Last edit by: Lefly
This thread is created for passengers with long connections in Istanbul Airport for TK.
PLEASE READ THIS WIKI CAREFULLY (especially the hotel fine print) before posting questions.
TRANSIT HOTEL (different from Stopover hotel):
TK will provide a free hotel to international transfer passengers at IST if:
- Economy Class ticket: connecting time is 12 hours or longer
- Business Class ticket: connecting time is 9 hours or longer
AND this connection must be the shortest possible option. If there is a 3-hour layover available, but you choose the 13-hour one, you are not eligible for the free transit hotel. This also applies if the shorter connection is fully booked: you still won't get the free hotel if there is a theoretical, but sold out, shorter connection.
If you need a visa to enter Turkey, you need to secure it at your own expense.
TK have a pool of hotels that they contract with, it is unfortunately not possible to know which hotel you'll end up at until you are sitting on the bus. Business class passengeres generally get five star hotels and Economy Class passengers get four star hotels. See the list on the bottom of this wiki for usual locations.
Hotel Desk E-Mail Adress: [email protected] - it's generally not necessary to email them, you can just show up
click here for Hotel Desk location
Click here for full Transit Hotel terms/conditions
STOPOVER HOTEL (different from Transit Hotel):
If you are on a round-trip ticket to-from certain cities/countries (click here for the list) and choose a connection longer than 20 hours, TK will provide one night at a four star hotel for Economy Class tickets and two nights at a five star hotel for Business Class tickets (three nights if traveling to/from USA).
At least 72 hours before your first flight, you must send an e-mail to the address that corresponds to your departure point on the list on this page (click here) and include your
full name
reservation code (PNR) or ticket number
date range for the anticipated accommodation
preferred room type (single, double or triple)
telephone and e-mail address
Visas and transfer to/from the airport are not covered by TK.
Click here for eligible origins/destinations and FAQ
TOURISTANBUL:
If you are on an international connection through IST and your connection time is 6-24 hours, you can take a free guided city tour. You must arrive at the hotel desk at least 30 minutes before the tours are scheduled to depart. After clearing immigration and leaving the baggage claim hall, turn right and go to the hotel desk (for location click here).
Touristanbul schedule and FAQ can be found here.
SLEEPING ROOMS:
Business Class and Elite Plus passengers on connections between 4 hours and 9 hours can get a private sleeping room at the M&S and Business lounges. One of the flights must be longer than eight hours and both need to be on TK, codeshare flights are excluded.
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Please list the hotel that you were provided, travel class, the Miles&Smiles or Star Alliance status of the passenger, the date, your username below and the post # that you have shared in the thread ( you could find the number at the top right side of your posts ) to create a database of passenger experiences.
For example: XXXXXXX Hotel, Business Class, M&S Elite, DD/MM/YYYY, ISTFlyer, #1
April 2019:
Renaissance Polat (Atatürk Airport), Business Class, M&S ELPL, reported by dabee69 in post #54
Renaissance Polat (Atatürk Airport), Business Class, TG*G, reported by bmi_Barry in post #79
May 2019:
Green Park Hotel ( Pendik ), IRROPS, reported by zing2istanbul in (post #753 in the TK ops from IST thread)
Crowne Plaza Aqua Florya, Business Class, TG*G, reported by bmi_Barry in post #91
June 2019:
Westside Arjaan by Rotana, Business Class, M&S ELPL, reported by finlandokie in post #169
PLEASE READ THIS WIKI CAREFULLY (especially the hotel fine print) before posting questions.
TRANSIT HOTEL (different from Stopover hotel):
TK will provide a free hotel to international transfer passengers at IST if:
- Economy Class ticket: connecting time is 12 hours or longer
- Business Class ticket: connecting time is 9 hours or longer
AND this connection must be the shortest possible option. If there is a 3-hour layover available, but you choose the 13-hour one, you are not eligible for the free transit hotel. This also applies if the shorter connection is fully booked: you still won't get the free hotel if there is a theoretical, but sold out, shorter connection.
If you need a visa to enter Turkey, you need to secure it at your own expense.
TK have a pool of hotels that they contract with, it is unfortunately not possible to know which hotel you'll end up at until you are sitting on the bus. Business class passengeres generally get five star hotels and Economy Class passengers get four star hotels. See the list on the bottom of this wiki for usual locations.
