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Free Hotel or City Tour?
I booked a flight from LAX to Munich via Istanbul in J class. I paid cash for the tickets. It stated I was eligible for a free hotel night( as I have a 16 hour layover or a tour of the city. Which is a better deal for me? They said I cannot make any reservations but have to wait till I get to Istanbul and go to the Tourist desk and they will arrange either. Anyone had experience with this option while flying business and have a long layover?
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If you are leaving LAX on TK10, which I think you are, then, there is a flight to MUC approximately 2 hours after you land at IST. AFAIK, TourIstanbul is only provided if your layover at IST / ISL >8 hours due to TK not operating connections with a shorter layover (i.e. you HAD to take the >8 hour connection). Happy to be proved wrong, though!
Also, Hotels in Istanbul are pretty cheap (and you get to earn elite points and qualifying stays on the cheap). I remembered staying at one of the Four Points for almost 2 weeks, for around 30Eur/night!! |
You can't have the free hotel if there is a flight to MUC before yours, but you can have the free tour
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I misspoke when I wrote this in that I have person reason for not catching the flight to MUC that same day. I elected to stay the night and they offered me the two options. I have never been to Istanbul so elected for the longer layover to see the city. Based on the previous comments it appears rooms are pretty inexpensive and the tour would be my better option. Since I paid a full J fare it was allowed.
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I may have taken that exact connection before. The only trouble I see is that you may not be able to catch the official tour from the time slot alone, TK10 lands in the late afternoon and you’ll need to be back at IST relatively early the next morning for the flight to MUC. I’d grab a hotel near the airport and then just take a cab to Sultanahmet, wander around and find a nice place to eat. Have a beautiful trip! |
Like @AvidFlyer1990, I use layovers in IST to pick up a cheap hotel chain stay credit.
Just make your own arrangements and wander around town on your own. You're going to struggle to match up your LAX arrival / MUC departure with the tours on offer. https://www.turkishairlines.com/en-g.../touristanbul/ |
If there is an earlier flight to MUC but for personal reasons you decide to spend the night in IST, you will not be eligible for paid hotel or free tour (regardless of what you are told now/when the booking was made). The staff at TK hotel desk will not provide you with a hotel room when you turn up at the desk (in the arrivals hall after clearing immigration and customs - turn right and walk to end of the arrivals hall) and they look up your reservation on their screens to see that there was an earlier flight to MUC - been there done that.
However, no need to get disappointed. Hotel rooms around the airport (at least around the old airport/IST) are plenty and very cheap. There is a very cheap but still nice Hilton Garden Inn near the airport - a short drive by taxi or by shuttle. Hilton Garden Inn Golden Horn is closer to the city center and will enable you to do some sightseeing - it is approx 30 min drive by taxi. There is also a very nice (but more expensive) DoubleTree Old City in the Sultanahmnet and with walking distance to most of the sights. You can reach it by public transport (metro and tram). |
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