Stopover programs
Turkish Airlines Stopover Program: Rules, Eligibility and How to Book
Turkish Airlines gives free hotel nights in Istanbul to eligible passengers: 1 night in a 4-star hotel in Economy or 2 nights in a 5-star or boutique hotel in Business, rising to 2 and 3 nights if your trip starts in the USA, Mainland China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore or South Korea. It needs a round trip with every flight on Turkish, booked in one reservation, with a layover of 20 hours to 7 days.
Rules checked . Source: Turkish Airlines, Stopover in Istanbul. Rules change, so submit your trip via TripPlanner and we will check if your route qualifies before you book.
Updated
Page history (2)
Fact-check
Rules read on Turkish Airlines' own pages.
Layover, hotel nights by cabin and start country, ticket conditions, the 72-hour deadline and the country list. (source)
Hong Kong is on the country list but not in the 2 and 3 night tier. (source)
Hotel service for connecting passengers and Touristanbul. (source)
Update
Page published.
Covers the stopover hotel, the shorter-layover hotel service and Touristanbul.
How the program works
You fly Turkish to Istanbul Airport (IST) on your way to somewhere else, and Turkish puts you in a partner hotel, bed and breakfast, for the nights your cabin earns. You can use it once per journey, on the way out or the way home, not both. The nights must be consecutive.
| Rule | What Turkish says |
|---|---|
| Layover | At least 20 hours and up to 7 days (168 hours). |
| Trip | International to international through Istanbul Airport. |
| Tickets | Round trip, every flight operated by Turkish, outbound and return in the same reservation, ticket number starting 235. |
| Start and end | The country where the journey begins and the country where it ends must be the same. |
| Not eligible | Codeshare flights, N and R fare classes, separate tickets for outbound and return, passengers under 18 traveling alone. |
| Use | Once, on the outbound or the return. Nights must be used consecutively. |
| Apply | At least 72 hours before the flight where you want the hotel. Applications after you arrive in Istanbul are not eligible. |
| Changed tickets | The ticket as issued, or after a voluntary change, has to meet every rule. A free change after a flight disruption does not make an ineligible ticket eligible. |
Layover
- What Turkish says
- At least 20 hours and up to 7 days (168 hours).
Trip
- What Turkish says
- International to international through Istanbul Airport.
Tickets
- What Turkish says
- Round trip, every flight operated by Turkish, outbound and return in the same reservation, ticket number starting 235.
Start and end
- What Turkish says
- The country where the journey begins and the country where it ends must be the same.
Not eligible
- What Turkish says
- Codeshare flights, N and R fare classes, separate tickets for outbound and return, passengers under 18 traveling alone.
Use
- What Turkish says
- Once, on the outbound or the return. Nights must be used consecutively.
Apply
- What Turkish says
- At least 72 hours before the flight where you want the hotel. Applications after you arrive in Istanbul are not eligible.
Changed tickets
- What Turkish says
- The ticket as issued, or after a voluntary change, has to meet every rule. A free change after a flight disruption does not make an ineligible ticket eligible.
Current rules and cost
Cost to you: the hotel and breakfast are free. Turkish says airport transfers and transportation are not provided, so budget for those and for other meals. If you want more nights, Turkish says you can contact the hotel after you receive your voucher and ask for Turkish's special rates.
| Where your trip starts | Economy | Business |
|---|---|---|
| USA, Mainland China (not Hong Kong), Taiwan, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea | 2 nights, 4-star hotel | 3 nights, 5-star or boutique |
| Any other country on Turkish's list, including Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Mexico | 1 night, 4-star hotel | 2 nights, 5-star or boutique |
USA, Mainland China (not Hong Kong), Taiwan, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea
- Economy
- 2 nights, 4-star hotel
- Business
- 3 nights, 5-star or boutique
Any other country on Turkish's list, including Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Mexico
- Economy
- 1 night, 4-star hotel
- Business
- 2 nights, 5-star or boutique
Turkish's list has about 95 countries, and your trip must start in one of them. Each country has its own application email. The list is on the official page. Hong Kong is on the list but gets the 1 and 2 night tier.
If you fly Economy one way and Business the other, you get the nights for the cabin on the flight where you use the stopover. If you plan to use the stopover on your return, your outbound trip must also have started in a country on the list.
