cagcag

I have used the "free hotel" option previously.
Now, with this itinerary: DUB-IST-BUS, there are two flights on 6March from DUB-IST:

First flight: TK1976 arriving into IST at 17:35

and

Second flight TK1978 arriving into IST at 23:25.

Only dilay flight from IST-BUS is TK392 departing IST at 12:50 the following day.

Seemingly, both of these connections on TK would allow for "free Hotel" in IST.

If I take the earlier connection rather than the later connection, is there any way I would be denied the free hotel as not the "shortest" conne[/U]

Under a similar situation, what about a TK/TK itinerary from GVA IST-BUS?

GVA to IST has three daily flights on 6March, each one of these three GVA-IST would force an overnight in IST. Does it matter which of these three flights I would take?

First arrives in IST at 15:40, the second arrives at 19:15 and the latest arrives into IST at 22:45. All seemingly would be eligible for free hotel, connecting the following day to BUS at 12:50.
Is there some way of confirming eligibility prior to booking and flying?

Thanks

Thanks

ASUDan130

Since the whole getting the voucher to being in the Hotel can take 2 hours. Is it worth it to just get my own cheap airport Hotel and go myself? Would it save me alot of time to do that?

smellme

Did anyone ever did a TK Istanbul tour outside of Sultanahmet? I did the tour couple of times on different week days but I always end up in Sultanahmet. According to the schedule:

http://www.istanbulinhours.com/tour-schedule

the tours have different itineraries, especially the afternoon ones. I did one Monday afternoon 2 weeks ago, but instead of Pierre Loti Hill we did Hagia Sophia and Grand Bazaar. All my tours were of that area, did anyone ever got out of Sultanahmet? I talked to the guide, and he never heard of tours anywhere else. He didn't know anything about the schedule on the website, he said that he's supposed to take people to whatever attractions are open on the given day in Sultanahmet.

Sciamano

Hotel desk assigned me a free night at the nice Gorrian Hotel (unfortunately not close to the centre since I had a whole day)

fezoff

I don't know if this has been posted before, I certainly didn't know, and the WIKI didn't mention it, but I was just informed that the Lounge Front desk is able to make hotel reservations and will endvaour to book you into the TAV airside hotel. This would be great as you wouldn't have to clear immigration and all that.

I haven't tried it myself yet but was just told by the Front Desk themselves

ASUDan130

Wow this is certainly a huge positive development if true. Since getting from the airport to an area Hotel can take 2 hours. This is great for those folks that have 6-12 hour connections in particular and who want to maximize the time in the lounge by having a room and being very close to the lounge instead of the waste of time to queue and wait for busses and long lines at hotel check in and then possibly barely having enough time to rest before heading back to the airport. Also saves on the visa fee. Will there be an announcement to this enhancement?

HasteFlier

That would be great news indeed! I remember asking at the front desk for information about where to go for the hotel the first time I used it, and the attendant didn't even seem to know about the free hotel landside.

princeville

I've read through all 32 pages and haven't seen this scenario. Our itinerary is:


Sun., Jun. 26, 2016 | Los Angeles, CA, US (LAX) to Istanbul, TR (IST - Ataturk)
Depart:
6:10 p.m.
Sun., Jun. 26, 2016
Los Angeles, CA, US (LAX)
Arrive:
5:00 p.m. +1 Day
Mon., Jun. 27, 2016
Istanbul, TR (IST - Ataturk)
Travel Time:
12 hr 50 mn
Flight: TK10
Operated By Turkish Airlines
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER
Fare Class: Business (I)

Tue., Jun. 28, 2016 | Istanbul, TR (IST - Ataturk) to Malaga, ES (AGP)
Depart:
7:55 a.m.
Tue., Jun. 28, 2016
Istanbul, TR (IST - Ataturk)
Arrive:
10:20 a.m.
Tue., Jun. 28, 2016
Brussels, BE (BRU)
Flight Time:
3 hr 25 mn
Flight: TK1937
Operated By Turkish Airlines
Aircraft: Airbus A330-200
Fare Class: Business (I)
Meal: None
Change Planes. Connect time in Brussels, BE (BRU) is 1 hr 35 mn.
Depart:
11:55 a.m.
Tue., Jun. 28, 2016
Brussels, BE (BRU)
Arrive:
2:45 p.m.
Tue., Jun. 28, 2016
Malaga, ES (AGP)
Flight Time:
2 hr 50 mn

Travel Time:
7 hr 50 mn
Flight: SN3735
Operated By Brussels Airlines
Aircraft: Airbus A320
Fare Class: Business (I)

There is a Turkish flight to Brussels on June 27th that we could take, but we could not reach our actual destination (Malaga) that day. The first Turkish non-stop to Malaga leaves June 28th at 9:05 AM, which puts us well over the 7 hour layover. But I'm worried that the hotel desk will deny us because we could fly to Brussels earlier. Has anyone been able to get the hotel in a case like this? Thanks for your insight!

TPJ

Question: do you need to have your onward B/Pass (for the following day) or itinerary printout is enough? I would prefer not to send baggage through, but if I request baggage to be sent only to IST they will not give me a B/Pass for the onward flight, right?

YuropFlyer

They will / can print out a boarding pass for the onward flight even if you don't check through. With an overnight, just explain that you need things from your luggage and it won't be a problem.

You're out of luck. TK won't care for any further connections. You COULD try it, and hope they're not noticing it, and in that case just book a hotel yourself (which might be more expensive on the last minute) but if going by the rules, no chance.

princeville

Thanks for your input, YuropFlyer. Since the overnight is forced by Turkish Airline's schedule structure, I hoped they would see it that way. I could take the Turkish non-stop to Malaga on the 28th and qualify for the hotel, but business class isn't available and it's an almost five hour flight. It looks like three visas and an airport hotel are still less expensive than the airside TAV hotel, so I'll probably go with that.

duvin

Intra-europe business class isn't really that wonderful anyway =)

TPJ

Wonderful!

Thank you so much!

princeville

True!

popoemt

Hmmmmm... I'm diggin' this... I'll have a 14 hour layover and qualify for the hotel, would love to be airside and avoid the visa/immigration. In reading some trip advisor reviews they say it's next door to the lounge, which sounds perfect, get in, grab the room, sleep a few hours, then lounge it up the rest of the day before the flight... Hoping this is a reality!