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
Sep 10, 2019, 10:48 am
#646
Join Date: May 2016
Location: SFO, DUS
Programs: BA Gold (OW Emer), TK ELPL (*G), Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, IHG Gold
Posts: 528
I recommend that people call TK before making any reservations they intend to upgrade using a voucher.
I called TK and my vouchers for the new elite year had not yet been received. The agent suggested that this is a common problem but that Istanbul will issue the vouchers for me within an hour.
Luckily I booked with a US OTA so have enough time to wait before cancelling the whole thing if necessary.
But it would have been less nerve-wracking if I had simply spent 5 minutes ahead of time to call TK to confirm that I have the 2 vouchers I'm expecting to have...
I called TK and my vouchers for the new elite year had not yet been received. The agent suggested that this is a common problem but that Istanbul will issue the vouchers for me within an hour.
Luckily I booked with a US OTA so have enough time to wait before cancelling the whole thing if necessary.
But it would have been less nerve-wracking if I had simply spent 5 minutes ahead of time to call TK to confirm that I have the 2 vouchers I'm expecting to have...
Sep 10, 2019, 12:30 pm
#647
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: DTW
Programs: TK E+, WY, Radisson R
Posts: 2,360
Even Star Alliance is considering a tier higher than Gold, supposedly to thin out the crowd.
Sep 10, 2019, 2:18 pm
#648
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: 13,051
Somehow I feel like this is the perk they'll eventually remove given all the hoops you have to jump to upgrade at the moment, or we may soon see TK creating another upper tier with gift upgrades exclusively for this highest tier.
Even Star Alliance is considering a tier higher than Gold, supposedly to thin out the crowd.
Even Star Alliance is considering a tier higher than Gold, supposedly to thin out the crowd.
And that *A is notorious for letting individual airlines treat their own members (and especially elites) much better than the rest. So unless a new * Titanium or whatever was actually respected across the alliance, it would just be a waste of time.
But anyhow, no need IMO to take this thread off into pointless speculation...
Sep 25, 2019, 2:23 am
#649
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY, SK, TK
Posts: 7,602
How much one can hate TK for things like this. Customer is really a anti-King for them. Thanks to Your heads-up, I did call TK just to confirm my upgrade vouchers are in my account (cannot see them online anywhere at least), and the agent told they are not there and I HAVE TO SEND A FEEDBACK FORM FOR THEIR MANAGEMENT REVIEW TO ISSUE THE VOUCHERS. What an idiot small little pig I feel as customer the way TK treats their customers. Oh well.
Sep 26, 2019, 4:30 pm
#650
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: TK Elite Plus, SAS EBG, QR Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,297
When things couldn't possible get worse, they did.
I booked a round trip ticket to Singapore in Economy. Made sure to check that there was availability and it checked out. J-Class available both on ExpertFlyer and the TK website. Award seats also available on the exact same flights.
Made a call to the call centre hoping it would be a quick and painless process as it has been in the past, but I was dead wrong. The agent was able to locate the availability but was unable to deduct the vouchers from the account. The system update from November last year has once again messed things up badly. If you have a space in your last name the TK website merges the names together on the ticket. On the membership account however, my name is written out with the space.
Somehow the system can't process the upgrade if you have a space in your last name and there's absolutely nothing that you can do about it.
As I was 99% confident regarding the availability, I booked directly through the TK website. Sadly that was a BIG mistake. Ironically enough Expedia doesn't automatically merge names together, so had I booked through them this issue would have never arose.
This is beyond frustrating and I'm starting to believe that this airline is cursed.
I booked a round trip ticket to Singapore in Economy. Made sure to check that there was availability and it checked out. J-Class available both on ExpertFlyer and the TK website. Award seats also available on the exact same flights.
Made a call to the call centre hoping it would be a quick and painless process as it has been in the past, but I was dead wrong. The agent was able to locate the availability but was unable to deduct the vouchers from the account. The system update from November last year has once again messed things up badly. If you have a space in your last name the TK website merges the names together on the ticket. On the membership account however, my name is written out with the space.
Somehow the system can't process the upgrade if you have a space in your last name and there's absolutely nothing that you can do about it.
As I was 99% confident regarding the availability, I booked directly through the TK website. Sadly that was a BIG mistake. Ironically enough Expedia doesn't automatically merge names together, so had I booked through them this issue would have never arose.
This is beyond frustrating and I'm starting to believe that this airline is cursed.
Sep 26, 2019, 4:44 pm
#651
Join Date: Nov 2018
Programs: Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Elite Plus, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium, Hilton Honors Gold
Posts: 22
When things couldn't possible get worse, they did.
I booked a round trip ticket to Singapore in Economy. Made sure to check that there was availability and it checked out. J-Class available both on ExpertFlyer and the TK website. Award seats also available on the exact same flights.
