturk airport in Istanbul. The airport is where the issues arise. Although we landed from Sofia on time, they held the aircraft on the apron for too long. When they finally attached it to an air bridge, the boarding for the flight to Vilnius had already begun and I almost missed it. Fortunately I arrived in Vilnius on time, but my baggage was not so lucky! Since Turkish airlines do one flight daily to Vilnius, my bag came next day, which caused a lot a lot of troubles. Attaturk airport is simply way congested than it should be for a smooth transfer!

Flight date

August 2015

Airport from

Sofia International Airport

Airport to

Vilnius Airport

Connecting airport/s

Istanbul New Airport

Overall rate

On time arrival of all flights

Baggage handling

Clarity of transfer information

Time between connections

Transit process at connecting airports

Baggage arrived

Missed connecting flight

Recommend this airline for connecting flights

Yes

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