Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: The Castro, San Francisco, California
Programs: UA, DL, AA, Aegean Air, Cal Alumni (go Bears!)
Posts: 594
No visa req'd in IST for Int'l transit
I did this a few months ago with an ongoing flight to ATH. They direct you to a transit lounge and you never go through passport control, avoiding the visa. If you have a few hours, its worth it to leave the airport and go see the Agia Sofia or Grand Bazaar. Americans only have to pay €20 unless they've raised the fee recently. And its granted on the spot.