Hotel Desk E-Mail Adress: [email protected] - it's generally not necessary to email them, you can just show up
click here for Hotel Desk location
Click here for full Transit Hotel terms/conditions
STOPOVER HOTEL (different from Transit Hotel):
If you are on a round-trip ticket to-from certain cities/countries (click here for the list) and choose a connection longer than 20 hours, TK will provide one night at a four star hotel for Economy Class tickets and two nights at a five star hotel for Business Class tickets (three nights if traveling to/from USA).
At least 72 hours before your first flight, you must send an e-mail to the address that corresponds to your departure point on the list on this page (click here) and include your
full name
reservation code (PNR) or ticket number
date range for the anticipated accommodation
preferred room type (single, double or triple)
telephone and e-mail address
Visas and transfer to/from the airport are not covered by TK.
Click here for eligible origins/destinations and FAQ
TOURISTANBUL:
If you are on an international connection through IST and your connection time is 6-24 hours, you can take a free guided city tour. You must arrive at the hotel desk at least 30 minutes before the tours are scheduled to depart. After clearing immigration and leaving the baggage claim hall, turn right and go to the hotel desk (for location click here).
Touristanbul schedule and FAQ can be found here.
SLEEPING ROOMS:
Business Class and Elite Plus passengers on connections between 4 hours and 9 hours can get a private sleeping room at the M&S and Business lounges. One of the flights must be longer than eight hours and both need to be on TK, codeshare flights are excluded.
-----------------
Please list the hotel that you were provided, travel class, the Miles&Smiles or Star Alliance status of the passenger, the date, your username below and the post # that you have shared in the thread ( you could find the number at the top right side of your posts ) to create a database of passenger experiences.
For example: XXXXXXX Hotel, Business Class, M&S Elite, DD/MM/YYYY, ISTFlyer, #1
April 2019:
Renaissance Polat (Atatürk Airport), Business Class, M&S ELPL, reported by dabee69 in post #54
Renaissance Polat (Atatürk Airport), Business Class, TG*G, reported by bmi_Barry in post #79
May 2019:
Green Park Hotel ( Pendik ), IRROPS, reported by zing2istanbul in (post #753 in the TK ops from IST thread)
Crowne Plaza Aqua Florya, Business Class, TG*G, reported by bmi_Barry in post #91
June 2019:
Westside Arjaan by Rotana, Business Class, M&S ELPL, reported by finlandokie in post #169
August 2019:
Akgun Istanbul, economy class, per post 217
November 2019:
Polat/Renaissance, business-class E+ post 285 (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/31699696-post285.html)
December 2019:
Polat/Renaissance again, business-class E+ post 285
December 2020:
Polat Renaissance, business class E+
January 2021:
Polat Renaissance, business class (No Status)
November 2021:
Holiday Inn Istanbul Airport, economy class (No Status), #537
May 2022 Stopover hotelPolat/Renaissance again, business-class E+ post 285
December 2020:
Polat Renaissance, business class E+
January 2021:
Polat Renaissance, business class (No Status)
November 2021:
Holiday Inn Istanbul Airport, economy class (No Status), #537
Sheraton Istanbul Ataköy Hotel, business E+
May 2022
Westside Arjaan by Rotana, Business,*G, Sandy Hopper
Centro by Rotona (transit hotel), Business, *G, Nacho
Sheraton Istanbul Ataköy Hotel (stopover hotel), business, *G, Nacho
July 2022
Pullman, Business,*G, Sandy Hopper
July 2023
Polat Renaissance, business class, TK-E, iamaho
Sheraton Otel Esenyurt - with dinner included, business class, TK-E, iamaho
September 2023
Pullman, Business, *G, SEA-Flyer
Pullman, Business, no status, SEA-Flyer
LaQuinta by Wyndham, Y E+, DaveS
Sheraton Esenyurt, Business, E+, Jaenks, assigned by my request
October 2023
Ramada Plaza Tekstilkent, Business, TK E, Lefly
TK in IST: Thread #3 - Transit and Stopover Hotel, Touristanbul, Sleeping Rooms
#1486
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Brooklyn, NYC
Programs: QR PC Platinum, TK M&S elite, UA silver, ITA Voltaire Executive (lol), Marriott Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 1,168
This is actually a brilliant idea for a shorter stopover, but unfortunately my stopover is a little less than 29 hours, so unless my inbound is seriously delayed, I don’t think it’d be the best move.
