SK AAR

If booked as 1 ticket, i.e. TK allows this connection, the connection time is reasonable and you should stick to this. Most likely you will make this connection unless EU-IST flight is seriously late, i.e. there is no reason to be concerned about this connection.

I even think you have time for a visit to the CIP lounge, but you need to assess the situation and decide once you get to the transfer area and you know how much time is left.

Yes, fast track should be available to C class pax. But depending on which EU country you arrive from, you may be lead directly to the transit area upon exiting the aircraft i.e. no transfer security check (only the various security checks specific to US flights).

gr8pirate

You'll find a lot of complaints about the security procedures for US-bound flights all over the place, and yes, they aren't FUN, but I've found transfers at IST comparatively painless, especially when flying in J or with *G status. Time spent waiting in line was about 5 minutes at the most and I even had the dreaded SSSS on my boarding pass twice this year when making that connection.

I had much worse delays going through the extra security screening at MUC and this transfer at IST is nowhere near as painful as the shitstorm you face when landing in the US and connecting onwards to a domestic flight.

PerStockholm

Thanks!

TPJ

No transit security, if arriving from ARN. Only gate security - security questions, address collection (where you stay for the first night), hand bag check separate lane for C-cl/*G).

LH4116

There is no transit security when connecting from Stockholm to the US. I did ARN-IST-MIA return last fall. Very smooth connections on both outbound and return legs. Outbound connection was 1h 30m. Didn't want to take a chance by going to the lounge, but it's possible if you want to.

Edit: There is a documents check at the gate, and in some cases also an additional security check. Business Class passengers have a priority line that they can use.

Productivity

So just did this connection, (to recap, flying GUW (Kazakhstan, unclean) - IST - MXP, then return, MXP - IST - GUW, two separate tickets, 90 minute connections both ways) and we made both connections with ease.

The first leg required re-clearing security, which took <5 minutes despite reasonably serious lines, however all scanners work working and I was quite impressed.

The second leg required no re-clearance of security and despite a fifteen minute taxi we had plenty of time to get a lunch meal as well.

Would I voluntarily choose to do it on two tickets again? Not if I could avoid it but as noted up thread this was something of a forced option. If I was in the same place again, both my wife and I concluded we would be ok with trying it again. Only real complaint was that TK swapped a domestic configuration 737 (3-3 with the middle seat blocked for business) for the MXP-IST flight.

bartonhill

I will be arriving IST from Houston and will be purchasing a separate domestic ticket to continue same day onto Izmir TK. Will TK airline send my bags directly to Izmir if purchased on a separate ticket? Also, for the connection, do I have to exit security to pick up bags for the domestic transfer when purchased separately? Thanks for your guidance.

miamiflyer8

They should interline the bags if you ask them and show the ticket and you won't need to pick up your bags as Izmir has customs checkpoint. But you will need to clear immigration and exit security when connecting domestic so if your connection is longer than 2h then I'd pick up the bags.

augmon

For anyone seeking a recent data point, ATH checkin refused to interline my bag and instructed me to go through immigration at IST, re-check bags, etc.

silentbob1974

Yep, same thing happened to me for separate tickets in April. TK in TXL refused to interline at IST.

infoguy

Do transit pax on separate tickets with separate airlines need a visa? The old TK website said that it was possible to TWOV on separate tickets even with checked baggage, but I can't find that info anymore.
Traveler is a Pakistani national arriving on TK and departing on BA.

SK AAR

If travelling with hand luggage only, then: No (you dont need to enter Turkey, but may proceed directly to departures level at IST/your BA flight).

If you cannot travel with hand luggage only you need to enter Turkey to pick-up the luggage that you checked in at place of origin and check-in for your BA flight; at origin TK will most likely refuse to check-in all the way to LHR when on separate tickets.

I have no idea of the visa requirements for Pakistani nationals, sorry.

Bigmwalker

Hi there

I am looking to fly London Gatwick to Gazipasa with a connection in Istanbul. Both flights are with Turkish Airlines. I want to know if 1 hour and 15 minutes is enough time between flights to transfer ?

Many thanks

craigthemif

If you buy separate tickets, you have no chance of making that connection. If you are buying them together from TK, I see no reason why you won't make the connection and would be protected in any case.

miamiflyer8

If the Pakistani national is holding a visa issued by a Schengen country, US, UK or Ireland (which they likely are if headed to LHR) then they are eligible for a visa on arrival that costs €50 IIRC.