upgrade with miles
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: NY NJ
Programs: United 1K, EL AL Silver
Posts: 199
upgrade with miles
Whats my best option to upgrade a economy ticket to premium or business class? can i do it with miles ? can i go on a wait list if its not available?
Thanks
Thanks
#2
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Gold, TK E+, IB+, VS FC, Hyatt Globalist, MR Plat Prem, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 8,753
First of all, you do realise that you pay the same number of TK miles for an upgrade as you do for an award ticket...
The difference is availability buckets and co-payments.
The difference is availability buckets and co-payments.
#3
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: LAX
Programs: TK M&S, LH MM, Global Entry, Hertz Gold, Sixt Platinum
Posts: 1,071
- you can upgrade using miles ahead of time if "J" booking class is available (the actual J fare bucket, not J=business class)
- you can upgrade using miles at check-in if any business class seats are available
- TK sometimes sell upgrades at check in. I remember LAX-IST being somewhere around 900 USD
Last edited by gr8pirate; Nov 17, 17 at 10:28 pm Reason: correcting inaccuracy
#4
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denmark
Programs: TK Elite, HH G
Posts: 6,729
You should inquire at check-in if upgrade with miles is possible. If seats in business are available, you will often be able to upgrade for cash or miles.
As already pointed out the miles required for an upgrade is the same as for the purchase of an award ticket, e.g. 45,000 miles for Asia to Europe o/w(including upgrade of the IST-Europe leg).
As already pointed out the miles required for an upgrade is the same as for the purchase of an award ticket, e.g. 45,000 miles for Asia to Europe o/w(including upgrade of the IST-Europe leg).
#5
Moderator, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles & Le Club Accorhotels

Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: BRU
Programs: TK*G, Le Club Accorhotels Platinum
Posts: 6,973
TK doesn't offer premium economy any longer and I don't know anything about waitlisting, but:
- you can upgrade using miles ahead of time if the particular fare bucket these upgrades book into is available. I think it's "I", but may be wrong.
- you can upgrade using miles at check-in if seats are available
- TK sometimes sell upgrades at check in. I remember LAX-IST being somewhere around 900 USD
- you can upgrade using miles ahead of time if the particular fare bucket these upgrades book into is available. I think it's "I", but may be wrong.
- you can upgrade using miles at check-in if seats are available
- TK sometimes sell upgrades at check in. I remember LAX-IST being somewhere around 900 USD
#7
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: LAX
Programs: TK M&S, LH MM, Global Entry, Hertz Gold, Sixt Platinum
Posts: 1,071
If you upgrade at check-in, all they need is an unsold business class seat.
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, LH, QR, TK
Posts: 13,721
If you upgrade on flights from the UK, you should have to pay the APD supplement for premium class travel. AFAIK the always collect this extra tax, but YMMV

That'll be an additional £13 (£26-£13) if you're flying to a Turkish destination, but £124 (£150-£26) if you're off somewhere more exotic (band B) and don't have a 24H+ break in Istanbul.
#9
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: LAX
Programs: TK M&S, LH MM, Global Entry, Hertz Gold, Sixt Platinum
Posts: 1,071
If you upgrade on flights from the UK, you should have to pay the APD supplement for premium class travel. AFAIK the always collect this extra tax, but YMMV
.
That'll be an additional £13 (£26-£13) if you're flying to a Turkish destination, but £124 (£150-£26) if you're off somewhere more exotic (band B) and don't have a 24H+ break in Istanbul.

That'll be an additional £13 (£26-£13) if you're flying to a Turkish destination, but £124 (£150-£26) if you're off somewhere more exotic (band B) and don't have a 24H+ break in Istanbul.
I'm suddenly happy there was no J class availability to upgrade from London to IST next week...
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, LH, QR, TK
Posts: 13,721
OK, but it'd not really a fee. It's a duty, a tax that goes directly to the exchequer. It rakes in a significant amount each year to help fund our health service etc etc
#12
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Gold, TK E+, IB+, VS FC, Hyatt Globalist, MR Plat Prem, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 8,753

Although I was under the impression that TK didn't charge anything extra at all when upgrading using miles. One of the "perks" of a charging the same miles for upgrading as a straightforward J reward.
#14
Join Date: May 2016
Location: IST, LHR
Programs: TK E+, AA PLAT
Posts: 480
#15
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Gold, TK E+, IB+, VS FC, Hyatt Globalist, MR Plat Prem, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 8,753
U class cannot be upgraded according to the list of eligible fare classes.
I'm guessing that U fare class on TK is somewhat special - travel industry discount or something?