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TK in IST: Thread #3 - Transit and Stopover Hotel, Touristanbul, Sleeping Rooms

Old Apr 4, 2019, 6:36 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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.

-----------------

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 hotel
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




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TK in IST: Thread #3 - Transit and Stopover Hotel, Touristanbul, Sleeping Rooms

Old May 28, 2019, 8:12 am
  #151  
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: TK Elite, QR Gold
Posts: 1,272
I have a question about Touristanbul. I am interested in one of their tours around istanbul and not the hotel stay.

Am I still eligible if I book 2 separate tickets, with turkish airlines. I need to do so as the award flight to Asia is available only from IST onwards. My plan is to book 2 tickets with Turkish Airlines.

The first from AMS to IST with Turkish, connecting with another flight form IST to SIN, also with Turkish Airlines. I am planning a break of 8-10 hours between the flights and was wondering if I am eligible for one of the tours.

Thanks in advance for your help.
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Old May 28, 2019, 8:18 am
  #152  
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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
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Originally Posted by Culture Guru
I have a question about Touristanbul. I am interested in one of their tours around istanbul and not the hotel stay.

Am I still eligible if I book 2 separate tickets, with turkish airlines. I need to do so as the award flight to Asia is available only from IST onwards. My plan is to book 2 tickets with Turkish Airlines.

The first from AMS to IST with Turkish, connecting with another flight form IST to SIN, also with Turkish Airlines. I am planning a break of 8-10 hours between the flights and was wondering if I am eligible for one of the tours.

Thanks in advance for your help.
If you buy two separate tickets, you won't be a connecting passenger in reality. I am not sure if they check eligibility by e-ticket numbers or PNR's. If they do, the answer would be no. However, there is nothing stated in the Touristanbul website.

Somebody with a recent experience would be helpful in this case.
ISTFlyer is offline  
Old May 28, 2019, 8:38 am
  #153  
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: LAX
Programs: TK M&S, LH MM, Global Entry, Hertz Gold, Sixt Platinum
Posts: 1,087
Originally Posted by ISTFlyer
If you buy two separate tickets, you won't be a connecting passenger in reality. I am not sure if they check eligibility by e-ticket numbers or PNR's. If they do, the answer would be no. However, there is nothing stated in the Touristanbul website.

Somebody with a recent experience would be helpful in this case.
Never been in the situation, but I remember people posting from Atatürk that as long as both the flights were on TK, they got in.
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Old May 28, 2019, 8:38 am
  #154  
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: TK Elite, QR Gold
Posts: 1,272
Originally Posted by ISTFlyer
If you buy two separate tickets, you won't be a connecting passenger in reality. I am not sure if they check eligibility by e-ticket numbers or PNR's. If they do, the answer would be no. However, there is nothing stated in the Touristanbul website.

Somebody with a recent experience would be helpful in this case.
I am not sure how they check the eligibility. If it is based on boarding passes, I will be eligible. However, if it is based on PNR or eticket - i am not sure. Can someone with more information help here?
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Old Jun 1, 2019, 8:07 am
  #155  
jtz
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 84
I have a layover in August arriving 5:30 and departing for my next flight around 16:30, my flight before is 8 hours long. I was thinking if I could lie down in one of the rooms, rest for an hour or 2, have breakfast and go to the city for 3 or 4 hours before returning to the lounge again?
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Old Jun 1, 2019, 8:16 am
  #156  
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
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Originally Posted by jtz
I have a layover in August arriving 5:30 and departing for my next flight around 16:30, my flight before is 8 hours long. I was thinking if I could lie down in one of the rooms, rest for an hour or 2, have breakfast and go to the city for 3 or 4 hours before returning to the lounge again?
That’s a lovely idea, but you before you make any definite plans, you should really read the sleeping room access rules that are at the top of this post.
SFOTraveler1984 and ISTFlyer like this.
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Old Jun 1, 2019, 9:11 am
  #157  
 
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So what are the official "rules" for transit pax who have to overnight?

1. Does this apply to TK award tix?

2. Only revenue biz tickets - or Y as well?
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Old Jun 1, 2019, 9:39 am
  #158  
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: LAX
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Originally Posted by SuperFlyBoy
So what are the official "rules" for transit pax who have to overnight?

