Sep 8, 2017, 8:42 am
Last edit by: zap7
E+ members receive two upgrade vouchers per membership year that can be used as system-wide upgrades. Vouchers are not delivered to E+ status holders in physical or electronic form and only exist on the screens of TK agents.
E+ members with a family membership can use the upgrade voucher on a family member's flight booking (see the TK webpage).
It is advisable to call TK to verify the number of vouchers you have prior to and after the upgrade (unless you have no vouchers left).
---> this also seems to work reliably from the app now (It was glitchy in 2024, but several reports from 2025 show great results with using the app to see how many vouchers are left or to book an upgrade)
Upgrades can be done online, by calling TK CS or through a local TK office (by phone or email). Since April 2024, E+ upgrade vouchers can be viewed and used
on the TK website and app (see the news webpage and Instagram post). The app will show which segments are available, and you can still choose to cancel after that, see screenshots in this post here.
One voucher is needed to upgrade per direction. For example, the itinerary LHR-IST-BKK will need one voucher to upgrade, and the itinerary LHR-IST-BKK-IST-LHR will need two vouchers.
If an agent tells you otherwise (many of them will...), HUCA.
How to find itineraries with availability for a voucher upgrade?
Find an itinerary in any class in Y that has 4 seats left in J booking class on the same itinerary as the Y. To be extra cautious, you may also check the individual legs (when applicable) for 4 seats left in J booking class. For example, for the itinerary LHR-IST-BKK, check at least that LHR-IST-BKK has 4 seats left in J booking class, and in addition, check LHR-IST and IST-BKK individually too.
You can no longer check for upgrade availability without having an e-ticket number.
A relatively low-risk method of proceeding is therefore...
1) Reserve a ticket online with TK but don't pay for the ticket yet. Just put it on hold for 48 hours for free for E+ members.
2) Book an economy class ticket on the same itinerary with a reputable USA-based OTA that offers a 24-hour cooling-off / full refund period.
3) Once you have received your e-ticket number, go to Manage Booking on the TK website and check if TK has offered a business upgrade with miles for your itinerary. Any segment eligible for an upgrade with miles on the website is also eligible for an upgrade with E+ vouchers.
4) Another option would be to call TK CS and ask an agent to check if the ticket in (2) is upgradeable with your vouchers. Do not upgrade this ticket; just check.
5) Once availability is confirmed for your itinerary, pay for the ticket in (1). Upon payment and ticketing, call TK CS to ask an agent to upgrade this ticket.
6) Cancel for free the ticket in (2).
In 2025, this got much easier since all TK tickets booked via the TK app or TK website are now refundable free of charge in the first 24 hours after booking if you did NOT put the reservation on hold before and there are still >7 days before the first flight will start (at least for some markets, e. g. USA and Germany, the app will show that free cancellation is available, see this screenshot).
Another even lower-risk method would be to skip (1) and just upgrade the ticket in (2). If unsuccessful with the E+ upgrade, you can proceed to cancel your economy ticket within the 24-hour cooling-off period. Going with this route, you would then have to be in contact with the OTA and not TK in cases of schedule change, cancellation, or IRROP, which is not usually advisable unless you really have to.
You might be asked to enter a PIN number via an automatic system to access your vouchers; this is the PIN you use to log on to your TK M&S account.
In the last 24 hours before departure, E+ members can use an upgrade voucher for a 'last minute upgrade' on any available business class seat inventory (not confined to J booking class seat inventory). According to the TK website:
You will receive mileage credit based on the original booking class (not the upgraded J booking class).
E+ members with a family membership can use the upgrade voucher on a family member's flight booking (see the TK webpage).
It is advisable to call TK to verify the number of vouchers you have prior to and after the upgrade (unless you have no vouchers left).
---> this also seems to work reliably from the app now (It was glitchy in 2024, but several reports from 2025 show great results with using the app to see how many vouchers are left or to book an upgrade)
Upgrades can be done online, by calling TK CS or through a local TK office (by phone or email). Since April 2024, E+ upgrade vouchers can be viewed and used
on the TK website and app (see the news webpage and Instagram post). The app will show which segments are available, and you can still choose to cancel after that, see screenshots in this post here.