Made a call to the call centre hoping it would be a quick and painless process as it has been in the past, but I was dead wrong. The agent was able to locate the availability but was unable to deduct the vouchers from the account. The system update from November last year has once again messed things up badly. If you have a space in your last name the TK website merges the names together on the ticket. On the membership account however, my name is written out with the space.
Somehow the system can't process the upgrade if you have a space in your last name and there's absolutely nothing that you can do about it.
As I was 99% confident regarding the availability, I booked directly through the TK website. Sadly that was a BIG mistake. Ironically enough Expedia doesn't automatically merge names together, so had I booked through them this issue would have never arose.
This is beyond frustrating and I'm starting to believe that this airline is cursed.
I booked a round trip ticket to Singapore in Economy. Made sure to check that there was availability and it checked out. J-Class available both on ExpertFlyer and the TK website. Award seats also available on the exact same flights.
Made a call to the call centre hoping it would be a quick and painless process as it has been in the past, but I was dead wrong. The agent was able to locate the availability but was unable to deduct the vouchers from the account. The system update from November last year has once again messed things up badly. If you have a space in your last name the TK website merges the names together on the ticket. On the membership account however, my name is written out with the space.
Somehow the system can't process the upgrade if you have a space in your last name and there's absolutely nothing that you can do about it.
As I was 99% confident regarding the availability, I booked directly through the TK website. Sadly that was a BIG mistake. Ironically enough Expedia doesn't automatically merge names together, so had I booked through them this issue would have never arose.
This is beyond frustrating and I'm starting to believe that this airline is cursed.
I'd suggest "fixing" your last name issue first. Have them merge it into one word. As soon as that's done, they will be able to process the upgrade.
As compensation for all the frustration, my city's sales office upgraded me on the entire itinerary even though "supposedly" there was no J-class availability on the way back from Singapore to IST (according to the Elite/Elite Plus line agents). Good luck!
Sep 26, 2019, 5:02 pm
#652
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: TK Elite Plus, SAS EBG, QR Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,297
Hey, I understand your frustration; I ran into the same issue earlier this year and funnily, it was also on a roundtrip ticket to Singapore. You just have to be patient (I know it's not what you wanted to hear)...
I'd suggest "fixing" your last name issue first. Have them merge it into one word. As soon as that's done, they will be able to process the upgrade.
As compensation for all the frustration, my city's sales office upgraded me on the entire itinerary even though "supposedly" there was no J-class availability on the way back from Singapore to IST (according to the Elite/Elite Plus line agents). Good luck!
I'd suggest "fixing" your last name issue first. Have them merge it into one word. As soon as that's done, they will be able to process the upgrade.
As compensation for all the frustration, my city's sales office upgraded me on the entire itinerary even though "supposedly" there was no J-class availability on the way back from Singapore to IST (according to the Elite/Elite Plus line agents). Good luck!
Sep 26, 2019, 5:22 pm
#653
Join Date: Nov 2018
Programs: Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Elite Plus, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium, Hilton Honors Gold
Posts: 22
I do not think they will process in less than a day. It took them almost a week to fix mine... Let me know if they actually do.
Sep 26, 2019, 6:35 pm
#654
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: TK Elite Plus, SAS EBG, QR Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,297
Okay, usually they have replied to me in 3-4 days. Is there any chance for the local sales office to expedite the process or deduct the vouchers manually?
Sep 26, 2019, 9:06 pm
#655
Join Date: Nov 2018
Programs: Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Elite Plus, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium, Hilton Honors Gold
Posts: 22
Yes, they can be of help sometimes. In my case, they called the HQ back in Turkey on my behalf. And no, they cannot manually redeem them if the automated system rejects them. Well, at least that's what they told me...
Sep 27, 2019, 12:40 am
#656
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: C2
Programs: AY ex-Lumo, TK Elite, BT VIP, ITA Executive
Posts: 1,157
Just a note - Stockholm ARN office seemed to have at least one skilled worker who understood their job. I got one award issue solved there. May be useful if you are flying out/in as it's on the way.
Sep 27, 2019, 6:40 am
#657
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: TK Elite Plus, SAS EBG, QR Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,297
Still a very troublesome process, and the staff at the local offices are rarely happy to have to deal with these kind of issues.
Sep 27, 2019, 9:57 pm
#658
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY, SK, TK
Posts: 7,602
Luckily I know a person at the Stockholm office in the center of the city, and he was able to pull some strings and contact the back office. Essentially they merged my last name on my membership account and they were then able to deduct the vouchers to process the upgrade.
Still a very troublesome process, and the staff at the local offices are rarely happy to have to deal with these kind of issues.
Still a very troublesome process, and the staff at the local offices are rarely happy to have to deal with these kind of issues.
I have similar problem and also freaked out by TK how bad they can mess things. Literally these silly things keep me out from booking them, even if I would like to use their routes! So stupid thing...
Latest last week I made all efforts to book them a longhaul again but finally opted for competition.