Check Bags on Polish Airlines From lIstanbul Through to a Final Destination in the States?

Did you try booking it through American Airlines?

I cheched ALL airlines. First choice is Polish Airlines out of Istanbul.

I understand you want to fly on LOT, which is a partner of American Airlines. I was asking whether you tried to book this specific trip through American Airlines. Maybe it wouldn't make any difference. If the LOT ticketing agent books all three legs of the trip on one ticket and the fare includes a checked bag, then I would expect your bag to be checked through. OTOH, you might have to collect and "re-check" your bags after going through immigration and customs in Poland and again in the US. I don't know the procedures at Chopin or O'Hare airports, but at Sea-Tac, arriving international travelers must collect their bags before going through the border check and then drop them again for their onward flight.

Interesting that LOT says they can book IST-MEM through their agent but not on the website.

On their website one can book IST-ORD.
I wonder if their agent is simply adding a separate ticket for the ORD-MEM leg and thus the comment " that only the Polish Airlines check in counter at the Istanbul airport could tell me if I could check my luggage through to Memphis"

On the AA site the IST-MEM can be done as a single ticket, but uses BA for the IST departure to LHR. From there, there are multiple choice for the US destination to connect to MEM.

If you are committed to using LOT, I would clarify with them if the booking via an agent is truly a single booking. Would be a real bummer to get to ORD late ( missing the ORD_MEM flight) and find out you had separate tickets and are stuck having to buy a new ticket to MEM.

You cannot book your luggage all the way through to your final destination. You must clear customs at your port of entry into the US unless you are coming from a Pre-clearance airport like Dublin. So, you will have to collect your checked luggage at O'hare and then recheck it once you clear customs.

Gr3rryCee - Yes, I spoke to American Airlines. They cannot book a Polish Airline flight. They only have a ticketing arrangement with Polish Airlines, thus Polish Airlines could book us through to Memphis on an AA flight from ORD to MEM. In fact, AA does not fly to or from Turkey. Flights from IST that can be booked on the AA website are all operated by British Airlines. At this point we are considering flying Premium Economy on Polish Airlines to ORD, collecting bags, spending the night at the ORD Hilton, and taking a flight to MEM on AA the next day. Even with added cost of room and meals, we will save a ton on money.

Is there a reason you want to fly LOT from IST? There are several airlines that fly from IST to Memphis via various cities in both Europe and the USA. If you are going to fly to ORD first, why not fly Turkish Air nonstop to ORD?

Ed - My choice of LOT is for Premium Economy seating. Turkish Airlines does not offer Premium Economy seating on any flights out of IST to ORD and Premium Economy seating on LOT is considerably less expensive than other airline alternatives.

At this point we are considering flying Premium Economy on Polish Airlines to ORD, collecting bags, spending the night at the ORD Hilton, and taking a flight to MEM on AA the next day. Even with added cost of room and meals, we will save a ton on money.

This is may be your best deal.

Just for grins you might call United and see what they could do as both United and LOT are both part of Star Alliance.