1. Does this apply to TK award tix?

2. Only revenue biz tickets - or Y as well?
No distinction between revenue and award tickets for transit hotel.

Re: rules:
wiki here:
TK in IST: Thread #3 - Transit and Stopover Hotel, Touristanbul, Sleeping Rooms
SFOTraveler1984 and ISTFlyer like this.
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Old Jun 2, 2019, 7:59 am
  #159  
formerly gantid
 
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Originally Posted by Culture Guru
I am not sure how they check the eligibility. If it is based on boarding passes, I will be eligible. However, if it is based on PNR or eticket - i am not sure. Can someone with more information help here?
My wife and daughter just took the Touristanbul (8:30 - 11:30) tour. All they asked to see were their BPs for the flight from IST-YYZ. I have no idea if they checked the booking ref#.
ISTFlyer likes this.
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Old Jun 2, 2019, 4:19 pm
  #160  
jtz
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 84
Ooohh, just noticed my layover might be a little too long for the rooms! Might try the hotel option, if it is close to a metro station
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Old Jun 3, 2019, 8:43 am
  #161  
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: TK Elite, QR Gold
Posts: 1,272
Originally Posted by washingtonian_2017
My wife and daughter just took the Touristanbul (8:30 - 11:30) tour. All they asked to see were their BPs for the flight from IST-YYZ. I have no idea if they checked the booking ref#.
Thanks for the message. This sounds good. Perhaps for the tour they dont have to check the PNR.
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Old Jun 3, 2019, 8:50 am
  #162  
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Originally Posted by jtz
Ooohh, just noticed my layover might be a little too long for the rooms! Might try the hotel option, if it is close to a metro station
Also be aware that for the hotel option, your layover should meet the criteria. Unfortunately, you won't know which hotel you would receive until you have landed in Istanbul and presented yourself to the hotel desk. However, reports mostly indicate that you would bussed to a hotel near the old airport which may not be close to a metro station.
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Old Jun 4, 2019, 10:15 am
  #163  
 
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So here's my experience with the TK sleeping rooms -

I was flying BOM - IST - LJU - IST - BOM. Outbound in J. Inbound in Y. Connection time in both cases ~7 hours. Max leg BOM - IST ~ 6.5 hours.

On the outbound went to the J lounge. Asked for the sleeping rooms and got them - no problems or questions asked even though our flight duration was less than 8 hours! The concierge immediately recognized we were coming from BOM and took our onward boarding passes and got us the rooms.

On the return went to the M&S lounge and asked for sleeping rooms. Concierge denied saying we had to be in J or E+. We requested for a single room saying we had a small child with us. Concierge asked us to talk to the reception desk (just outside the lounge). We went and requested them for a room. They spoke to their manager on the phone and got us 1 room. Passed by the sleeping rooms when heading to mine... almost all were empty.
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Old Jun 15, 2019, 8:59 pm
  #164  
 
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 1,261
Originally Posted by ISTFlyer
Also be aware that for the hotel option, your layover should meet the criteria. Unfortunately, you won't know which hotel you would receive until you have landed in Istanbul and presented yourself to the hotel desk. However, reports mostly indicate that you would bussed to a hotel near the old airport which may not be close to a metro station.
Dec 31st, the wife and I are getting out of town for a few days, all on Turkish metal, ATL-IST-LIS and returning about 2 weeks later. With that being said, and seeing that we are being bussed 50 or so minutes back to Atiturk for a hotel with a 16 hour J class layover, are sleeping rooms available just for 6 or 7 hours and then just hang in the lounge, or are the sleeping rooms only for the shorter stay passengers?

Thanks in advance
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Old Jun 15, 2019, 9:04 pm
  #165  
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Originally Posted by RetiredATLATC
Dec 31st, the wife and I are getting out of town for a few days, all on Turkish metal, ATL-IST-LIS and returning about 2 weeks later. With that being said, and seeing that we are being bussed 50 or so minutes back to Atiturk for a hotel with a 16 hour J class layover, are sleeping rooms available just for 6 or 7 hours and then just hang in the lounge, or are the sleeping rooms only for the shorter stay passengers?

Thanks in advance
The sleeping rooms are only for passengers who have a layover between 4 and 9 hours so you won't be eligible for the sleeping rooms. Your only option would be to take the hotel room that TK would provide around the old airport or book the airport hotel ( YOTEL ) in your own expense.
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