Last minute travel changes--need ideas!

Bd are you flying into Amsterdam and then on to Istanbul on the same ticket? If so, have you arranged to drop the Amsterdam to Istanbul segment? If you just don't take this segment they will cancel your return flight. If AMS to IST is booked on a separate ticket then no problem for your return flight. Just checking before I offer suggestions for your 3 days...

It is all on the same ticket, and the return is from Rome back to US. Just got off the phone with the Delta rep and was told it would cost almost $1,000 if we cancel from Amsterdam to Istanbul. So, we are looking now at flights from Istabul to somewhere closer to Milan....

Athens
Vienna
Budapest
Zurich, for the Alps then train to Milan

Istanbul to Budapest three flights a day non-stop about $110 on Turkish Air.
Budapest to Milan $77 (and up depending on luggage, etc) on Wizz Air

Since you have to throw it together fast I can help you with accommodations ($60 and up for 4 star) and things to see and do in Budapest for a few days.

Go to skyscanner.com type in From= Istanbul and To= everywhere. You'll see lots of inexpensive flights to many countries. Get out a map and decide if you want to work your way to Italy by another flight or by train. For instance you can fly from Istanbul to other cities in Turkey for as little as $11 pp/ow. You can fly to Budapest or Prague or Switzerland for about $40. Sorry you had this big change in your plans. Best of luck.

Edit: I wasn't using your actual travel date but a random date one month from today.

I like Google Flights https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=IST,SAW;t=r-Europe-0x46ed8886cfadda85%253A0x72ef99e6b3fcf079;d=2016-04-13;r=2016-04-29;tt=o;mc=m

Such helpful responses-thank you! Yes, we are really disappointed. Totally prepared to go until today, and then it all became just a bit much.

James, any additional info you could send on Budapest would be really helpful. It's on our travel list anyway. We have also been looking at Ljubljana. We could make the flight there, but the connections to Milan are a bit more complicated.

I will also try skyscanner. Thanks for the search tip, Mona.
It's going to be a long night....

What time are you due into Istanbul? You'll need to allow plenty of time before an onward flight, lest you miss it due to delayed arrival.

Other stop-overs that might work (with mid- to late-afternoon non-stops from Istanbul) are, in no particular order:

Berlin (a bit off the direct path, though, and really needs more time than you'd have)
Zagreb (very nice historic district, plus some worthwhile museums)
Bologna (huge historic district, highly recommended if not already on your itinerary)
Basle
Munich

Bologna would greatly simplify your later arrival in Milan. Basle-Milan could also be done by train (but it might be pricey; I didn't check). Munich seems a bit too far for the rail option, and of course Berlin and Zagreb would require flights.

You'll need to snag a hotel room, too. Be sure to check pricing before you commit to a flight. I think you can probably find something reasonable in Berlin and Zagreb. Bologna might be more difficult on a weekday. I don't know about Munich, and Switzerland, well...

Edited to add: I took Ljubljana off my list because I didn't see an onward non-stop option to Milan, but I'm a big fan of the city, and it's a good size for a quick stop-over. On the other hand, to go to Slovenia and not see Istria (or go on to Croatia) would be a bit sad.

Our flight gets into Istanbul at 15:55, a couple of connections along the way. Lots of places where things could go wrong. Anyway, what is the earliest you would suggest trying to fly out of Istanbul?

Another question: Do I need to cancel the Turkish Air flight we have from Istanbul to Milan, or can we just not show up? I can't seem to cancel it on the website, and would rather not call if I don't have to.

I have zero experience making day-of-arrival (separate-ticket) transfers in Europe, so I have no feel for what would be reasonable here. Me, I'd probably plan to stay overnight, but I understand that you're concerned about being in Turkey, so that isn't a good answer for you.

I was surprised at how many reasonable prices (under $150) popped up on skyscanner for next Wednesday. I wonder what would happen if you waited till you arrived in Istanbul. Would the same-day prices be 3 or 5 times higher? That's sort of a scary thought. But if you buy tickets ahead of time and miss the flight, you'll be looking at those same-day prices.

Don't forget to check the baggage policy of airlines you're considering. Perhaps Turkish Airlines is more reasonable than the cut-rate guys.

Re: The original Istanbul-Milan leg. That may prove to be a problem. People have said that if you miss a flight that's part of a multi-segment ticket, all the future legs are canceled. You don't want to lose your return ticket. Let's see what the more experienced flyers have to say.

Any cancelled leg of your flight will cause the remainder of your flights to be cancelled. You will need to call Delta ASAP and get this sorted out.

One suggestion was to fly somewhere else in Turkey, like Cappadocia for 3 days, then use your Istanbul to Milan flight without having to cancel it.

Yes, if you miss a leg they will cancel your flight unless you call them in advance.

Check your PMs for more on Budapest.

Turkish Air to Istanbul to Budapest non stop three times a day for about $110
Wizz Air Budapest to Milan non stop (early morning flight) for under $100 depending on luggage.
K&K Opera Hotel available that week for about $110 a night.

Budapest Spring Festival http://visitbudapest.travel/budapest-events/budapest-spring-festival/
Budapest 100 annual architectural tour http://visitbudapest.travel/budapest-events/budapest-100/

Second opinion: http://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2015/06/06/bourdain-cooper-budapest-sot-ac.cnn

My second choice would be Sofia if I could find the connections.

