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
#1021
Join Date: Sep 2017
Programs: TK E+, RJ S, AZ E
Posts: 1,871
Yes, the E+ vouchers must be applied to a booking during the year they are valid, the upgraded flight(s) can physically occur upto 350 days later (ie the maximum possible booking window). You should be aware, however, that if you cancel your reservation after the voucher has expired it will not be returned.
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#1023
Join Date: Jan 2011
Programs: oneworld, * Alliance, Marriott Bonvoy, HHonors, WoH
Posts: 2,124
A side note.
I helped a friend to choose the flights to upgrade from several options.
All flights(to several cities of Southeast Asia including Christmas and New Year period, outbound) were with J availability and with immediate confirmation.
His new membership two year period started in the end of the December. He used two vouchers as should but the most interesting is that in the end of the March there were additionally two upgrade vouchers added with validation ending on December 2024. So he can use those two vouchers now if he would like.
I helped a friend to choose the flights to upgrade from several options.
All flights(to several cities of Southeast Asia including Christmas and New Year period, outbound) were with J availability and with immediate confirmation.
His new membership two year period started in the end of the December. He used two vouchers as should but the most interesting is that in the end of the March there were additionally two upgrade vouchers added with validation ending on December 2024. So he can use those two vouchers now if he would like.
#1024
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: The KUL city
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat, TK Elite+
Posts: 2,666
I haven't used the E+ upgrade voucher in a while, but can you apply the voucher for travel beyond the expiration date? E.g. I was upgraded to E+ on 1 February 2023 - can I use the current (first) year E+ voucher for travel say in March 2024?
And I assume that 1 voucher is good for for 2 segments if both your married segments has J availability if the transit in IST is <24H? Do I need 2 vouchers if I have a transit in IST >24H? Thank you in advance.
And I assume that 1 voucher is good for for 2 segments if both your married segments has J availability if the transit in IST is <24H? Do I need 2 vouchers if I have a transit in IST >24H? Thank you in advance.
#1025
Join Date: Jan 2011
Programs: oneworld, * Alliance, Marriott Bonvoy, HHonors, WoH
Posts: 2,124
I haven't used the E+ upgrade voucher in a while, but can you apply the voucher for travel beyond the expiration date? E.g. I was upgraded to E+ on 1 February 2023 - can I use the current (first) year E+ voucher for travel say in March 2024?
And I assume that 1 voucher is good for for 2 segments if both your married segments has J availability if the transit in IST is <24H? Do I need 2 vouchers if I have a transit in IST >24H? Thank you in advance.
And I assume that 1 voucher is good for for 2 segments if both your married segments has J availability if the transit in IST is <24H? Do I need 2 vouchers if I have a transit in IST >24H? Thank you in advance.
One voucher is good for two segments without stopover in IST. You do need two vouchers when having a stopover(more than 24h) in IST.
#1026
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: 13,057
However... if there's a schedule change or cancellation, you might find yourself in the surreal situation where your E+ vouchers are removed from the booking, immediately expire, and are therefore unavailable for application to your replacement flight.
So by all means book for a 1-2months beyond the expiry date, but not 10-11 months...
#1027
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: The KUL city
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat, TK Elite+
Posts: 2,666
You can indeed fly beyond the expiry date, essentially for as far into the future as you can book.
However... if there's a schedule change or cancellation, you might find yourself in the surreal situation where your E+ vouchers are removed from the booking, immediately expire, and are therefore unavailable for application to your replacement flight.
So by all means book for a 1-2months beyond the expiry date, but not 10-11 months...
However... if there's a schedule change or cancellation, you might find yourself in the surreal situation where your E+ vouchers are removed from the booking, immediately expire, and are therefore unavailable for application to your replacement flight.
So by all means book for a 1-2months beyond the expiry date, but not 10-11 months...
#1028
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: 13,057
Thank you for the great advice. Does the E+ voucher gets removed every time there's a schedule change or does it only apply if it's used beyond expiration? Do I have to worry about say booking a flight in say January 2024 (within voucher expiration) and everything is in J now but with a schedule change I am downgraded back to Y and I need to find for J space again?
But, yes, my understanding from skimming over DPs in this thread is that you are downgraded to Y, the voucher is returned, and then hopefully an agent can get you back into J. Very annoying and frustrating.
#1029
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: The KUL city
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat, TK Elite+
Posts: 2,666
Thank you for your reply again If that's the case, I might be better off booking closer to departure instead of booking something months out. I read that in the event of a schedule change, just don't accept the schedule change and just check in as usual at the airport - and it will sort out itself there - doesn't sound like the most secure way but better than being downgraded to Y.
Last edited by nov11; May 6, 2023 at 3:24 am
#1030
Join Date: Jan 2011
Programs: oneworld, * Alliance, Marriott Bonvoy, HHonors, WoH
Posts: 2,124
Yes, correct. When schedule change occurs, you can easily move the short haul sector on one way or return to less than 24 hours connection or 7 days ahead if available or extend the stopover in IST up to 30 days from original flight on return.
