I will be traveling abroad by myself this summer and I was wondering if anyone can help answer some of my questions. I will be departing from TPA to JFK, then JFK to Istanbul, and Istanbul to Nuremberg.

I am unsure if I need to claim my checked luggage once I have landed from my domestic flight (TPA to JFK) before transferring to an international flight (to Istanbul). Or will my checked luggage reach my final destination of Nuremberg? I am flying with JetBlue and Turkish Airlines, to be specific. I have a two-hour layover at JFK and I'm worried that it will not be enough time IF I need to claim my baggage after landing at JFK and then have to recheck it again at the Turkish Airlines counter.

I booked my tickets through the Turkish Airlines website and I'm confused about the luggage transfer since they're two different airlines.


  • Welcome to TSE. To clarify, did you buy your jetBlue and Turkish flights on a single ticket, or are they two separate reservations?
    – choster
    Mar 27 '18 at 3:00
  • I bought the flights on a single ticket through the Turkish Airlines website Mar 27 '18 at 3:18

If the two airlines cooperate enough that one can sell a through ticket including the other's flight, they will generally also cooperate enough to transfer your bag between the flights at connecting airports. So you can expect it to be checked through, so you won't see it a the layovers.

The exception to this is if you need to have the bag in hand to pass through customs at an intermediate airport, but that is not the case for your itinerary -- you won't meet any customs until Nuremberg.

If still in doubt, you can always ask the airline agent when you check in the bag.

  • Just to add to the above (correct) answer: if you Google "Jetblue partner airlines" you'll find quite easily that Jetblue and Turkish have an extensive codeshare relationship. Hence, your bag will be checked seamlessly from one carrier to the other and you won't need to do anything about it at JFK. Two hours is plenty of time for the baggage handlers to transfer it as well, so no worries there.
    – cbw
    Mar 27 '18 at 13:08
  • @cbw The fact that two airlines are codeshare partners does not necessarily mean that the agents for one will check bags through to the other when traveling on separate itineraries, especially if you are dealing with contract staff outside of a hub. Every time I have done it, they have acted like they moved heaven and earth for me. Most of the the major international carriers have interlining agreements (e.g. BA or AA can hand off a bag to LH or UA, or AF or DL just fine), they just choose not to use them.
    – choster
    Mar 27 '18 at 14:04
  • 2
    @choster While that is absolutely true, in this case Jetblue should interline bags with Turkish, given that the OP implied (though did not state) that he purchased one itinerary with tickets on two airlines (see jetblue.com/airline-partners). If my assumption of a single itinerary is incorrect then the OP is in a much different position and may indeed have to collect his bag at JFK. As is often the case in these things, best to contact the airline.
    – cbw
    Mar 27 '18 at 15:58
  • @cbw: The OP wrote: "I bought the flights on a single ticket through the Turkish Airlines website" -- that seems to be stating this as a fact rather than merely implying it. Mar 27 '18 at 17:51

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