Dave69NewYork

Astrophsx, the Turkish Business Lounge is one of the best in the world, and it does have a sleep/quiet area to be used. I am not sure though if it is closed between 2 and 5 am or something. I just came from there on Sunday.

gr8pirate

youre posting in the wrong thread.

check out the ‘free hotel for transit passengers’ and ‘cip Lounge Istanbul ’ threads here, your answers are covered in the headers.

in short: if arriving or departing on long haul flight AND your connection is between 4 and 7 hours AND you are flying in J (or are TK E+), you get to use the private rooms at the lounge.

The rules for the complimentary hotels are a little more complicated and well covered in the megathread.

yvr1971

Thanks all for the feedback. Looks like if we take it verbatim (and depending on source), I am still out of luck fot VOA. I have a couple of more months before my trip, so hopefully this will all be more clear by then.

TPJ

It is not. Open 24/7. Food limited during the night

Astrophsx

Seems like an okay place to me as it is within topic. I'm trying to see what others are doing who have booked 24 hr layovers are doing. I'm not sure why you'd reference the complimentary hotels as you cannot access them without a visa. I'm trying to find out what others are doing if they have no choice but to fly to IST and wait at the airport for their connecting flight.

Seems that your options are:

• Pay for the airside hotel that charges for blocks of hours and is $170 + VAT for 6 hours and $212 + VAT for 9 hours.
• If your layover is between 4 to 7 hours see if you can get a room within the Turkish Airlines lounge (not sure how many rooms there are or how long you can use them).
• Try to find a place to nap/sleep within the regular area of the Turkish Airlines lounge if you have a 7+ hour layover.
• Explore options at other Priority Pass lounges. Seems some have showers, but I don't think there are any sleeping rooms or dedicated relaxation rooms.

My issue is that I was re-accommodated by Etihad (using an ANA award) after they ended their SFO-AUH route. I am now flying SFO-IST with Turkish Airlines in business and then 22 hours later I'm flying with Etihad in business to AUH.

Trying to dig through the information, but I've been told I won't have access to the Turkish Airlines lounge. I am assuming that the Turkish Airlines arrivals lounge that I can access is an area I would need a visa for?

TPJ

You are correct in both cases.

Astrophsx

I guess the other option is to apply at the Turkish consulate and pay $160 for a visa. From one report on TA, it seems once you have you appointment it takes at minimum 2 weeks to get the visa and you have to either pick it up or have it mailed. That was their experience at the New York location.

36902BRF

That would work for sure (unless something changes again) as the one thing that has remained consistent so far is you have a visa you are fine. I don't know if you have looked at the application but they want a number of documents from you including proof of income and proof you have health insurance valid in Turkey among some other stuff. Really no different than what the US put a lot of folks through but it is not something I personally would do for a long layover.

dreamingawake409

It honestly varies from which Consulate you go to. Apparently the Chicago consulate does same day visa if your application is approved, though the "limited basis" statement means 10 visas a day to Americans. So if you get an appointment, you essentially get a visa there that same day. Other consulates will have varying processing times it seems like.

craigthemif

Wouldn't it merely be better to talk to ANA and try to find yet another way of re-routing?

Astrophsx

Wish it was that easy. Right now my route is SFO-IST (23 hours later) IST-AUH with two different carriers.

I called ANA to see other routes to get from SFO-AUH. They are not willing to change the departure airport. There is a same day flight out of IST to AUH with Turkish Airlines, but they were unable to book it stating they thought it was due to a married segment. The IST-AUH shows available in their system, but they are needing to book it as SFO-IST-AUH.

gr8pirate

23 hours airside without the ability to leave the airport is brutal...even if you had lounge access.

Given the price/time limit of the airside hotel, I would probably get the visa in advance, book a cheap hotel in town and enjoy the day in town.

craigthemif

It sounds a bit odd to me that they would convert a SFO-AUH into a mixed-carrier SFO-IST-AUH but then be unwilling to contemplate a SFO-FRA-AUH or whatever. But I suppose they're trying to stick within award space, so maybe check back when LH open J inventory to partners?

Astrophsx

Thanks! Not a bad idea to check back to see if LH open up J inventory.

ac-ua

Hello

apologies for cross posting


i am currently in the UK trying to fly to Istanbul on previously obtained e-visa as an American passport holder. However, the Turkish Airlines folks told me I can only stay airside, and Americans entering Turkey from third-countries, despite holding e-visas that are valid will still need a actual visa stamp in the passport from a Turkish Embassy/Consulate. Is this true?

If I can get on the flight, should I try for visa on landing? Would love any advice! Thanks much!