#1487
Join Date: Apr 2021
Programs: TK E+, BA EC Silver, Vistara Platinum, JP Platinum, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 47
I am travelling with a toddler and lots of bags and have a bunch of questions. Total 3 people (2 adults + 1 toddler) with 5 big check-in bags and 2 cabin bags and a car seat in it's own big bag. I have a 29 hour stopover in IST and am taking the Stopover program.
I have the following questions:
1. While I will request for the check-in bags to be checked in all through I am mentally prepared to have it declined and to collect the bags in IST. What would be my options for a big taxi that can take all the bags? Where can I find this taxi at the airport and how much would it approximately cost. We are staying at the Ramada Atakoy
2. How do I arrange for a similar taxi on the way back and how much will it cost me approximately.
3. Are car seats mandatory for toddlers (kid is 3 years old) and do I need to install it in the taxi as well as all the other cabs we plan to take while going around the city. This will also be a factor in taking individual cabs or just have a cab on hire for the entire day. The last time we where in IST in 2018 we had taken a cab on hire for the whole day (or maybe like 6 hours) for about 110 euros booked from the hotel so I am assuming something similar would be available albeit at a slightly higher rate factoring in inflation.
Thanks in advance..
I have the following questions:
1. While I will request for the check-in bags to be checked in all through I am mentally prepared to have it declined and to collect the bags in IST. What would be my options for a big taxi that can take all the bags? Where can I find this taxi at the airport and how much would it approximately cost. We are staying at the Ramada Atakoy
2. How do I arrange for a similar taxi on the way back and how much will it cost me approximately.
3. Are car seats mandatory for toddlers (kid is 3 years old) and do I need to install it in the taxi as well as all the other cabs we plan to take while going around the city. This will also be a factor in taking individual cabs or just have a cab on hire for the entire day. The last time we where in IST in 2018 we had taken a cab on hire for the whole day (or maybe like 6 hours) for about 110 euros booked from the hotel so I am assuming something similar would be available albeit at a slightly higher rate factoring in inflation.
Thanks in advance..
#1488
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: TAY
Programs: AY+ gold, Miles&bonus gold
Posts: 13
Dear all, perhaps the experience of some of you can tell, what is going to happen in the following situation.
In several weeks, I am going to fly (in Economy) from TLL to IST, continuing to SFO in the next day. At the day I'm flying, there are two flights from TLL to IST by TK. The first of them arrives at 17:XX (I guess there is no point in looking up the exact minutes), which is 20 hours and XX minutes before the flight to SFO departs. The second of them arrives at 23:XX, which is 14 hours and XX minutes before the flight to SFO. The later flight from TLL to IST is also the shortest transit from TLL to SFO.
I'm booked on the earlier flight from TLL to SFO, which makes me eligible for the stopover hotel. I have gotten the voucher. TK has now changed the time of that flight. Well... it's not much of a change, considering that the arrival time of the flight has not changed. Still, I am now eligible to freely change my flight. Also, some personal matters may make me prefer the later flight from TLL to IST.
Question: what happens with the hotel voucher, should I go and make the change? Will it stay valid, or will it be voided? If it will be voided, will I be notified of it before I reach the hotel?
I presume that if I were to change the flight, I will still be eligible for the transit hotel. Should I perhaps go and make the change? My voucher is for Grand Yavuz.
Thank you for your input.
In several weeks, I am going to fly (in Economy) from TLL to IST, continuing to SFO in the next day. At the day I'm flying, there are two flights from TLL to IST by TK. The first of them arrives at 17:XX (I guess there is no point in looking up the exact minutes), which is 20 hours and XX minutes before the flight to SFO departs. The second of them arrives at 23:XX, which is 14 hours and XX minutes before the flight to SFO. The later flight from TLL to IST is also the shortest transit from TLL to SFO.
