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Ahoy, mileage runners! (Incl. immediate turnarounds)

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Old Jan 23, 2019, 9:42 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: AhogZ
This Wikipost is community-maintained and For Information Only. Note that not all information may be up to date and should be used at your own risk.

Safe - Immediate turnaround is easy, i.e. according to experience it is possible to reach departure gate quickly and without extra security check when doing same plane turnaround.
Intermediate - Immediate turnaround is doable, but requires e.g. extra security check.
Risky - Immediate turnaround not recommended. (See notes.)

TO KEEP THE WIKI AS COHERENT AS POSSIBLE, PLEASE USE "SAFE", "INTERMEDIATE" OR "RISKY" APPROPRIATELY! (I.e. no "Safe" for stations that require any kind of security or transfer check, not to mention going landside, etc.)

Immediate turnaround information for European AY destinations:

ACE: ?
AGP: Safe (Arrivals pour directly to departure gate.) Details here from August 2022
ALC: Intermediate, Arrivals pour from jetbridge to "funnel pathway" which takes people to baggage claim, but one can look for "Transfer" signage and take escalator up to the gate area. No checkpoints.
AMS: Safe (Arrivals pour directly to departure gate.)
ARN: Safe / Intermediate (Arrivals pour directly to departure gate, except gate 62 arrival pours to baggage claim. ATR flights may be riskier if one ends up with a bus gate.)
ATH: Intermediate at best
AYT: ?
BCN: No direct turnarounds due to operated by IB.
BER: ?
BGO: Safe (Arrivals pour directly to departure gate.)
BLL: ?
BMA: Safe (Transfer door is before going to the terminal exit and boarding will not start before the incoming plane is empty.)
BRU: Safe (Arrivals pour directly to departure gate.)
BUD: Safe (Arrivals pour directly to departure gate.)
CDG: ?
CFU: ?
CHQ: Risky (To landside first and security needed. Long lines possibile.)
CPH: Safe (Arrivals pour directly to departure gate.)
CTA: ?
DBV: ?
DUB: ?
DUS: ?
EDI: ? (Security check required for sure.)
FCO: Intermediate / Risky. Bus transportation can cause long walks.
FNC: Intermediate (Exit via baggage claim and reclear security, but should be doable if you exit among the first from the inbound flight. Mobile BP not available, obtain a BP from HEL.)
FRA: Safe (Even with the bus from stand you can make it.)
FUE: ?
GDN: Risky (Providing it is ATR by Norra, apron position, walking / bussing to the arrivals, queue security (can be very long), sprint upstairs to the gate.)
GOT: Safe / Intermediate(At least on tube arrival, after exit from the tube to the terminal area, turn around and you are at the departure gate. No info on possible bus gates though.)
GVA: ?
GZP: ?
HAJ: Safe (Arrival at departure gate)
HAM: ?
HER: ?
IBZ: ?
INN: Intermediate / Risky (To landside first and then security. No airside transit.)
IVL: Safe, arrivals pour into the gate area.
JOE: Intermediate (Exit via baggage claim and reclear security, but should be doable if you exit among the first from the inbound flight.)
JSI: ?
JTR: ?
JYV: ?
KAJ: ?
KAO: ?
KEF: ?
KEM: ?
KGS: ?
KOK: ?
KRK: Intermediate (AY rarely has a jetty position so bus, arrivals then go upstairs to departures for security, there is a fast track for OW elites - not well signposted - separate B/Pass scanner to the left)
KTT: ?
KUO: Intermediate (Exit via baggage claim and reclear security, but should be doable if you exit among the first from the inbound flight.)
LHR: Intermediate (Need to go via Flight Connections to reclear security, which may take time depending on the time of the day.)
LIS: ?
LIN: Safe, arrivals pour into departures.
LJU: ?
LPA: ?
LYS: ?
MAD: No direct turnarounds due to operated by IB.
MAH: ?
MAN: Intermediate/Risky, requires reclearing security.
MHQ: ?
MSQ: ?
MUC: Safe (Arrivals pour directly to departure gate.)
MXP: Intermediate / Risky (Arrivals come into a different floor, transfer requires walking through a transfer point and distances are quite long.)
NAP: ?
NCE: ?
OSL: Safe / Intermediate (D gates pours directly to departures. E gates also pours to departure gate, follow transit arrow, automatic gate door will open during "normal" hours. IF door doesn't open go upstairs try the transfer security. Very rare reports of stand arrival with bus to exit, but should still be doable, security is usually fast and short distances.)
OUL: Safe (Arrivals pour directly to departure gate.)
PFO: ?
PMI: ?
PRG: Safe (From arrivals walk up to departures to departure gate.)
PVK: ?
RHO: Risky (Arrivals pour to baggage claim, security check usually has long lines before you get to the departure hall.)
RIX: Risky. After deplaning, you walk to the terminal, but boarding is done with buses. My flight was delayed, and they started boarding before the plane was even there.
RMI: ?
RVN: Intermediate (Exit via baggage claim and reclear security, but should be doable if you exit among the first from the inbound flight.)
SPU: ?
SZG: ?
TAY: ?
TFS: ?
TLL: Risky (May have a remote stand arrival, when departing flight has been boarded into a bus with boarding gate already closed.)
TLV: ?
TOS: ?
UME: ?
VAA: Intermediate (Exit via baggage claim and reclear security, but should be doable if you exit among the first from the inbound flight.)
VBY: ?
VCE: ?
VIE: Safe (Arrivals pour directly to departure gate.)
VNO: Risky. (Departing pax board bus when arriving pax still deplaning. Connection corridor available but not sure how straightforward it is).
VRN: ?
WAW: Safe (Arrivals pour to departure gate.)
ZRH: Safe (When exiting the bridge, you are under the gates and there are inclined speedwalks that bring back to the gates upstairs.)

