Jul 21, 2015, 8:54 pm
Last edit by: ISTFlyer
It's strange this thread has no Wiki, so here it is, created 7/21/2015
PLEASE READ THE OP Post first
For case related questions ( ex: Am I eligible, etc... ) contact[email protected] first before posting your question here.
TK free hotel room rules:
Note:
- You still need e-VISA to enter Turkish for a Tour or Hotel. The prices vary by countries ($60 USD for Canadian, $20 for USA, etc...)
You can apply here at https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/
Tour website is at http://www.istanbulinhours.com/
There are 3 tours offered (Schedule)
A Bosphorus cruise, with food and drinks, is available for business class passengers of more than 7 hour layover (€183 as of Nov. 2017)
Here's a list of the common hotels that are reported in this thread:
Marriott Renaissance Polat Istanbul Hotel (72% TripAdvisor – most common)
Akgün Istanbul Hotel (44% TripAdvisor–common – far from the airport)
Wow Airport Hotel (56% TripAdvisor–common - very close to airport)
DoubleTree
Wyndham İstanbul Petek (92% TripAdvisor)
Radisson Blu Conference & Airport Hotel (53% TripAdvisor)
Hilton Garden Inn
Courtyard by Marriott Istanbul International Airport
Gonen Hotel Istanbul
Pullman Istanbul Airport Hotel
PLEASE READ THE OP Post first
For case related questions ( ex: Am I eligible, etc... ) contact[email protected] first before posting your question here.
TK free hotel room rules:
A complimentary hotel accommodation (maximum 2 nights) will be provided to our valuable passengers when there are more than 10 hours (for economy cabin passengers) and 7 or more hours (for business cabin passengers) waiting during their international connecting flights due to Turkish Airlines’ schedule structure. However, if your destination can be reached by an alternative flight to your first flight and the waiting time is less, you cannot take advantage of the hotel service. This service is not applicable when there is a shorter connection available within the time frame mentioned above. The first and the connecting flights must be with Turkish Airlines. All passengers must hold a confirmed reservation for the first and the connecting flights. Complimentary accommodation will be arranged with Turkish Airlines’ corporate partners and will be provided through the “Hotel Desk” located after the customs’ check point at the arrival. Passengers must check for any visa requirements when entering Turkey. In the event where a visa is not granted, Turkish Airlines assumes no responsibility for providing complimentary hotel accommodation.
Note:
- You still need e-VISA to enter Turkish for a Tour or Hotel. The prices vary by countries ($60 USD for Canadian, $20 for USA, etc...)
You can apply here at https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/
Tour website is at http://www.istanbulinhours.com/
There are 3 tours offered (Schedule)
- Tour 1 8:30am - 11am - Sightseeing Tour
- Tour 2 9am - 3pm - Tour
- Tour 3 9am - 6pm - Tour
- Tour 4 12pm - 6pm - Tour
- Tour 5 4pm - 9pm - Cultural Walk Tour
A Bosphorus cruise, with food and drinks, is available for business class passengers of more than 7 hour layover (€183 as of Nov. 2017)
Here's a list of the common hotels that are reported in this thread:
Marriott Renaissance Polat Istanbul Hotel (72% TripAdvisor – most common)
Akgün Istanbul Hotel (44% TripAdvisor–common – far from the airport)
Wow Airport Hotel (56% TripAdvisor–common - very close to airport)
DoubleTree
Wyndham İstanbul Petek (92% TripAdvisor)
Radisson Blu Conference & Airport Hotel (53% TripAdvisor)
Hilton Garden Inn
Courtyard by Marriott Istanbul International Airport
Gonen Hotel Istanbul
Pullman Istanbul Airport Hotel
FAQ 8: Free hotel/tour/cruise when connecting at IST
Nov 7, 2017, 6:00 pm
#706
Join Date: Dec 2006
Programs: IHG Amb, MR Plat, FB Silver
Posts: 138
Is the hotel selection better if I get TK status? Can I ask for "business class hotel" if I am TK Elite (gold), what do you think?