One voucher is needed to upgrade per direction. For example, the itinerary LHR-IST-BKK will need one voucher to upgrade, and the itinerary LHR-IST-BKK-IST-LHR will need two vouchers.
If an agent tells you otherwise (many of them will...), HUCA.
How to find itineraries with availability for a voucher upgrade?
Find an itinerary in any class in Y that has 4 seats left in J booking class on the same itinerary as the Y. To be extra cautious, you may also check the individual legs (when applicable) for 4 seats left in J booking class. For example, for the itinerary LHR-IST-BKK, check at least that LHR-IST-BKK has 4 seats left in J booking class, and in addition, check LHR-IST and IST-BKK individually too.
You can no longer check for upgrade availability without having an e-ticket number.
A relatively low-risk method of proceeding is therefore...
1) Reserve a ticket online with TK but don't pay for the ticket yet. Just put it on hold for 48 hours for free for E+ members.
2) Book an economy class ticket on the same itinerary with a reputable USA-based OTA that offers a 24-hour cooling-off / full refund period.
3) Once you have received your e-ticket number, go to Manage Booking on the TK website and check if TK has offered a business upgrade with miles for your itinerary. Any segment eligible for an upgrade with miles on the website is also eligible for an upgrade with E+ vouchers.
4) Another option would be to call TK CS and ask an agent to check if the ticket in (2) is upgradeable with your vouchers. Do not upgrade this ticket; just check.
5) Once availability is confirmed for your itinerary, pay for the ticket in (1). Upon payment and ticketing, call TK CS to ask an agent to upgrade this ticket.
6) Cancel for free the ticket in (2).
In 2025, this got much easier since all TK tickets booked via the TK app or TK website are now refundable free of charge in the first 24 hours after booking if you did NOT put the reservation on hold before and there are still >7 days before the first flight will start (at least for some markets, e. g. USA and Germany, the app will show that free cancellation is available, see this screenshot).
Another even lower-risk method would be to skip (1) and just upgrade the ticket in (2). If unsuccessful with the E+ upgrade, you can proceed to cancel your economy ticket within the 24-hour cooling-off period. Going with this route, you would then have to be in contact with the OTA and not TK in cases of schedule change, cancellation, or IRROP, which is not usually advisable unless you really have to.
You might be asked to enter a PIN number via an automatic system to access your vouchers; this is the PIN you use to log on to your TK M&S account.
In the last 24 hours before departure, E+ members can use an upgrade voucher for a 'last minute upgrade' on any available business class seat inventory (not confined to J booking class seat inventory). According to the TK website:
- Last minute upgrade is a privilege that allows you to upgrade your ticket to Business Class by using Miles or voucher upgrade in the last 24 hours before the flight depends on the availability.
- All Miles&Smiles members can benefit from the last minute upgrade service if there is a seat on the requested flight. It may change due to operational reasons at some airports.
- Last minute upgrade is also valid for award tickets.
- Last minute upgrades can be made at the counters.
You will receive mileage credit based on the original booking class (not the upgraded J booking class).
Elite Plus upgrade voucher
Mar 3, 2025 | 6:20 pm
#1516
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Programs: TK Elite Plus; UA Gold Elite; Marriott Platinum Elite
Posts: 122
I understand that the policy for how to use the vouchers is unchanged (at least in theory, as CSR's and managers still try to limit it's use to only one leg of married segments), but I'm wondering if the actual seat availability is being limited more. I booked flights from IST-NBO roundtrip 6 months before the flight and there was no availability for vouchers, but there was availability for using miles for upgrade. I never had issues that far out to use my vouchers. Is voucher seat availability different than mile upgrade seat availability?
Mar 16, 2025 | 10:14 am
#1518
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 173
Hmm, I've always had luck with the 4J technique but it failed me this time.
Searched for a flight via IST, the entire journey was bookable on J Class with 4 seats remaining (it was very specifically J-J and J-J on the booking page)
Unfortunately, upon confirming my booking, only 3 legs were "upgradeable" via miles or vouchers (but not cash) and the last leg wasn't.
TK's website still shows the route as 4Js available for booking.