Immediate turnaround information for selected longhaul AY destinations:

DEL: Intermediate (There's plenty of time for the obligatory visit to the transit desk and security. However, you'll need a self-printed visa confirmation to show the gate agent at HEL.)
DOH: ?
DXB: Intermediate (Follow "connections" to security downstairs and after that go to transfer desk if needed.)
JFK: Intermediate (Generous time with the new schedule, but you'll need to clear US immigration so ESTA or visa is needed.)
NRT: Intermediate (OLCI and mobile BP works, no need to go landside. There's transfer security, though.)
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Ahoy, mileage runners! (Incl. immediate turnarounds)

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Old Jun 27, 2017, 8:15 am
  #901  
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Helsinki
Programs: AY Platinum
Posts: 303
Hi all,

With the help of a couple of more flights and a point conversion, I'm about to reach Plat during the summer. However, as I would have to burn additional 15,000 award points to reach my final 400 points, I'm thinking of getting the last points by flying instead of converting.

It looks like HEL-TKU-HEL could be an easy way to do it. This will be separate tickets - would any of you be able to advise if there are any risks if I take the morning flight via Mariehamn, scheduled to arrive at 10.30 in TKU and take the 10.50 flight back. It must be the same ATR plane anyway. I've never been to the TKU airport - will there be any issues with the bus transport etc?

Thanks!
loimu is offline  
Old Jun 27, 2017, 10:20 am
  #902  
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: HEL
Programs: BA Gold, OZ Diamond, LH Silver
Posts: 553
Originally Posted by loimu
Hi all,

With the help of a couple of more flights and a point conversion, I'm about to reach Plat during the summer. However, as I would have to burn additional 15,000 award points to reach my final 400 points, I'm thinking of getting the last points by flying instead of converting.

It looks like HEL-TKU-HEL could be an easy way to do it. This will be separate tickets - would any of you be able to advise if there are any risks if I take the morning flight via Mariehamn, scheduled to arrive at 10.30 in TKU and take the 10.50 flight back. It must be the same ATR plane anyway. I've never been to the TKU airport - will there be any issues with the bus transport etc?

Thanks!
I did this route in reverse with outbound HEL-TKU and same plane inbound TKU-MHQ-HEL. You have to go through security again in TKU but the whole process takes just a couple of minutes from aircraft back to departure lounge as the terminal is very small. There should therefore be no issues!

BTW, when I did this I got a bit worried as there was nobody at security control when I arrived. I inquired about it at information booth on the right side of the security lanes only to find out that the information guy was also the security controller TKU certainly is a small airport!
haapalainen is offline  
Old Jun 28, 2017, 2:14 am
  #903  
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Helsinki
Programs: AY Platinum
Posts: 303
Thanks haapalainen, sounds good! If one could predict the weather and got the guarantee that it was going to be good, having lunch and a beer by Aurajoki would be a nice alternative too, before flying back..
loimu is offline  
Old Jul 15, 2017, 4:33 am
  #904  
HJP
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: HEL
Programs: AY+ Gold
Posts: 428
Originally Posted by loimu
Hi all,

With the help of a couple of more flights and a point conversion, I'm about to reach Plat during the summer. However, as I would have to burn additional 15,000 award points to reach my final 400 points, I'm thinking of getting the last points by flying instead of converting.

It looks like HEL-TKU-HEL could be an easy way to do it. This will be separate tickets - would any of you be able to advise if there are any risks if I take the morning flight via Mariehamn, scheduled to arrive at 10.30 in TKU and take the 10.50 flight back. It must be the same ATR plane anyway. I've never been to the TKU airport - will there be any issues with the bus transport etc?

Thanks!
A friend did this AY215 MR today, HEL-MHQ-TKU + TKU-HEL all on same plane and ticket. They didn't have to exit the plane at all in TKU, they told the FA that they are coming back with the same plane and FA fixed the rest with ground staff.
HJP is offline  
Old Jul 18, 2017, 1:18 am
  #905  
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Helsinki
Programs: AY Platinum
Posts: 303
Originally Posted by HJP
A friend did this AY215 MR today, HEL-MHQ-TKU + TKU-HEL all on same plane and ticket. They didn't have to exit the plane at all in TKU, they told the FA that they are coming back with the same plane and FA fixed the rest with ground staff.
That was good service!

