Jul 21, 2015, 8:54 pm

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

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:

Quote:

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

How to Apply - You need minimum 6 hours layover, max 24 hours. Both inbound and outbound flights must be on TK.

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

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Mar 3, 2019, 11:42 pm

#856

ISTFlyer

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Nov 2018

Location: Istanbul, Turkey

Programs: TK Elite Plus,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold,QR Gold,HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold

Posts: 14,186

Quote:

Originally Posted by hannibal

I've searched the thread a couple times but didn't find a clear answer - we have ATL-IST-SEZ in business class, arriving at 16:15 and leaving (technically) 2 days later at 01:50, there are no earlier flights out so we definitely qualify for the hotel. I'm just trying to figure out if if they'll give us 2 nights, since the flight leaves at 01:50, or are they only going to give us one night? I'd rather reserve something than spend ~12 hours without a room w/ my wife...

If you are buying a multi-city trip "ATL-IST & IST-SEZ separately added" they are not obliged to provide a hotel room for you, but according to the stopover application, they could provide you one. However, if the reservation segment is booked as ATL-IST-SEZ, TK would provide you a hotel just after your arrival in IST until 3-4 hours before your SEZ flight.

As you have completed your booking, you could e-mail the hotel department to book your reservation. You would get the most accurate details for your case from them. The e-mail is somewhere in this thread ( probably at the WIKI section ).

EDIT: Mail for reservations from the USA : [email protected]

Last edited by ISTFlyer; Mar 3, 2019 at 11:45 pm Reason: Stated

Mar 4, 2019, 12:58 am

#857

docbert

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by hannibal

There may be no earlier flights, but is there a later flight ATL-IST? If there's an ATL-IST the next day then you do NOT qualify for the hotel. I'm presuming there isn't given that ATL-IST isn't a daily service, but just want to make sure...

Mar 4, 2019, 5:50 am

#858

hannibal

Join Date: Sep 2006

Posts: 49

Quote:

Originally Posted by docbert

Ahhh I didn't realize that was a requirement ... and here I thought I scored a sweet deal! It wasn't available with miles, but it looks like there is indeed an ATL-IST flight. Guess I'll have to book a room then! Thanks, much better to find out now than when we land.

Edit: Spoke too soon! The next direct flight out of ATL doesn't arrive until well after the outbound flight, so think we do qualify after all!

Last edited by hannibal; Mar 4, 2019 at 6:00 am

Mar 4, 2019, 6:05 am

#859

hannibal

Join Date: Sep 2006

Posts: 49

Quote:

Originally Posted by ISTFlyer

However, if the reservation segment is booked as ATL-IST-SEZ, TK would provide you a hotel just after your arrival in IST until 3-4 hours before your SEZ flight.

Yep, it's a RTW ticket, all flights on the same PNR. That's really awesome that they'll provide a room until check-in time for those late flights! I was planning to contact them but maybe a little closer to the flight date (it's in December, which is still a long ways away!)

Mar 9, 2019, 1:35 am

#860

Pinni

Join Date: Jan 2013

Location: Europe

Posts: 71

Looking at FDH-IST-AUH in Y in September. On the day I want to depart from FDH (September 29th) there is only one FDH-IST flight available which departs in the evening forcing me to stay for over 20 hours in IST to catch the IST-AUH flight the next evening (there is no earlier IST-AUH flight available).

However on the day before (September 28th) the flight FDH-IST departs in the morning allowing to catch the IST-AUH flight on the same day.

Will I qualify for the free transit hotel if I book the itinerary on September 29th?

Mar 9, 2019, 9:33 am

#861

SFOTraveler1984

Join Date: May 2016

Location: SFO, DUS

Programs: BA Gold (OW Emer), TK ELPL (*G), Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, IHG Gold

Posts: 528

Yes, you will qualify for the transit hotel.
The only "unknown" in my opinion is the new airport and if TK will continue the Transit hotel service at the new airport - there aren't many hotels in that area..

