Hi
We are interested taking Rick Steves’ Sicilian tour in November. To return home, we found a flight from Catania to Washington DC via Istanbul on Turkish Airlines. The issue is that the layover in Istanbul is 1 hour and 20 minutes. Is that enough time to go through security and change planes in Istanbul. Any input would be appreciated.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23626 posts
Probably and you may not have to go through security again if traveling on a single ticket. Of course, the old cop-0ut, everything is on time.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Thank you very much Frank. I think that because Turkey in not in the EU, we will have to go through passport control.
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
The old question: "Did you do this as a single booking?"
If yes, then the booking website would not have offered the booking if it wasn't "doable". You luggage will be booked through to your final destination, you will not see it in Istanbul. Furthermore, if you miss the connection because the first flight was late, that is the airline's problem, not yours; they must put you on the next available flight. You will probably stay "Airside" and not have to go through passport control.
If no, if you did this as two separate bookings, then it is your problem. You will probably have to go through passport control and pick up your bags, then re-check in for the second flight. In which case, you haven't got enough time.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Chris,
Yes it is a single booking. My only concern is if we miss the flight there may not be a lot of other flights back home
Posted by
Portland
3643 posts
The situation is a little murkier than Chris suggests. It is not always true that you don't have to go through security again. We just flew from Zagreb to SFO via FRA. We landed at a gate that seemed to be miles from the terminal for departure AND had to go through security, again. There weren't even moving walkways to speed us along. That being said and despite a 15 minute delayed take-off from Zagreb, our 1.5 hour layover proved adequate. I believe Istanbul is not as busy an airport as FRA, so you should be okay. I'll admit, however, I did have the vapors until we got to our departure terminal.