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US-based Turkish Airlines passengers can benefit from regulations in Turkey and the United States for unexpected flight interruptions. Depending on your route, the cause, and total delay time, US passengers may be entitled to claim compensation. We’ll cover everything you need to know about the rules and how to claim successfully when Turkish Airlines disrupts your flight.
Key takeaways
- Depending on the departure point of the flight, US passengers are protected by the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) or SHY-PASSENGER in Turkey.
- Compensation ranges from $120 (€100) to $650 (€600).
- SHY-PASSENGER compensation applies to all Turkish Airlines routes departing or arriving in Turkey.
- Passenger care during delays of at least 2 hours may include meals, hotels, and airport/hotel transportation.
Your passenger rights on Turkish Airlines flights
Air passenger protections in the USA aren’t as comprehensive as the ones available in Europe, the UK, or Turkey. But, they do offer more basic rights related to denied boarding and refunds for significant disruptions, including delays and cancellations.
Turkey’s SHY-PASSENGER regulation will apply to all Turkish Airlines flights that depart or arrive in the US. Compensation is quoted in euros and paid in Turkish lira.
All Turkish Airlines passengers are also entitled to care and assistance during an interruption of at least 2 hours.
Note: For all the applicable regulations, extraordinary circumstances, which are disruption causes outside Turkish Airlines’ control, are a compensation exception.
Disrupted flight departs from | Where the flight goes | SHY-PASSENGER |
Turkey | USA |
|
USA | Turkey |
|
EU country | Turkey |
|
UK | Turkey |
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Turkey | EU |
|
Turkey | UK |
|
What US passengers are entitled to for Turkish Airlines flight delays
Turkish Airlines flight delay compensation applies when you arrive at the final destination 3 or more hours late.
The cause of the delay must also be preventable by Turkish Airlines to avoid triggering extraordinary circumstances. Preventable causes include things like Turkish Airlines staff strikes and scheduling issues, whether with the staff or aircraft.
For delays of 2 hours or more, passengers can also qualify for care and assistance:
- Food and drinks
- Communication
- Hotel and transportation for overnight delays (8+ hour delays with SHY-PASSENGER)
Keep all your receipts if no vouchers are offered and submit them as a reimbursement claim.
Lastly, passengers can claim a refund for delays of 5+ hours and choose not to continue traveling.
Turkish Airlines flight cancellations
A canceled flight, regardless of whether it departs from the US or Turkey, automatically entitles a US passenger to the choice of booking a new flight or getting a refund. Long waits at the airport due to cancellations also qualify for the same care and assistance.
For Turkish Airlines compensation to apply:
- The airline must cancel the flight within 14 days or fewer of departure.
- The cancellation reason is not attributable to extraordinary circumstances, such as severe weather.
How much compensation can you get from Turkish Airlines?
For domestic Turkey flights, the maximum compensation is €100 (about US$120). For international flights, the amounts are:
- €250 (approx. US$270) for flights 1,500km (932 miles) or less.
- €400 (approx. US$430) for flights between 1,500km and 3,500km (2,175 miles)
- €600 (approx. US$650) for flights over 3,500km
Important note: Each of the above amounts may be reduced by 50% if the total delay while waiting for an alternate flight is 2 hours or less for flights 1,500km and under, 3 hours or less for flights between 1,500km and 3,500km, and 4 hours or less for flights over 3,500km.
Disrupted Turkish Airlines flight? If you meet the conditions above, you may be entitled to up to $650 per passenger, plus reimbursement of expenses.Check Your Flight
Turkish Airlines missed connections
If your flights were all purchased as a single ticket (one booking reference), Turkish Airlines is responsible for your entire journey. If a delay on your first leg causes you to miss your second, then you are entitled to:
- Automatic Rebooking: The airline must put you on the next available flight to your final destination at no extra cost or give you a refund.
- Right to Care: If the wait for your new flight exceeds 2 hours, the airline must provide meal vouchers. If the new flight is the next day, they must provide free hotel accommodation and transfers.
- Arrival Compensation: If you arrive at your final destination more than 3 hours late, you may be eligible for compensation (up to $650), provided the delay was within the airline's control.
