CCayley

Hi all,

I'm intending to buy a Turkish Airlines business class return from London to Cairo. Could someone kindly confirm the transit process for this route i.e. will I need to pass through security etc. at Istanbul, and what a sensible minimum connection time would be?

Thanks in advance.

SK AAR

Take whatever shortest connection time offered to you when you make the booking. Anything > MCT at IST will be fine.

Yes, after disembarkation at IST you have to go through security to proceed to departure levels, but not an issue at all. Just follow the signs for "transfer".

No need to overthink this - thousands of pax do this every day at IST.

miamiflyer8

No transit security if arriving from the EU or US.

YuropFlyer

Only some EU destinations are arriving clean.

Obruni Boy

Having done the route half a dozen times I would say that usually you pass through to the terminal without security checking but not always.

TK are good at transferring bags with an hour an a half transit but personally who needs the stress. There are several flights to CAI so better take the longer transit and enjoy the TK lounge if in business, or the paid lounges are fine if in economy. Airport is a pit otherwise.

Paul Baldwin

Taken from the Turkish Airlines website - am I missing something a to whether my baggage is checked through as per the last paragraph or does my luggage appear in the International Customs point which is in the domestic arrivals section as per the 2nd last paragraph?

International transfer passengers flight routes issued on single ticket continuing to a domestic destination with customs control

Passengers disembark with only their cabin baggage and complete passport entry procedures.

All passengers arriving on international flights who are continuing onto a domestic flight in Turkey must take their luggage from the international customs point which is in the domestic arrivals customs station. To avoid wasting time, passengers should follow the direction signs and should not proceed to the domestic terminal before retrieving their baggage.

Baggage belonging to passengers continuing to a domestic destination is transported from the initial point of departure of the journey to the final point of arrival.

CCayley

Thanks. Just what I needed to know.^

miamiflyer8

Like Cyprus, Croatia, Poland, Bulgaria and Romania?

TPJ

Yes - all EU is clean. FYI... there are no flights between Turkey and (Republic of) Cyprus.

Arrivals from US are (or at least were in early March) clean.

flybie

Do we need visa if we transit from Greece to Istanbul (Connection) then continue on to Frankfurt - Seattle?

Secondly, if we fly business class, what lounge in Istanbul that we can use? The layover is over 6 hours!!!

airoli

You do not need a visa if you stay airside, which is possible. You can use (only) the Turkish Airlines lounge, which is very big and well documented in this forum.

miamiflyer8

Note that you must be flying Star Alliance to have access to the THY lounge.

Check this thread for more info.

PerStockholm

Hi!

I have an EU-IST-US flight coming up shortly. Scheduled arrival from EU at IST is 12:15 and departure to US is 13:55. All flights in Turkish business class.

I've heard that they have gone to an almost insane amount of additional security for US flights at IST. Is my transfer time enough or should I rebook my first EU-IST flight for a longer connection at IST? Does anyone know?

Also, do you think that there's time for a quick visit in the TK CIP lounge or should I just make my way to the US flight directly after landing?

Thanks!

duvin

You should be ok (most US-bound flights now depart an hour late), but there's not time for the lounge

PerStockholm

Thanks!

Are there any fast tracks available for business class or should I prepare for fighting my way through massive lines?