Nov 7, 2017, 9:56 pm
#707
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: LAX
Programs: TK M&S, LH MM, Global Entry, Hertz Gold, Sixt Platinum
Posts: 1,087
Getting lucky due to status probably depends on what numbers of economy/business pax the hotel desk are working to accommodate at the particular time you walk up..
Nov 8, 2017, 10:52 am
#708
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Edinburgh
Programs: BA Gold, HHonors Gold, Priority Pass
Posts: 759
I am aiming to do the walking tour 1600-2100 on saturday. My plane lands at 1530. I’m *Gold, will I have time to pop into the IST CIP lounge briefly?
Nov 8, 2017, 12:13 pm
#709
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: LAX
Programs: TK M&S, LH MM, Global Entry, Hertz Gold, Sixt Platinum
Posts: 1,087
I am aiming to do the walking tour 1600-2100 on saturday. My plane lands at 1530. I’m *Gold, will I have time to pop into the IST CIP lounge briefly?
I’d honestly just focus on getting to the tour and run a 5k somewhere nice instead.
Last edited by gr8pirate; Nov 8, 2017 at 6:19 pm
Nov 8, 2017, 12:40 pm
#710
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Edinburgh
Programs: BA Gold, HHonors Gold, Priority Pass
Posts: 759
I shall do that! I’ve got at least 3 hours in the lounge he after the tour anyway!
Nov 9, 2017, 1:09 am
#711
Join Date: Dec 2006
Programs: IHG Amb, MR Plat, FB Silver
Posts: 138
I (politely) asked once earlier this year if I could get a better hotel as E+ when flying economy and was told it went strictly by booking class, so no. This seemed consistent for a while (economy vs business class tickets), but for my last trip in economy, they guy happened to remember me and said he’d put me up at the Pullman due to my status.
Nov 9, 2017, 6:43 am
#712
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: YQB
Programs: AC SE
Posts: 2,139
Please report back on your experience, especially on the walking tour as I will also be doing that in a couple of months. There are several reviews online of the other types of tours but I haven't seen any on the walking tour itself!
Nov 10, 2017, 1:46 pm
#713
Join Date: May 2014
Location: BRU
Programs: BA GGL, TK E (*G), ITA exec
Posts: 4,105
Sorry if it's a dumb question.
TUN-IST-XXX
2 flights a day from TUN, one departing 11am, the other 4pm.
If taking the 4pm flight, there is a 11h layover in IST.
If taking the 11am, you don't have a night layover.
Am I right to think that if you take the 4pm flight you don't qualify for the free hotel, since there is the morning one available?
TUN-IST-XXX
2 flights a day from TUN, one departing 11am, the other 4pm.
If taking the 4pm flight, there is a 11h layover in IST.
If taking the 11am, you don't have a night layover.
Am I right to think that if you take the 4pm flight you don't qualify for the free hotel, since there is the morning one available?
Nov 10, 2017, 6:07 pm
#714
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 8,162
As for the lounge, forget it. If the lines at immigration are short, and you know exactly where you're going, and you're arriving from a secure origin (so you don't need to clear transit security), and you're on time (and don't get a bus gate) then you probably won't be able to make it. If even one of those isn't true, no chance.
(And no, there's no way to check the lines at security before you decide - not only do they obviously vary over time, but by the time you get to where they are it's too late to avoid going through transit security to get to the departures area/lounge)
Nov 10, 2017, 8:44 pm
#715
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 318
Can I take a tour if I only have a 5 hours 15 minutes layover?
I know it said a minimum 6 hours, but i am hoping there might be a chance to go for the tour.
I am flying on an award business ticket from Athens to Warsaw with a 5 hours 15 minutes layover at Istanbul on Turkish airline. I will be arriving IST at 7:20am and departing at 12:35pm. Would I be able to join the 8:30am to 11:00am sightseeing tour?
If not, is there enough time for us to do a little sightseeing ourselves?