Stopover Istanbul: how to claim it, step by step
- Check your ticket fits. Round trip, all Turkish, one reservation, not a codeshare, not N or R fare class, layover in Istanbul of 20 hours to 7 days.
- Get ticketed first. The hotel voucher has to be issued before the journey starts.
- Apply at least 72 hours before the flight where you want the hotel. Use the Booker link on the official page with your last name and ticket number, or email the address for your departure country.
- Receive the hotel voucher. It cannot be changed once issued. If your ticket number changes, you must request a new voucher.
- Bring the voucher and your boarding pass to hotel check-in.
- Mind your bags. If your transfer time in Istanbul is more than 24 hours, Turkish says to collect your baggage in the international terminal.
Turkish also says you cannot use its Touristanbul city tour on the same route as the stopover hotel.
Two other Turkish programs for shorter layovers
Turkish runs a separate hotel service for connecting passengers: Economy passengers with a layover of 12 hours or more, and Business passengers with 9 hours or more, can get a free hotel if no shorter connection exists on their route, for up to two nights. It is free, includes transfers and one meal, and you apply at the hotel desk on the arrivals level. If a shorter connection exists, you cannot use it, even if that flight is full.
Touristanbul is a free city tour, not a hotel, for international connections with a layover of 6 to 24 hours when flight times fit the tour times. Both are on Turkish's own pages.
How to book it with AirTreks
Three situations, honestly sorted:
- A simple all-Turkish return with a stopover. The program is Turkish's. You apply for the hotel yourself once the ticket is issued.
- A multi-stop trip where Istanbul is one stop. We build the stop into your route and ticket it as part of one itinerary. The free hotel will usually not apply, because the ticket has other airlines or does not follow Turkish's round-trip rules. You book the Istanbul hotel yourself.
- A round-the-world ticket on Star Alliance. Turkish is a Star Alliance member, so it can be on a Star Alliance route. The hotel program does not apply to tickets with other airlines. The stop yes, the free hotel no.
When you are better off on your own: if your trip is one Turkish round trip and you want the free hotel, use Turkish's own booking and application.
Mistakes to avoid
- Applying after you land. Not accepted.
- Applying inside 72 hours. Not accepted. Apply as soon as you are ticketed.
- Booking the return on a different airline. One non-Turkish flight and the program no longer applies.
- Booking separate one-ways. Turkish needs outbound and return in the same reservation.
- Assuming a fare class does not matter. N and R fares are excluded.
- Expecting to check in online on a round-the-world ticket. Turkish's online check-in does not work reliably for round-the-world ticket structures. Check in at the airport.
- Passing through Istanbul twice and skipping one pass. If you miss or skip one Istanbul flight on a ticket with two, the other can become unusable. We flag this when we build the route.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Is the Turkish Airlines stopover free?
The hotel is free: 1 to 3 nights, bed and breakfast, depending on your cabin and where your trip starts. You still pay the airfare, and transfers and other meals are yours. Both flights must be Turkish, on a round trip in one reservation. Checked October 21, 2026.
How long can I stay on a Turkish stopover?
Your layover in Istanbul can be 20 hours to 7 days. The free hotel covers 1 to 3 consecutive nights. Anything beyond that you pay for, and the hotel may give you Turkish's special rate.
Can I use the stopover on both the outbound and the return?
No. Turkish allows the service once per journey, either on the way out or on the way home. To use it on the return, your outbound trip must also have started in a country on its list.
Can I get the Turkish stopover on a round-the-world ticket?
Not the free hotel if the ticket includes other airlines. Turkish's terms require every flight to be Turkish. The stop can still be part of your route, and Turkish is a Star Alliance member.
How far ahead do I apply for the Turkish stopover hotel?
At least 72 hours before the flight where you want the hotel, and never after arriving in Istanbul. Apply once you are ticketed.
What is Stopover Istanbul?
It is the name Turkish uses for this program. Same rules as above.
Next step
Want Istanbul as a stop on a longer route?
Start in TripPlanner: put in your cities and dates to see what is available now and what it costs. See all the stopover programs, or read the general guide to adding a stopover to your ticket. Not sure Istanbul is worth the days? BootsnAll, our sister brand, covers that side: The Stopover Secret.