Gerbs, Pinni and ISTFlyer like this.

Mar 9, 2019, 11:00 am

#862

SK AAR

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Nov 2004

Location: Denmark

Programs: TK Elite

Posts: 11,852

TK will often book hotels near the city center. In Dec. I got a room at the HGI Golden Horn which is quite far away from the current airport and in the city.

Mar 9, 2019, 11:52 pm

#863

max_kolesne

Join Date: Dec 2018

Posts: 310

Edit: Solved the issue but cannot find the delete button for this.

Last edited by max_kolesne; Mar 10, 2019 at 3:22 am

Mar 10, 2019, 4:10 am

#864

TM78

Join Date: Feb 2012

Location: Ljubljana, Slovenia

Programs: Skywards, Miles&More

Posts: 111

Anyone knows if TK will stop giving free transit hotel after the move? I have been looking for some connections in June and on all i'm geting just Tour option and no hotel.

Mar 10, 2019, 11:38 am

#865

ISTFlyer

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Nov 2018

Location: Istanbul, Turkey

Programs: TK Elite Plus,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold,QR Gold,HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold

Posts: 14,186

Quote:

Originally Posted by TM78

Anyone knows if TK will stop giving free transit hotel after the move? I have been looking for some connections in June and on all i'm geting just Tour option and no hotel.

Unfortunately, no information at the moment.

TM78 likes this.

Mar 10, 2019, 12:11 pm

#866

slickvik

Join Date: Aug 2011

Programs: Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond, Radisson Rewards Gold, Best Western Diamond Select

Posts: 1,856

Today’s free hotel, tuyap palace. Middle of nowhere

roadwarrier and ISTFlyer like this.

Mar 10, 2019, 2:36 pm

#867

TM78

Join Date: Feb 2012

Location: Ljubljana, Slovenia

Programs: Skywards, Miles&More

Posts: 111

Quote:

Originally Posted by ISTFlyer

Unfortunately, no information at the moment.

Thank you very much ISTFlyer.

We got new timings and if we change to new flight we'll be stuck at the airport for 12hrs. We will stick with new timing and short connection (1hr 35mins) and I hope this will be enough at new airport if the move will happend by June.

Mar 10, 2019, 2:41 pm

#868

ISTFlyer

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Nov 2018

Location: Istanbul, Turkey

Programs: TK Elite Plus,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold,QR Gold,HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold

Posts: 14,186

Quote:

Originally Posted by TM78

Thank you very much ISTFlyer.

Just a quick note that if you have a same-day option shorter than 11h in Economy and shorter than 7h in Business as a layover, you don't qualify for the free hotel. It's not like ( F.E. Qatar Airways ) that provides a free hotel room even though there is a shorter connection available.

By the way, 1hours 35 mins would be fine for an international-international transfer.

Mar 10, 2019, 2:46 pm

#869

TM78

Join Date: Feb 2012

Location: Ljubljana, Slovenia

Programs: Skywards, Miles&More

Posts: 111

Quote:

Originally Posted by ISTFlyer

We'll be flying in Economy because flights are short (LJU-IST-HRG and back), yes I know that. We have option to go on later flight from HRG and then is little over 10hrs between flights and all we get is just Tour option which we did last year. If we go on this later flight we miss morning flight to Ljubljana.

And since you confirmed that our connection time is enough for transfer I'm fine now.

Mar 18, 2019, 3:16 am

#870

CoweyB

Join Date: Sep 2007

Location: London UK

Programs: BAEC Silver,, Oman Air Gold

Posts: 747

I tweeted TK Help Desk about hotels and tours after the Great Move and this is what they said but note the layover period has increased:

Hello, a complimentary hotel accommodation will be provided to our passengers when there are more than 12 hours (for economy cabin passengers) and 9 or more hours (for business cabin passengers) waiting during their international connecting flights due to TA 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. Also, as of 7th April, we will continue providing the TourIstanbul service. Simply head to our desk located at the arrival terminal next to the hotel desk.