ISTFlyer

You don't need to wait for a week before departure. Although both the Jakarta and Toronto routes could only carry a limited number of people due to border restrictions, it's less likely for the price to increase; however, purchasing early might result in a cheaper fare.

aliceinacidland

Okay one more question (last one, I promise). I was browsing the site and saw the flight plan (no idea what that actually is).
https://www.turkishairlines.com/en-t...t-flight-plan/
I'm assuming this is a list of airports the airline is flying to and from. Canada isn't listed on this page. Is this a possible concern or is this page irrelevant?

ISTFlyer

Normally that page is accurate, however, I just realized that Canada is missing.
TK17/18 IST-YYZ-IST & TK 35/36 IST-YUL-IST are currently operating so you should have no concern for those routes. However, if you would like certainty do not book the YVR route yet.

Also, this is a flame-free thread so you are welcome to share unlimited number of questions ( even if they are super-dummy ).

R2

I'm planning a trip from Asia to the US and TK is the cheapest for the route I need (approx $600 cheaper in C than EK or QR). However, this would mean a 10 hour layover at IST. I last flew TK a few years ago and have not been to the new airport. What to expect? Is there a lounge open, maybe with a decent space to take a nap? I see the Yotel airside hotel is $120 for six hours, seems not too bad.

I have no particular interest in visiting the city having been there many times before (and knowing that there might be Covid-related complications to enter the country). Many thanks for any tips and advice.

Edit: I see they also have sleep pods at the airport, I'm not a big fan of those.

ISTFlyer

As your layover is over 10 hours and presumably the shortest connection option, TK would offer you a free hotel room during your layover. The hotel room that TK offers would not be the airside YOTEL and would be an outside hotel with free transportation so if you have a negative COVID-19 PCR test and a valid e-visa or visa to enter Turkey ( for select nationalities ) you would be able to benefit from the free hotel service.

The Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Lounge is open with limited food & beverage options and the sleeper sofas and the sleeping rooms are closed due to the pandemic. If you would like not to leave the airport and have a decent place to sleep, you could pay the airside YOTEL on your own expense or use the sleepod service ( again on your own expense but PriorityPass holders could benefit 3 hours for free ) or you could use the free public nap zones.

R2

ISTFlyer, many thanks for your insightful reply. The free transit hotel makes the TK option even better value. I tried to search but could not find a thread on this, TK website seems to imply that there is no way nor need to pre-book the hotel but just show up at the transit hotel desk, really?

ISTFlyer

Here is the dedicated thread: TK in IST: Thread #3 - Transit and Stopover Hotel, Touristanbul, Sleeping Rooms
As you mentioned, you don't need to pre-book a room, you just need to show up at the hotel desk at IST and the staff would arrange everything for you.

TPACjv

It keeps telling me the information is incomplete.

MitjaPod

Does anyone know if TK will have a sale of tickets anytime soon? I do not know what the usual timing on that normally is.

ISTFlyer

Try to use a web browser. If it doesn't work, call TK.

TK doesn't have a regular sale pattern; most TK sales happen during the fall and early-winter but there might be some promos upcoming. Also, not all promos are valid for all origins and routes. TK might also promote some regional promos in some cases.

aliceinacidland

Thank you for all the helpful responses. Decided to book with TK for 14 April.

infrequently

Sorry for the very n00b question, but just wondering: how are TK's load factors looking? I purchased CGK - IST - IAD & IAD - IST - CGK tickets in Y for June, and am wondering whether it will be worth paying the extra $30 per segment to get assigned seats, or if the seats are likely to be pretty wide open by then. If I were to pay this for all four segments, it would add an extra 12% to the price of the tickets.

ISTFlyer

Their loads are pretty high during the pandemic but if you check-in online 24 hours before departure, you would be able to select your choice of seat ( window, aisle ). TK passengers do not tend to pre-pay for their seats, nor most of them check-in online.

PSPman

Hi there. Planning a trip from the US to Amman and returning from CAI in February of 2022. Great Business Mileage seats available on TX SFO-IST-AMM and then returning CAI-IST-LAX. I could choose TK or LF for the bulk of this trip, but am leaning heavily on TK. They are one of the few Intl carriers I haven't experienced, so I wanted to get the good, bad and the ugly from this group about the business class experience on this route.

Thanks in advance

ISTFlyer

Hi PSPman and welcome to FlyerTalk!

Assuming that you mean Lufthansa by "LF", TK has a much superior Business Class product than Lufthansa and you would get better service on TK flights. If things return to normal by then the TK Lounges in IST are much pleasant than the Lufthansa Lounges in FRA ( unless you have access to the FCL & FCT in FRA -> You need to be LH HON ).

Also, another reminder that all schedules for February 2022 are currently placeholders. If you are considering booking an award ticket through a third party FFP ( eg. Avianca Lifemiles ), just a reminder that if schedule changes happen, you would need award availability for new flights to be rebooked so that's why if you are considering to book TK flights consider booking them through Miles&Smiles if you have the choice.

Edit: If you are going to use MileagePlus miles that's totally OK and you shouldn't have major issues during schedule changes.