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
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
#62
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: LAX
Programs: TK M&S, LH MM, Global Entry, Hertz Gold, Sixt Platinum
Posts: 1,087
I suppose you could always be crafty and sneak the additional guests in.
#63
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: DTW
Programs: TK E+, WY, Radisson R
Posts: 2,360
Found the exit to immigration/Turkey once you're in departure transit area.
Go downstairs at end of main terminal building, as you turn right going toward Concourse B, there's 1 pathway on the right side, I'll attach a pic later.
Not sure if there's another one like this at the beginning of F Concourse, let's see if I go through there during my return.
Go downstairs at end of main terminal building, as you turn right going toward Concourse B, there's 1 pathway on the right side, I'll attach a pic later.
Not sure if there's another one like this at the beginning of F Concourse, let's see if I go through there during my return.
#64
Join Date: May 2016
Location: SFO, DUS
Programs: BA Gold (OW Emer), TK ELPL (*G), Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, IHG Gold
Posts: 528
Found the exit to immigration/Turkey once you're in departure transit area.
Go downstairs at end of main terminal building, as you turn right going toward Concourse B, there's 1 pathway on the right side, I'll attach a pic later.
Not sure if there's another one like this at the beginning of F Concourse, let's see if I go through there during my return.
Go downstairs at end of main terminal building, as you turn right going toward Concourse B, there's 1 pathway on the right side, I'll attach a pic later.
Not sure if there's another one like this at the beginning of F Concourse, let's see if I go through there during my return.
#65
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: DTW
Programs: TK E+, WY, Radisson R
Posts: 2,360
The entrance is like hidden between Gates B2 and C4 next to Complimentary Newspapers.
See bottom right
Last edited by vincewy; Apr 24, 2019 at 4:26 pm
#66
Join Date: May 2016
Location: SFO, DUS
Programs: BA Gold (OW Emer), TK ELPL (*G), Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, IHG Gold
Posts: 528
#67
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 41
I’m at the Yotel right now, sent the emails and reservation and CC confirmation ahead of time, but it still didn’t seem like they knew I was coming. Somehow the guy at the front desk got me in the room after all. You’re right, the TAV Hotel never had these issues, but at this point I hope it’s just teething.
I’ll be at the lounge 10-11 tomorrow, would be happy to say hello.
#68
formerly gantid
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: IAD
Programs: UA Mileage Plus Platinum, Marriott Platinum elite, *G, Hilton Gold
Posts: 198
hi,
my wife and daughter are traveling thru IST/ISL in two weeks (traveling in J). They have a long layover (9hours and 10 minutes). since there is no arrival lounge, will they be able to use the lounge in the transit area before heading out to use Touristanbul service?
thanks
my wife and daughter are traveling thru IST/ISL in two weeks (traveling in J). They have a long layover (9hours and 10 minutes). since there is no arrival lounge, will they be able to use the lounge in the transit area before heading out to use Touristanbul service?
thanks
#69
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Homeless
Programs: Hyatt Glob; Hilton Dia; Marriott AMB; Accor Dia; IHG Dia Amb; GHA Tit
Posts: 4,835
Maybe it's just semantics, but I do not think there is a lounge in the transit area. They should go past security and to the lounge in the international departures area. Then get out of the airport for Touristanbul.
#70
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: LAX
Programs: TK M&S, LH MM, Global Entry, Hertz Gold, Sixt Platinum
Posts: 1,087
Hi, I'm just curious if there was something the front desk person did to get you the room in the end. I have a layover coming up and set to arrive at midnight. I would like to book the Yotel but I'm a little worried I might run into the same problem as you and davehammer about them not recognizing/allowing the reservation.
But remember that was only day two in the life of the hotel and airport, so they were just figuring things out. I can’t see a normal website booking getting lost at this point..
#71
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 41
I’m at the Yotel right now, sent the emails and reservation and CC confirmation ahead of time, but it still didn’t seem like they knew I was coming. Somehow the guy at the front desk got me in the room after all. You’re right, the TAV Hotel never had these issues, but at this point I hope it’s just teething.
I’ll be at the lounge 10-11 tomorrow, would be happy to say hello.
The only thing I can think of is that I ended up putting my CC details on the reservation after I read the email with the original booking confirmation (booked in email exchange, not through website) that said it was not guaranteed without CC. Maybe Davehammer didn’t.
But remember that was only day two in the life of the hotel and airport, so they were just figuring things out. I can’t see a normal website booking getting lost at this point..
#72
formerly gantid
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: IAD
Programs: UA Mileage Plus Platinum, Marriott Platinum elite, *G, Hilton Gold
Posts: 198
thanks, that helps. I will let my wife and daughter know that they have the option of doing that.
#74
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: LAX
Programs: TK M&S, LH MM, Global Entry, Hertz Gold, Sixt Platinum
Posts: 1,087
Thanks @vincewy. I'm definitely going to use this later in this Summer! Is the corridor manned? Were you being asked why to go down?
when you leave the central hub to get to the departure gates, you take an escalator/stairs/elevator downstairs anyway, so I doubt this will cause questions.
#75
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: DTW
Programs: TK E+, WY, Radisson R
Posts: 2,360
Thanks @vincewy. I'm definitely going to use this later in this Summer! Is the corridor manned? Were you being asked why to go down?
Even if they ask why I could just tell them I found hotel outside during my long connection. I'll use this during my layover on my return trip and will report back if there's any issue.
Update: There's also another entrance to Passport Control corridor on the other side at the beginning of F Concourse.
Last edited by vincewy; May 6, 2019 at 4:24 pm