Involuntary denied boarding
Denied boarding, when you’re bumped involuntarily from a Turkish Airlines flight, is covered by:
- The U.S. DOT up to $2,150 for international flights.
- SHY-PASSENGER up to $650 for flights to or from Turkey.
Turkish Airlines compensation vs. refunds
When You Can Get a Refund
When a US-Turkey flight is significantly changed through a delay or cancellation, regardless of the cause, US passengers can claim a refund for international flights where the arrival or departure is changed by 6+ hours as per the DOT.
With SHY-PASSENGER and Turkish Airlines, the refund threshold is 5 hours for delays, and all cancellations are eligible as long as passengers are delayed at least 15 minutes.
How to Claim Turkish Airlines Compensation
To submit your compensation claim, head to the Turkish Airlines Feedback page.
- Either log in with your info or choose the option to continue without logging in.
- Choose the subject of your feedback as flight disruptions.
- Select the situation that applies – delay, cancellation, etc.
- Choose “I am writing on my own behalf.”
- Enter your ticket reference number and name.
- Explain the situation.
- Click submit.
In general, airlines are required to acknowledge your compensation request within 30 days. Follow up if you haven’t heard anything in this timeframe.
Documents You’ll Need
- Your PNR/booking reference number
- Your boarding pass
- Proof of the disruption, which is often an email or text advising of the interruption
- Your replacement flight information (if applicable) to show the new arrival time
What if Turkish Airlines rejects your claim?
When you’re confident that your claim meets the minimum requirements for compensation and Turkish Airlines denies it, you have some recourse. If the DOT rules apply (denied boarding, for example), dispute it with them. For compensation involving the UK, you can dispute with AviationADR.
If you don’t have any luck through the conventional channels, it may be a good idea to let the experts at AirAdvisor handle the claim for you. There’s no fee unless you receive compensation, so you really have to lose!
How long does it take Turkish Airlines to pay international compensation?
Typically, for US passengers, the entire compensation process takes between 4 and 8 weeks to resolve. Though if legal action is needed or it’s a particularly complicated case, it can take 3 months or even longer.
Common Turkish Airlines compensation claim mistakes to avoid
- Taking too long to file a claim (don’t wait longer than 1 year)
- Not knowing your rights in advance and accepting things like inflexible vouchers when you could get cash.
- Not having the documents to back up your claim.
- Giving up after the claim is rejected.
- Not claiming with the regulation that offers the most compensation.
How Turkish Airlines claims work in practice
Let’s put what we’ve learned to the test with an actual example of a claim we handled for a Turkish Airlines US passenger.
Case study: Turkish Airlines cancellation from Istanbul – AirAdvisor recovers over $800
- Disruption: Cancellation
- Route: Istanbul to San Francisco
- Notice: Less than 24 hours
- Reason: Aircraft scheduling
- Total recovered: $812
What happened
The passenger’s flight from Istanbul (IST) to San Francisco (SFO) was canceled, and the only available replacement flight was the same one the following day. They had to stay overnight in a hotel and incurred expenses for meals and transportation.
How AirAdvisor helped
AirAdvisor successfully claimed the maximum compensation of €600 and received reimbursement for all the interim expenses:
- €600 (paid in Turkish lira – about $710 at the current exchange rate) in SHY-PASSENGER compensation.
- $55 for accommodation
- $35 for food and drinks
- $12 for taxi fare between the hotel and the airport
Has your Turkish Airlines flight been disrupted recently?Check your compensation eligibility below.Check Your Flight
FAQs
How long do US passengers have to claim Turkish Airlines compensation?
For the SHY-PASSENGER regulation, you have one year to submit your claim for the date of the interruption.
Can you get both a refund and compensation?
Absolutely. Refunds apply when a flight is significantly changed or canceled, resulting in a delay of 5 hours or more (15 minutes for cancellations under SHY-PASSENGER). This is separate from compensation for the actual disruption.
Author:
Amy Lancelotte
Job/Position: Senior Writer & Content Creator
Amy Lancelotte is a Senior Content Writer and editorial contributor at AirAdvisor with more than seven years of experience producing research-driven articles for global audiences. Her work focuses on travel, aviation, and air passenger rights, with an emphasis on factual accuracy, verified data, and clear, reader-first explanations.
