Our previous experiments with low-cost steel substrates confirmed that individual steps of conventional thermal barrier coating (TBC) deposition may influence fatigue properties of the coated samples differently. In the presented study, testing was carried out for TBC samples deposited on industrially more relevant Hastelloy X substrates. Samples were tested after each step of the TBC deposition process: as-received (non-coated), grit-blasted, bond-coated (NiCoCrAlY), and bond-coated + top-coated yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ). Conventional atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) was used for deposition of bond coat and top coat. In addition, for one half of the samples, dual-layer bond coat was prepared by combination of high-velocity air-fuel (HVAF) and APS processes. Samples were tested in the as-sprayed condition and after 100 hours annealing at 980 °C, which simulated application-relevant in-service conditions. Obtained results showed that each stage of the TBC manufacturing process as well as the simulated in-service heat exposure may significantly influence the fatigue properties of the TBC coated part. HVAF grit-blasting substantially increased the fatigue performance of the uncoated substrates. This beneficial effect was suppressed by deposition of APS bond coat but not by deposition of dual-layer HVAF + APS bond coat. All heat-treated samples showed again enhanced fatigue performance. © 2015 ASM International