Insider Travel Tricks

So, congratulations, your Dutch visa is finally approved and you are gradually getting ready to fly?

Time to buy your ticket! Given the neither-peace-nor-war state Iran is currently caught in (this post was written in September 2026), and the unpredictable flight conditions due to sudden airspace closures, booking a flight is genuinely tough.

In the opening hours of the 12-day war, a friend's flight was abruptly canceled. They were literally sitting on the plane waiting for takeoff when passengers were told to deboard because the flight was canceled. It took nearly 50 days of running around to get the ticket refunded, simply because it had been booked through domestic booking platforms and no one wanted to take responsibility for issuing a refund.

For this exact reason, back in late August 2025 when I secured my Dutch visa, I walked straight into the Turkish Airlines ticketing office to purchase my flight in person.

When buying your ticket, keeping these tips in mind can make your entire journey much smoother:

If you plan to travel during peak season,
it is best to book Fast Track or CIP services. Thanks to Imam Khomeini Airport's poor, narrow layout,
the lines can become outrageously long during peak travel times. To the point where you arrive three hours before your flight,
yet you might not even have enough time to collect your allotted travel currency!
You cannot buy CIP or Fast Track services directly from Turkish Airlines;
you have to book them via
https://www.office.aero/
What is the CIP service? You enter through a dedicated terminal gate and collect your boarding pass without waiting in line;
you relax in a stylish lounge overlooking the runway while enjoying a wide variety of complimentary drinks, desserts, and meals.
Fast Track is essentially the same,
just without the lounge dining. You simply pay extra to skip the queues for security screening, check-in,
and passport control.

1. Seat selection: when booking your ticket, you can select your seat for an additional fee.

My recommendation is either an Exit row or Extra Legroom seat. The first is right next to the emergency exit, and the second is the very first row
behind business class or directly behind the boarding door. Both offer significantly more legroom than standard seats,
ensuring a much more comfortable flight.

1. Istanbul Airport lounge access: if you have ever traveled through this airport, you already know that a simple coffee and a small sandwich can easily set you back more than 30 euros! Instead, you can book access to the Istanbul Airport lounge for 100 euros for 6 hours or 40 euros for 2 hours, enjoying perks like food and drinks, shower suites, relaxation areas, massage chairs, and unlimited Wi-Fi at no extra charge.

1. The day before your flight, right after weighing your luggage, buy a roll of stretch wrap designed for moving and wrap your suitcases yourself at a fraction of what they charge at the airport.

1. At Istanbul Airport, if you are carrying liquids, you must go through the dedicated liquid inspection gate, or they will not let you take them through, and you will end up having to buy the most expensive bottled water of your life on the other side! No worries though, if you bring an empty bottle, you can refill it at the few free water dispensers scattered throughout the airport.