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
Jan 3, 2018, 2:34 am
#737
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Tokyo
Programs: Marriott Plat, HH G,Hyatt E,*A Gold, OW Emerald.
Posts: 3,023
Either use the saved $400 to pay for a hotel in IST,
or hang out in the airport lounge (business class?),
or sign up for an Istanbul tour,
or pay for the more expensive ticket.
(or, beg for a hotel once you land in Istanbul)
see this link from Turkish Airlines website:
https://www.turkishairlines.com/en-u...hotel-service/
and this link for an explanation by a blogger
Everything You Need to Know About Turkish Airlines? Free Transit Hotel - Live and Let's Fly
Jan 3, 2018, 2:36 am
#738
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
I use the Hilton Garden Inn - Honors award category 1 - so $25 to buy the points during a point sale promo. (and 2,000 earned back from the Q1 promo)
Jan 3, 2018, 3:02 am
#739
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: CDG
Programs: TK Elite
Posts: 1,611
Man I have no clue about these hotel deals that's a fantastic deal Craig, I'll look into that 
Last edited by AirCanada881; Jan 3, 2018 at 3:10 am
Jan 3, 2018, 8:08 am
#740
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: SRQ
Programs: UA Plat-Million Miler (1.6MM), IHG-Plat Amb; Amex Plat-P, Marriott-Gold;Hertz Gold; Hilton-Gold
Posts: 762
Enjoy the TK Business Class Lounge which is perhaps the most Awesome and Massive Business Class Lounge on Earth. Come Hungry and experience the Culinary Extravaganza !!
Jan 3, 2018, 9:18 am
#741
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
Posts: 28,742
Hotels are offered only when flight timings require that you MUST have a layover of at least a certain [relatively] long duration. Choosing to "miss" the first, or first several, flights that you could have caught, means you are not entitled to a free hotel - because a "short" connection that does not require a hotel stay was available. Regardless of the reason for not booking that faster connection - whether because it was more expensive, or whether it was because you actually wanted to stay for longer in Istanbul - that is your decision, and not something the airline has "forced" you into, so any hotel costs would be on you, not on the airline. If there actually are no other, earlier flights scheduled that you COULD have chosen, meaning that you HAVE to wait for several hours, then the airline is providing the hotel to make this otherwise unattractive connection more palatable. The hotel is offered to people who don't really want to stay over; if you instead show that you WANT to stay over, then the hotel is at your cost.
The hotel is offered by the airline in order to offset the unattractiveness of the ticket, given that it requires such a long layover. HOWEVER, if you build your own "long layover" into the ticket - whether because you want a cheaper ticket, or whether because you want to visit friends, or whether you actually want to see Istanbul, etc etc - then no hotel is offered, because you forewent the option of taking the shortest available connection.
Last edited by irishguy28; Jan 3, 2018 at 9:23 am
Jan 3, 2018, 9:23 am
#742
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: CDG
Programs: TK Elite
Posts: 1,611
Thanks everyone for your input, what I think alot of you missed was that in both cases, the connection was above 10 hours making me eligible for the hotel, it is just that the 15 hour connection was cheaper than the 10 hour connection so my question was if I choose the 15 hour connection over the 10 hour one, do I still get the hotel
Jan 3, 2018, 4:19 pm
#743
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,477
I would conclude from the above discussion that the question is no longer relevant. If you want the same product at a lower cost, get the largest savings by choosing the right flights. After that, you can try getting a free hotel voucher or make use of other hotel bargains suggested.
Jan 4, 2018, 12:39 pm
#744
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: SF Bay or DTW (depends!)
Programs: DL Gold, CO Gold
Posts: 8
TK Bosphorus Experience
Hi all,
Have a 10 hour connection coming up in two weeks in Istanbul (ORD->IST->JKT in biz) and now that US citizens can get Turkish Visas, I have booked the "Bosphorus Experience." ( https://bosphorus.turkishairlines.com/ ) THE alternative is that I save about $400USD and instead let THEM pay for a hotel, but this seems like a pretty cool experience. Would love to hear some reviews (so I can cancel if it turns out to be lame!) Has anyone done this during a long Tk layover?
Have a 10 hour connection coming up in two weeks in Istanbul (ORD->IST->JKT in biz) and now that US citizens can get Turkish Visas, I have booked the "Bosphorus Experience." ( https://bosphorus.turkishairlines.com/ ) THE alternative is that I save about $400USD and instead let THEM pay for a hotel, but this seems like a pretty cool experience. Would love to hear some reviews (so I can cancel if it turns out to be lame!) Has anyone done this during a long Tk layover?