I'm booked on the earlier flight from TLL to SFO, which makes me eligible for the stopover hotel. I have gotten the voucher. TK has now changed the time of that flight. Well... it's not much of a change, considering that the arrival time of the flight has not changed. Still, I am now eligible to freely change my flight. Also, some personal matters may make me prefer the later flight from TLL to IST.
Question: what happens with the hotel voucher, should I go and make the change? Will it stay valid, or will it be voided? If it will be voided, will I be notified of it before I reach the hotel?
I presume that if I were to change the flight, I will still be eligible for the transit hotel. Should I perhaps go and make the change? My voucher is for Grand Yavuz.
Thank you for your input.
Regarding the hotel voucher, I got an e-mail two days before the flight, stating that the voucher was cancelled.
At the hotel desk (which I reached around 23:20-23:25; there were no other customers at that time, but ca. 5 agents) no questions were asked from me. The agent dealing with me exchanged some words with another agent, and told me that I'm good to get a room at a transit hotel. So, everything worked out nicely.
BTW, the hotel was Hampton Inn at Kayasehir.
#1490
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 60
Wi-Fi was hit or miss in most of the hotels I stayed in Istanbul. And with a hit, I mean usable, nothing special. Recently, I've been using esims and my phone as a hotspot. Esim packages are relatively cheap, about 10$ for 5 GB or 20$ for 10 GB. I suggest that way if the hotel you select has slow internet.
#1491
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,257
Wi-Fi was hit or miss in most of the hotels I stayed in Istanbul. And with a hit, I mean usable, nothing special. Recently, I've been using esims and my phone as a hotspot. Esim packages are relatively cheap, about 10$ for 5 GB or 20$ for 10 GB. I suggest that way if the hotel you select has slow internet.
the LTE (whether eSIM or local pSIM) is fast enough for video call without lag?
#1492
Join Date: Oct 2023
Programs: TK and Finnair
Posts: 8
So I took a 23 hour transfer today (HEL-YUL) with business class and decided to give this transit hotel a try thinking it would be some hotel near the old airport. NOPE. I am writing from the hotel : Sheraton Esenyurt Istanbul. It is 45 minutes away from the new airport in a place I would not like to call Istanbul. I am told this is for business class traveler and the hotel is great but beside a stupid shopping center next door, going to anywhere central will take over one hour.
Big heads up if your transit plans include visit to actual city (and I lived in Istanbul for first 25 years of my life, so trust me in this). If you stay in the hotel, it is great, dinner and breakfast is also included.
Big heads up if your transit plans include visit to actual city (and I lived in Istanbul for first 25 years of my life, so trust me in this). If you stay in the hotel, it is great, dinner and breakfast is also included.
#1494
Join Date: Oct 2023
Programs: TK and Finnair
Posts: 8
I didn't have dinner (went to my parent's home for dinner ). I had breakfast and it was a very rich buffet. 5 star hotel service. Breakfast is between 07:00 - 11:00 and Dinner is 19:00-23:00.
#1496
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CPH
Programs: UAMP S, TK M&S E (*G), Marriott LTP, IHG P, SK EBG
Posts: 11,095
They are free for a reason...
Last edited by nacho; Apr 7, 2024 at 3:56 pm
#1497
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,257
plus 4+ stars hotels in istanbul are generally not overly expensive and you might as well pay for your own hotel to be in central, once you factor in the time (horrendous traffic) and cab fare from outside istanbul proper
#1498
Join Date: Oct 2023
Programs: TK and Finnair
Posts: 8
yeah i figured. i m just trying to see if it is worth buying RT just to qualify for free stopover hotels. but free become "free", if they put you so far outside of istanbul proper
plus 4+ stars hotels in istanbul are generally not overly expensive and you might as well pay for your own hotel to be in central, once you factor in the time (horrendous traffic) and cab fare from outside istanbul proper
plus 4+ stars hotels in istanbul are generally not overly expensive and you might as well pay for your own hotel to be in central, once you factor in the time (horrendous traffic) and cab fare from outside istanbul proper
#1499
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denmark
Programs: TK Elite
Posts: 11,850
#1500
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,257
has anyone use this before for a few hours ? worth it? does the internet work ?
https://www.igapass.com/en/iga-busin...4006?locale=en
https://www.igapass.com/en/iga-busin...4006?locale=en