#1031
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: The KUL city
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat, TK Elite+
Posts: 2,666
Oh wow. I didn't know that they have such a big allowance for schedule change. Good to know Thank you.
#1032
Join Date: Nov 2016
Programs: HHonors Diamond, TK E+, Sixt Diamond
Posts: 120
Last days I had my upgraded (ElitePlus Voucher) flight FRA-IST-BKK due a short connection and a delay from Frankfurt I missed my 2nd flight to Bangkok.
I came as it has to come, they only gave me a new boarding pass for eco.
All discussions useless, of course no J class available and also the voucher was used for the first flight.
As there was space available in the business class, I tried to upgrade with miles or cash, but without success.
Well done TK
Confirmed J Class for the long flight ticket and ended up in the Eco!
I came as it has to come, they only gave me a new boarding pass for eco.
All discussions useless, of course no J class available and also the voucher was used for the first flight.
As there was space available in the business class, I tried to upgrade with miles or cash, but without success.
Well done TK
Confirmed J Class for the long flight ticket and ended up in the Eco!
Last edited by fvn1312; Mar 14, 2024 at 3:53 pm
#1033
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: allaroundasia
Programs: LH SEN, SPG Plat.M&S E+
Posts: 222
Last days I had my upgraded (ElitePlus Voucher) flight FRA-IST-BKK due a short connection and a delay from Frankfurt I missed my 2nd flight to Bangkok.
I came as it has to come, the only gave me a new boarding pass for eco.
All discussions useless, of course no J class available and also the voucher was used for the first flight.
As there was space available in the business class, I tried to upgrade with miles or cash, but without success.
Well done TK
Confirmed J Class for the long flight ticket and ended up in the Eco!
I came as it has to come, the only gave me a new boarding pass for eco.
All discussions useless, of course no J class available and also the voucher was used for the first flight.
As there was space available in the business class, I tried to upgrade with miles or cash, but without success.
Well done TK
Confirmed J Class for the long flight ticket and ended up in the Eco!
#1034
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: 13,057
An FTer books a flight with the specific intention of flying in Business Class. If the J upgrade weren't guaranteed at booking (or shortly thereafter), then we wouldn't book the Y ticket in the first place. We would probably just book a different airline, use miles, whatever.
TK, on the other hand, assumes that the passenger is definitely needing to fly on TK for that exact route on that exact date, but thinks it can give its E+ members a little bonus by letting them sit in a J seat that TK doesn't think it could sell.
But something happens... so the FTer is pi$$ed off because they think they booked a J ticket but are "downgraded" to Y with no compensation. But TK doesn't care because they've got your Y ticket money and the upgrade was only intended as a space-available perk. Perhaps TK will start to notice the number of non-Turkish E+ members dropping off, or maybe they won't...
Last edited by craigthemif; May 9, 2023 at 6:27 am
#1035
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Amsterdam & Aruba
Programs: Air France KLM Flying Blue Platinum, Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles Elite
Posts: 62
There is a disconnect between how TK acts/thinks and how many non-Turkish E+ members act/think (at least your typical FTer)
An FTer books a flight with the specific intention of flying in Business Class. If the J upgrade weren't guaranteed at booking (or shortly thereafter), then we wouldn't book the Y ticket in the first place. We would probably just book a different airline, use miles, whatever.
TK, on the other hand, assumes that the passenger is definitely needing to fly on TK for that exact route on that exact date, but thinks it can give its E+ members a little bonus by letting them sit in a J seat that TK doesn't think it could sell.
But something happens... so the FTer is pi$$ed off because they think they booked a J ticket but are "downgraded" to Y with no compensation. But TK doesn't care because they've got your Y ticket money and the upgrade was only intended as a space-available perk. Perhaps TK will start to notice the number of non-Turkish E+ members dropping off, or maybe they won't...
An FTer books a flight with the specific intention of flying in Business Class. If the J upgrade weren't guaranteed at booking (or shortly thereafter), then we wouldn't book the Y ticket in the first place. We would probably just book a different airline, use miles, whatever.
TK, on the other hand, assumes that the passenger is definitely needing to fly on TK for that exact route on that exact date, but thinks it can give its E+ members a little bonus by letting them sit in a J seat that TK doesn't think it could sell.
But something happens... so the FTer is pi$$ed off because they think they booked a J ticket but are "downgraded" to Y with no compensation. But TK doesn't care because they've got your Y ticket money and the upgrade was only intended as a space-available perk. Perhaps TK will start to notice the number of non-Turkish E+ members dropping off, or maybe they won't...
When I recently checked prices to 1 of the destination I frequent, I noticed TK tickets in J seem to be consistently higher than the competition. And TK tickets in Y are way more expensive then in Y! That turned me off the idea of upgrade vouchers. I will stick with M&S Elite...