Sep 8, 2017, 8:42 am
Last edit by: flyerby
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.
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).
Upgrades are done by calling TK CS or a local TK office (by phone or email).
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, 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 intineray. 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).
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.
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).
Upgrades are done by calling TK CS or a local TK office (by phone or email).
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, 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 intineray. 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).
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.
Elite Plus upgrade voucher
Apr 1, 2019, 2:09 pm
#511
Join Date: Jan 2011
Programs: oneworld, * Alliance, Marriott Bonvoy, HHonors, WoH
Posts: 2,120
On the first day of the new membership year. I got ticketed economy class flights on the first day and got voucher upgrade confirmation on the same day.
Apr 1, 2019, 2:19 pm
#512
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: DTW
Programs: TK E+, WY, Radisson R
Posts: 2,360
I had no trouble upgrading my flights which were J4 I0 R0 earlier this month. I wouldn't be surprised if the restriction is something along the lines of flight is J6 or higher (as a poster above said the TPE office told him/her) - unfortunately, the public can't see above J4, but we can call TK and ask how many seats are available in the J bucket prior to booking.
updates:
Given TK has sales from Canada to East Asia frequently
TK: YUL-SIN/SGN J $2700/$3075 CAD (under 2k USD)
In my case it's no longer worth upgrading once you factor in time involved and extra miles accrued, not to mention stopover options. I'll probably be best off trying to upgrade just YYZ/YUL-IST rt.
Last edited by vincewy; Apr 4, 2019 at 10:35 am
Apr 4, 2019, 2:12 pm
#513
Join Date: Nov 2016
Programs: HHonors Diamond, TK E+, Sixt Diamond
Posts: 120
No issues today at the airport sales office in Frankfurt.
I have reserved my flights online in advance. At this time 2 more seats in J was available.
The employee checked the reservation, upgrade would be possible, than I paid.
Before I try to upgrade my flights via the elite hotline. Three times I called, 5 opinions I received, but no success in upgrading my reservation.
I have reserved my flights online in advance. At this time 2 more seats in J was available.
The employee checked the reservation, upgrade would be possible, than I paid.
Before I try to upgrade my flights via the elite hotline. Three times I called, 5 opinions I received, but no success in upgrading my reservation.
Apr 4, 2019, 2:15 pm
#514
Join Date: May 2016
Location: SFO, DUS
Programs: BA Gold (OW Emer), TK ELPL (*G), Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, IHG Gold
Posts: 528
No issues today at the airport sales office in Frankfurt.
I have reserved my flights online in advance. At this time 2 more seats in J was available.
The employee checked the reservation, upgrade would be possible, than I paid.
Before I try to upgrade my flights via the elite hotline. Three times I called, 5 opinions I received, but no success in upgrading my reservation.
I have reserved my flights online in advance. At this time 2 more seats in J was available.
The employee checked the reservation, upgrade would be possible, than I paid.
Before I try to upgrade my flights via the elite hotline. Three times I called, 5 opinions I received, but no success in upgrading my reservation.
Thanks for the data point.
Apr 5, 2019, 1:27 am
#515
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: CDG
Programs: TK Elite
Posts: 1,611
No issues today at the airport sales office in Frankfurt.
I have reserved my flights online in advance. At this time 2 more seats in J was available.
The employee checked the reservation, upgrade would be possible, than I paid.
Before I try to upgrade my flights via the elite hotline. Three times I called, 5 opinions I received, but no success in upgrading my reservation.
I have reserved my flights online in advance. At this time 2 more seats in J was available.
The employee checked the reservation, upgrade would be possible, than I paid.
Before I try to upgrade my flights via the elite hotline. Three times I called, 5 opinions I received, but no success in upgrading my reservation.
Thanks for the data point
I should have one more to add before month end.
Apr 12, 2019, 4:32 am
#516
Join Date: Sep 2017
Programs: TK E+, RJ S, AZ E
Posts: 1,869
It indeed works nicely but for someone who sometimes takes an interest at the edge of the window (especially when getting in addition an award ticket in the high season), Priceline’s edge of the window is about a month behind TK one.
Apr 12, 2019, 7:46 am
#517
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: MUC
Programs: TK M&S Elite+, Qatar Platinum
Posts: 108
Dear agent: "I would like to apply my annual Elite Plus voucher. Could you please check if the following four segments of a round trip are available for an upgrade?"
Agent: "Please give me your ticket number"
Me: "I do not have a ticket yet. Could you please check award availability first."
Agent: "Since our system change three months ago that is not possible anymore."
Me: "So I should purchase a ticket and find out afterward if it can be upgraded or not?"