Jan 5, 2018, 12:58 am
#745
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,477
I've taken a regular sightseeing boat intended for the locals from the Karaköy terminal. I recall the fare was under $10 a few years ago, and the trip took 1.5 hrs. It was very pleasant and relaxing, with the open upper deck and enclosed lower deck. It was not crowded, so I could move around to get better view as we passed the sights on either side.
Jan 5, 2018, 9:36 pm
#746
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: YVR
Posts: 1,083
No. Price is NOT what determines whether you get a hotel.
Hotels are offered only when flight timings require that you MUST have a layover of at least a certain [relatively] long duration. Choosing to "miss" the first, or first several, flights that you could have caught, means you are not entitled to a free hotel - because a "short" connection that does not require a hotel stay was available. Regardless of the reason for not booking that faster connection - whether because it was more expensive, or whether it was because you actually wanted to stay for longer in Istanbul - that is your decision, and not something the airline has "forced" you into, so any hotel costs would be on you, not on the airline. If there actually are no other, earlier flights scheduled that you COULD have chosen, meaning that you HAVE to wait for several hours, then the airline is providing the hotel to make this otherwise unattractive connection more palatable. The hotel is offered to people who don't really want to stay over; if you instead show that you WANT to stay over, then the hotel is at your cost.
The hotel is offered by the airline in order to offset the unattractiveness of the ticket, given that it requires such a long layover. HOWEVER, if you build your own "long layover" into the ticket - whether because you want a cheaper ticket, or whether because you want to visit friends, or whether you actually want to see Istanbul, etc etc - then no hotel is offered, because you forewent the option of taking the shortest available connection.
Hotels are offered only when flight timings require that you MUST have a layover of at least a certain [relatively] long duration. Choosing to "miss" the first, or first several, flights that you could have caught, means you are not entitled to a free hotel - because a "short" connection that does not require a hotel stay was available. Regardless of the reason for not booking that faster connection - whether because it was more expensive, or whether it was because you actually wanted to stay for longer in Istanbul - that is your decision, and not something the airline has "forced" you into, so any hotel costs would be on you, not on the airline. If there actually are no other, earlier flights scheduled that you COULD have chosen, meaning that you HAVE to wait for several hours, then the airline is providing the hotel to make this otherwise unattractive connection more palatable. The hotel is offered to people who don't really want to stay over; if you instead show that you WANT to stay over, then the hotel is at your cost.
The hotel is offered by the airline in order to offset the unattractiveness of the ticket, given that it requires such a long layover. HOWEVER, if you build your own "long layover" into the ticket - whether because you want a cheaper ticket, or whether because you want to visit friends, or whether you actually want to see Istanbul, etc etc - then no hotel is offered, because you forewent the option of taking the shortest available connection.
Say the flight you are connecting to at IST only has 1 departure a day. The flight you are connecting from has dozens of arrivals a day. Does TK check to make sure you took the latest possible arriving connection flight?
Jan 7, 2018, 8:23 am
#747
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SIN (with a bit of ZRH sprinkled in)
Posts: 9,455
So I understand TK will look at whether there are shorter connections options between the time you arrive and the time you depart. What about the reverse situation.
Say the flight you are connecting to at IST only has 1 departure a day. The flight you are connecting from has dozens of arrivals a day. Does TK check to make sure you took the latest possible arriving connection flight?
Say the flight you are connecting to at IST only has 1 departure a day. The flight you are connecting from has dozens of arrivals a day. Does TK check to make sure you took the latest possible arriving connection flight?
Jan 10, 2018, 2:41 pm
#749
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Programs: TK Elite, Hilton Diamond, BA Silver
Posts: 967
Jan 11, 2018, 4:21 am
#750
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 1
is TK helping with immigration?
Hi All
Have a 23 hours connection coming up in IST both inbound and outbound with TK. I am 100% sure I am eligible for the free hotel.
My problem is that I am a citizen from Cameroon and as such I do not know if immigration will let me go.
Anyone with experience with that ?
Have a 23 hours connection coming up in IST both inbound and outbound with TK. I am 100% sure I am eligible for the free hotel.
My problem is that I am a citizen from Cameroon and as such I do not know if immigration will let me go.
Anyone with experience with that ?