Thanks, is
I am flying on an award business ticket from Athens to Warsaw with a 5 hours 15 minutes layover at Istanbul on Turkish airline. I will be arriving IST at 7:20am and departing at 12:35pm. Would I be able to join the 8:30am to 11:00am sightseeing tour?
If not, is there enough time for us to do a little sightseeing ourselves?
Thanks, is
Nov 19, 2017, 1:57 pm
#716
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: EK Gold, TK Elite+
Posts: 4
Bosphorus Experience
Anyone here tried the Turkish Airlines Bosphorus Experience offered to business class passengers w/ a 7+ hours layover at IST?
I have an eligible layover on Nov 26, 2017 and want to see if anyone has any first hand experience with this tour. The price is a bit steep at 769 TL, especially considering the free hotel/tour alternatives, but it seems like a unique opportunity.
Is it worth it? Should I do it?
I will be making the decision later in the week once I get a more accurate weather forecast.
I have an eligible layover on Nov 26, 2017 and want to see if anyone has any first hand experience with this tour. The price is a bit steep at 769 TL, especially considering the free hotel/tour alternatives, but it seems like a unique opportunity.
Is it worth it? Should I do it?
I will be making the decision later in the week once I get a more accurate weather forecast.
Nov 19, 2017, 2:55 pm
#717
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: BKK,YYZ
Programs: Star Gold
Posts: 50
[QUOTE=starflyergold;20080536]
Rules:
- There is more than 10 hours (7 or more hours for business class passengers) between two international connecting flights due to Turkish Airlines’ schedule.
If I have a confirmed upgrade to Business with points or voucher, will the 10-hour or 7-hour rule apply ?
Rules:
- There is more than 10 hours (7 or more hours for business class passengers) between two international connecting flights due to Turkish Airlines’ schedule.
If I have a confirmed upgrade to Business with points or voucher, will the 10-hour or 7-hour rule apply ?
Nov 20, 2017, 2:51 am
#718
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,050
If your boarding pass says Business the 7-hour rule applies. Whether you want to bother with clearing customs, waiting for a hotel room and a shuttle bus, etc. to end up with maybe 4-5 hours in your hotel is another question.
Nov 26, 2017, 7:51 pm
#719
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: DTW
Programs: TK E+, WY, Radisson R
Posts: 2,360
Nov 27th, TPE-IST-YYZ, scheduled transit is 9.5 hours, plane from TPE arrived 1 hour early at 5 am, went straight through immigration to the hotel desk and was given Polat immediately. Now relaxing in my room at 5:30 am, so I'll have 7.5 hours relaxing here at the hotel, this is the quickest and most seamless hotel transfer I've gone through (half hour between deplaning and resting at the bed)
The bad part? Now I've enjoyed the comfort here and future trips will steer me toward this hotel rather than the cheaper options near Bakirkoy.
The bad part? Now I've enjoyed the comfort here and future trips will steer me toward this hotel rather than the cheaper options near Bakirkoy.
Last edited by vincewy; Nov 26, 2017 at 9:44 pm
Nov 26, 2017, 9:34 pm
#720
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: LAX
Programs: TK M&S, LH MM, Global Entry, Hertz Gold, Sixt Platinum
Posts: 1,087
Nov 27th, TPE-IST-YYZ, scheduled transit is 9.5 hours, plane from TPE arrived 1 hour early at 5 am, went straight through immigration to the hotel desk and was given Polar immediately. Now relaxing in my room at 5:30 am, so I'll have 7.5 hours relaxing here at the hotel, this is the quickest and most seamless hotel transfer I've gone through (half hour between deplaning and resting at the bed)
The bad part? Now I've enjoyed the comfort here and future trips will steer me toward this hotel rather than the cheaper options near Bakirkoy.
The bad part? Now I've enjoyed the comfort here and future trips will steer me toward this hotel rather than the cheaper options near Bakirkoy.
I’ve found the Polat nice on the valid J connections, but for pay-it-yourself layovers, the Wyndham just north of IST isn’t far behind the cheaper rooms of the Polat (I’m sure they have really nice rooms too, just always seemed to get more modest ones on my TK-comped stays). Not much further distance-wise either.