I love the connection maps available on Google Flights
https://www.google.com/flights/#search;f=IST,SAW;t=r-Europe-0x46ed8886cfadda85%253A0x72ef99e6b3fcf079;d=2016-04-13;r=2016-04-29;tt=o;mc=m

AND! If the airline gives you a hard time skipping a leg of the trip, then purchase a round trip to Budapest and use that leg. its only about at 1.5 hour flight and with three flights a day you might be able to make it work.

If 2 and 3 are on the same ticket but you just don't show up for 2, then 3 will be canceled. IF, you call, and I have done this, and if you have a decent excuse (the US government advising you to go some place else, may or may not be a good excuse) then they will let you skip a leg. But they don't have to. Which is why I suggested keep a place like Budapest in mind (and I am sure there are plenty of others where this would work).

There is a direct Turkish Air to Budapest at 18:15 that works with his schedule. The return flight to Istanbul arrives about noon. Don't know how that works with his schedule or he could take the one that arrives the night before, at about midnight. The airport in Istanbul is clean, efficient, modern and fairly well organized as major airports go. Cost is about $210 round trip. Flight time is 1:55. Very doable if he couldn't get the unused leg forgiven.

Sorry, I had to take a break from this for a few hours while we celebrated early birthdays for my husband and son. My husband planned to celebrate his actual birthday in Istanbul on Thursday! Anyway, on the way home we passed a terrible car accident which put this all in perspective for us. These are small problems.

Our original flight with Delta is US to Istanbul, arriving on the 13th at 3:55 PM, and return flight from Rome to US. We booked the one way flight from Istanbul to Milan with Turkish Air which leaves on April 16 at 9:40 AM from Sabiha Gokcen. We really are not considering flying elsewhere in Turkey for those 3 nights. I am understanding that we are OK to just not show up for that Turkish Air flight if need be.

The Delta rep I talked to was not very helpful, but perhaps we were unclear about our reasons for wanting to cancel that last leg from Amsterdam to Istanbul. Maybe I should try another rep tomorrow?

If we do follow the original trip to Istanbul, I'm not sure if we should try to book another flight/hotel ahead of time, or just arrive with a Plan A and B and make arrangements there? I have been planning this trip for about 6 months so that really is not my travel style.

All of your help is greatly appreciated!

You are correct. You are wide open in the gap between Istanbul and Rome. Arriving in Istanbul isn't the end of the world if you can find a connection to some place else. If it makes you feel any better on my visit last year to Istanbul the airport security was pretty impressive. You will have to deplane, retrieve your luggage, leave the secure area and then recheck and go back through security. Personally, because I worry a lot, I would like to have a minimum of 2 hours to do this.

I would book now to ensure availability of seats, possibly get a better price (even a day or two might help), and fully utilize what ever layover you might end up with in Istanbul.

Just thought of this. I do know a tour guide that would pick you up at the airport in Istanbul and drive you to Sofia (with a couple over night stops along the way - Done it. Stunning trip). From Sofia you can get a flight to Italy.

OK--will try Delta once more in the morning and if no luck, make a plan to go on from Istanbul. We will have carry-on luggage only so that may simplify things a bit. Lots of possibilities and I appreciate the specific advice on Budapest as I don't have lots of time to research!
Safe travels!

I would try Delta every day until you get what you need. The rep you talked to may not have been informed about the warning. Delta altered a flight for us two years ago due to an impending air controller's strike in France. But it took a lot of calls to get it done. A week out they wouldn't do it because they hadn't heard about it. I kept calling back. Finally, three days before the strike they had gotten the memo and moved our flight up a day--at no charge.

So, I'd keep calling and move up the chain--have a supervisor read the advisory on the State Dept. website and get a ruling for you. I bet you'll get what you need.

BTW, the strike we were avoiding was called off--but after unexpectedly spending a week in London in 1981 due to the PATCO strike in the States, I wasn't going to take a chance.

I think Budapest is a great option for you given your constraints (and James's helpfulness). It's a wonderful wonderful city and is also different from Italy in the way that Istanbul is. Geographically it makes sense, and since James has provided (here and in PM) lots of options for flights and other details, that's what I would do. Ljubljana is nice, but logistics too much more difficult and Budapest will hold your interest longer.

I hope Delta does the right thing for you!! I would just keep citing that USG warning about Istanbul. They should prefer rerouting you now than potentially having to help you in the case of an emergency, I would think. (Let's hope that does NOT happen -- the emergency, that is.)

After a LONG conversation with Delta this morning, they have agreed to remove the flight from AMS to IST with no penalty. Hooray! Once again, the first rep was not helpful. She quoted a price change of $1500/ ticket today, but the supervisor did search the specific warning issued yesterday and eventually agreed. So now we are making plans for 3 nights in Budapest, then on to Italy. Thanks to all for your helpful advice!

Hooray! Best outcome--Budapest and help from James for a great trip there. I did think that Delta would come through given the circumstances. We complain a lot about the airlines, and with reason, but this time it's kudos to Delta for doing the right thing for you.

Glad you got it worked out. I sort of thought with good attitude and a little persuasion you stood a good chance.

Since, and legitimately so, you have a tolerance point on certain issues of safety you might be pleased to know that the only bomb warnings in Hungary have to do with the discovery of another unexploded US bomb left over from the 1944/45 air raids. Seems to happen once or twice a year. Terrorist activity; cells, arrests, scares, etc. is essentially zero.

Enjoy.