Agent: "Yes, I am sorry but that is correct."
Me: "No, that is definitely not correct. But thanks bye"
W.T.F.!!!
Agent: "Please give me your ticket number"
Me: "I do not have a ticket yet. Could you please check award availability first."
Agent: "Since our system change three months ago that is not possible anymore."
Me: "So I should purchase a ticket and find out afterward if it can be upgraded or not?"
Agent: "Yes, I am sorry but that is correct."
Me: "No, that is definitely not correct. But thanks bye"
W.T.F.!!!
Apr 12, 2019, 7:53 am
#518
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 310
Dear agent: "I would like to apply my annual Elite Plus voucher. Could you please check if the following four segments of a round trip are available for an upgrade?"
Agent: "Please give me your ticket number"
Me: "I do not have a ticket yet. Could you please check award availability first."
Agent: "Since our system change three months ago that is not possible anymore."
Me: "So I should purchase a ticket and find out afterward if it can be upgraded or not?"
Agent: "Yes, I am sorry but that is correct."
Me: "No, that is definitely not correct. But thanks bye"
W.T.F.!!!
Agent: "Please give me your ticket number"
Me: "I do not have a ticket yet. Could you please check award availability first."
Agent: "Since our system change three months ago that is not possible anymore."
Me: "So I should purchase a ticket and find out afterward if it can be upgraded or not?"
Agent: "Yes, I am sorry but that is correct."
Me: "No, that is definitely not correct. But thanks bye"
W.T.F.!!!
Apr 12, 2019, 8:40 am
#519
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: MUC
Programs: TK M&S Elite+, Qatar Platinum
Posts: 108
How about a Economy Flex ticket that I purchase directly on the TK Website? Would I get 100% refund when canceled the same day?
Apr 17, 2019, 1:56 am
#521
Join Date: Apr 2019
Programs: Turkish Airlines
Posts: 6
A real nightmare !
My husband is an Elite Plus member and a just called the helpdesk in order to get the free upgrade but the answer is : SORRY NOT POSSIBLE and why ? The system doesn't allow the free upgrade or any upgrade for your ticket !
The ticket is economy Q class, an expensive class for economy !
On TK site it is written that Q class economy is eligible for upgrade.
We fly TK for many years in order to benefits from their advantage but now I'm very very very disappointed about this answer !
Shall I continue with TK or change ? What do you think ?
My husband is an Elite Plus member and a just called the helpdesk in order to get the free upgrade but the answer is : SORRY NOT POSSIBLE and why ? The system doesn't allow the free upgrade or any upgrade for your ticket !
The ticket is economy Q class, an expensive class for economy !
On TK site it is written that Q class economy is eligible for upgrade.
We fly TK for many years in order to benefits from their advantage but now I'm very very very disappointed about this answer !
Shall I continue with TK or change ? What do you think ?
Apr 17, 2019, 2:50 am
#522
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,041
A real nightmare !
My husband is an Elite Plus member and a just called the helpdesk in order to get the free upgrade but the answer is : SORRY NOT POSSIBLE and why ? The system doesn't allow the free upgrade or any upgrade for your ticket !
The ticket is economy Q class, an expensive class for economy !
On TK site it is written that Q class economy is eligible for upgrade.
We fly TK for many years in order to benefits from their advantage but now I'm very very very disappointed about this answer !
Shall I continue with TK or change ? What do you think ?
My husband is an Elite Plus member and a just called the helpdesk in order to get the free upgrade but the answer is : SORRY NOT POSSIBLE and why ? The system doesn't allow the free upgrade or any upgrade for your ticket !
The ticket is economy Q class, an expensive class for economy !
On TK site it is written that Q class economy is eligible for upgrade.
We fly TK for many years in order to benefits from their advantage but now I'm very very very disappointed about this answer !
Shall I continue with TK or change ? What do you think ?
Have you checked for the appropriate J fare bucket availability for the flights you want to upgrade? Without it, your upgrade is unlikely to be processed. You can't just upgrade any flight you want...
Q can be upgraded. The issue is not there...
P.S. I'm not aware of too many other airlines that do complimentary long-haul upgrades for 40K mile per year travellers. Change programmes if you must but the grass probably isn't greener.
Apr 17, 2019, 5:53 am
#524
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,041
If you read through this thread, you'll see that we are just as confused and worried about the new system as you. But nobody knows for sure and we are just collecting data points to help guide decisions.
Apr 17, 2019, 8:41 am
#525
Join Date: Sep 2017
Programs: TK E+, RJ S, AZ E
Posts: 1,869