Searched for a flight via IST, the entire journey was bookable on J Class with 4 seats remaining (it was very specifically J-J and J-J on the booking page)
Unfortunately, upon confirming my booking, only 3 legs were "upgradeable" via miles or vouchers (but not cash) and the last leg wasn't.
TK's website still shows the route as 4Js available for booking.
Last edited by Yunnnn; Mar 16, 2025 at 10:20 am
Mar 17, 2025 | 10:11 am
#1519
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Hamburg
Programs: TK E+, LH SEN, Eurobonus Gold, Flying Blue Gold
Posts: 76
no its not, they are for the owner only.
(fancy workaround but didnt want to try it: Booking and upgrading of the Ticket, doing a name change only. But infact its a ticket change, which might "revoke" the voucher.)
(fancy workaround but didnt want to try it: Booking and upgrading of the Ticket, doing a name change only. But infact its a ticket change, which might "revoke" the voucher.)
Mar 18, 2025 | 1:40 am
#1520
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: NUE
Programs: *G (TK elite+, LH SEN), ST elite plus (AF PFL), oneworld emerald (AT),IHG Diamond, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,052
when flying AAA-IST-BBB you have to check J availability on the married flight AAA-IST-BBB as well as availability on the single segments AAA-IST AND IST-BBB individually - only when all three cominations have J availability (must not be J4) then the application should be no issue. You seemed to check only AAA-IST-BBB and not each single sector individually
Mar 18, 2025 | 2:35 am
#1521
Join Date: Oct 2012
Programs: TK EP, AF Platinum for life, something in Oneworld not worth to mention...
Posts: 1,000
Mar 18, 2025 | 3:45 am
#1522
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: NUE
Programs: *G (TK elite+, LH SEN), ST elite plus (AF PFL), oneworld emerald (AT),IHG Diamond, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,052
I also followed up with feedback and they said that empty seats do not translate into availability, even at check in less than 24 hours. I was under the impression that with EP, we had the ability to use vouchers at check in if there was any availability, not just upgradeable seats.
* plane was fully booked, connecting passengers booked in business didn't make the connection or were simply no-shows
* seats could be broken and not sold at all
* plane could have loaded too few business class meals to cater all passengers (especially from European outstations because catering comes from IST)
Mar 18, 2025 | 7:32 pm
#1523
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Programs: TK Elite Plus; UA Gold Elite; Marriott Platinum Elite
Posts: 122
All those options for not allowing an upgrade make sense except that they told me I could pay cash to upgrade when I checked in, which means seats were available.
May 14, 2025 | 6:50 am
#1525
Join Date: Oct 2012
Programs: TK EP, AF Platinum for life, something in Oneworld not worth to mention...
Posts: 1,000
I would not advise to risk.. you may get rebooked in economy if you attempt to change dates/flights - its a risk. Call TK! No need to do anything if you are happy with the small shift in arrival time
Last edited by kaspars; May 14, 2025 at 7:31 am
May 14, 2025 | 12:55 pm
#1526
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: FB, M&S, AA
Posts: 3,559
Interesting....it is just a 25 min arrival change that triggers this possibility for changing or cancelling a ticket. Indeed I would not risk to lose the upgrade in case of changing, but if you want to adjust your departure for free (no change fee, no fare difference) this is a good opportunity.
May 14, 2025 | 3:03 pm
#1527
Join Date: Oct 2023
Posts: 30
Interesting....it is just a 25 min arrival change that triggers this possibility for changing or cancelling a ticket. Indeed I would not risk to lose the upgrade in case of changing, but if you want to adjust your departure for free (no change fee, no fare difference) this is a good opportunity.
May 15, 2025 | 2:00 am
#1528
Join Date: Oct 2012
Programs: TK EP, AF Platinum for life, something in Oneworld not worth to mention...
Posts: 1,000
May 15, 2025 | 2:02 am
#1529
Join Date: Oct 2023
Posts: 30
Is it a change if you confirm it? I would say no. I dont have any vouchers left for this year. If yes I would have just done a flex booking and would have tried it myself. I guess it will work because its just a confirmation which means no change.
May 15, 2025 | 2:29 am
#1530
Join Date: Oct 2012
Programs: TK EP, AF Platinum for life, something in Oneworld not worth to mention...
Posts: 1,000