We ended up going to Tallinn, with a next-day return. It was the most convenient Tallinn trip ever - an ATR is a way more sophisticated way of visiting Estonia, compared to the ferry! Also the airport and the lounge were cool. Still got the chance to trash AY a bit during the trip: they have a new automated email, saying "Time to go back home". In this case we hardly even had reached our destination before Finnair suggested I should already go home.

Two weeks to Platinum - I feel excited!
loimu is offline  
Old Jul 18, 2017, 12:07 pm
  #906  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: HEL
Programs: lots of shiny metal cards
Posts: 14,105
Originally Posted by loimu
an ATR is a way more sophisticated way of visiting Estonia, compared to the ferry!

Two weeks to Platinum - I feel excited!
Agree - though I still mourn the end of the chopper service HEN-EECL. Now that was in style!

And ^ for the upcoming Plat year!
WilcoRoger is offline  
Old Jul 18, 2017, 6:07 pm
  #907  
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 212
Try the business lounge, 25 euros + normal ticket price on Viking Lines fast ferry catamaran FSTR. 2 hours including beer, wine, warm and cold food and quiet spacy lounge
ylefin is offline  
Old Jul 18, 2017, 11:22 pm
  #908  
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Plat Lumo
Posts: 1,519
Originally Posted by ylefin
Try the business lounge, 25 euros + normal ticket price on Viking Lines fast ferry catamaran FSTR. 2 hours including beer, wine, warm and cold food and quiet spacy lounge
So ATR is cheaper?
cistavoda is offline  
Old Jul 19, 2017, 1:24 am
  #909  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: HEL
Programs: lots of shiny metal cards
Posts: 14,105
Originally Posted by ylefin
Try the business lounge, 25 euros + normal ticket price on Viking Lines fast ferry catamaran FSTR. 2 hours including beer, wine, warm and cold food and quiet spacy lounge
The problem for me is that by cab it's 1+ hr to the port + 2 hrs on the sea, so door to door is 3,5 hrs minimum. Flying is 2 hrs tops door to door.
WilcoRoger is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2017, 10:25 am
  #910  
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: HEL
Programs: AY+Plat, ALL Plat, Scandic L2
Posts: 3,620
HEL-LAX below 500€ with AA codes for stays including saturday night. Lots of availability at least in September. Can do LAX-{SFO,ORD}-HEL on return.
Courmisch is offline  
Old Aug 8, 2017, 12:26 pm
  #911  
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 12
Got my Silver first time this year and figured I could as well go straight for Gold. Will probably be at 47k points after all necessary flying. The cheapest way to the 60k points required (with conversion of 60k award points to tier points) for Gold I've found would be to do two CDG-HEL-TLL (I'll be spending some time in Paris anyway so no positioning required here) runs on AY Value tickets, netting 13200 points for 467€. I guess this would be a reasonable amount to pay for a first-time Gold given the resulting eight upgrades.

Investing a bit more might yield better value: I managed to dig up a (totally insane) 35k points itinerary CDG-DFW-SCL-MIA-LAX-LHR-CDG on AA codes for 759€. This would get me to Gold with over 80k award points in my pocket for the extra cost of about 400€ when compared to just getting the bare minimum of 60k tier points and converting the rest from award points.

Any suggestions or opinions?
kartos is offline  
Old Aug 8, 2017, 12:49 pm
  #912  
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: HEL
Programs: AY+Plat, ALL Plat, Scandic L2
Posts: 3,620
Yes, AA discounted economy earnings have been great since the TATL joint venture started.

It was not like that before the JV though. It took some trickery to find cheap AA H fares.
Courmisch is offline  
Old Aug 8, 2017, 1:36 pm
  #913  
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 280
Originally Posted by kartos
Investing a bit more might yield better value: I managed to dig up a (totally insane) 35k points itinerary CDG-DFW-SCL-MIA-LAX-LHR-CDG on AA codes for 759€. This would get me to Gold with over 80k award points in my pocket for the extra cost of about 400€ when compared to just getting the bare minimum of 60k tier points and converting the rest from award points.
Especially if this is a real mileage run with no or minimal time spent on the ground, you will really appreciate the lounge access on your next flights granted by your shiny gold card.
jmmi is offline  
Old Aug 10, 2017, 11:30 am
  #914  
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 12
Originally Posted by Courmisch
Yes, AA discounted economy earnings have been great since the TATL joint venture started.

It was not like that before the JV though. It took some trickery to find cheap AA H fares.
Though I suppose the joint venture has made it more difficult to find decently priced 100% earning AY fares to the US.

Originally Posted by jmmi
Especially if this is a real mileage run with no or minimal time spent on the ground, you will really appreciate the lounge access on your next flights granted by your shiny gold card.
Yeah, that would perhaps be a bit too brutal at this point without lounge access. Something like a direct turn at Delhi would be feasible though.
kartos is offline  
Old Aug 10, 2017, 3:29 pm
  #915  
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: HEL
Programs: AY GOLD, HH GOLD
Posts: 411
Originally Posted by kartos
Though I suppose the joint venture has made it more difficult to find decently priced 100% earning AY fares to the US.
AA fligths earn always at least 100% on AY and there's plenty of good MR rates all year round, especially from ARN.
aama is offline  


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