Turkish Airlines Stopover Program: Free Istanbul Hotel Nights, With an Extra Night on Trips From the US

Most stopover programs give you time. Turkish Airlines gives you time and a hotel. Connect through Istanbul on a Turkish Airlines round trip and the airline pays for your room, breakfast included: a 4-star hotel in Economy, a 5-star or boutique hotel in Business. And if your trip starts in the US, you get one night more than the standard allowance.

On this page

1. The short version
2. How it works
3. How to book it, step by step
4. What's free and what's not
5. Where people screw this up
6. FAQ

The short version

What you get (trips starting in the US)

Economy: 2 free nights in a 4-star hotel. Business: 3 free nights in a 5-star or boutique hotel. Bed and breakfast.

What you get (standard allowance)

Economy: 1 night. Business: 2 nights.

Eligible origins

Trips starting in a country on Turkish Airlines' official list (the US is on it)

Extra-night origins

USA, Mainland China (not Hong Kong), Taiwan, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea

Connection

At least 20 hours between flights in Istanbul, up to 7 days (168 hours)

Ticket

One Turkish Airlines round trip (ticket number starting 235), all flights operated by Turkish Airlines, starting and ending in the same country

How often

Once per round trip, outbound or return

Deadline

Apply at least 72 hours before the first flight you want the stopover on; count back from the flight into Istanbul

How it works

Book a Turkish Airlines round trip that connects at Istanbul Airport with at least 20 hours between flights on one leg. After ticketing, apply for the stopover hotel on the official Stopover in Istanbul page: through its booking link, with your last name and ticket number, or by email to the stopover address for your departure country, listed in the page's "Countries Included" section (the US has its own address). The airline issues a hotel voucher. It is not automatic: you have to apply, and the voucher must be issued before your journey starts. Requests made after you land in Istanbul are not accepted.

Turkish Airlines also says the rules can vary by country and apply according to the country your trip first departs from, so check the terms for your departure country.

Turkish Airlines picks the hotel from its contracted properties. It says it prioritizes hotels near the city center and tourist areas, but in busy seasons it may assign one elsewhere, and a specific hotel is never guaranteed.

If your connection is 6 to 24 hours and lines up with a tour, there is a different free perk: Touristanbul, a guided city tour that leaves from the airport. There are four tours on the current schedule. A 20 to 24 hour connection fits both rules, so on that layover you pick one. Our Touristanbul guide has the schedule and the timing math.

How to book it, step by step

1. Book a round trip on Turkish Airlines, both directions on one reservation, connecting through IST. Every flight must be operated by Turkish Airlines, and the trip must start and end in the same country.
2. Make sure one connection is 20+ hours (build it with a multi-city search if needed).
3. After your ticket is issued, apply for the stopover hotel at least 72 hours before the departure of the first flight you want the stopover on, in Turkish Airlines' wording. Count back from the flight that brings you into Istanbul, and remember the voucher must be issued before your journey starts. Turkish Airlines recommends applying as soon as you are ticketed, so a schedule change does not catch you out.
4. Get the hotel voucher, land in Istanbul, and check in with the voucher and your boarding pass.

What's free and what's not

Free: the hotel room and breakfast. Not free: transport between the airport and the hotel (the program provides none), other meals, early check-in or late check-out, and any visa. Ordinary US passport holders do not need a visa for Türkiye for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, per Türkiye's Ministry of Foreign Affairs; check current rules before you fly. Other passports should check the same list before booking.

Check-in and check-out times are set from your flight schedule and printed on the voucher. Land early in the morning and you may wait for the standard check-in time. Leave late at night and you may still have to check out at the standard time.

Where people screw this up

• Booking two one-way tickets. Outbound and return must be on the same reservation. Separate tickets do not qualify.
• Booking a codeshare. Every flight must be operated by Turkish Airlines. A leg flown by a partner airline disqualifies the trip.
• Missing the 72-hour window. The perk dies quietly if you do not apply in time, and asking at the airport in Istanbul does not work.
• Leaving the bags in the system. If your connection runs past 24 hours, Turkish Airlines requires you to collect your checked baggage in the international terminal.
• Trying to stack Touristanbul on the same layover. Turkish Airlines' Touristanbul pages say you cannot use the tour and the stopover hotel during the same layover, and the stopover terms say not "on the same route." If you want the hotel on one leg and a tour on the other, confirm with Turkish Airlines first.

FAQ

Does this work on N or R class tickets?

No. The stopover terms exclude tickets issued in N and R fare classes, which Turkish Airlines' Touristanbul FAQ calls free-ticket classes. If you are booking with miles, check your fare class before you plan around a free hotel.

Can I do it on both legs of the round trip?

No. Once per round trip, outbound or return. If you use it on the return, the country your outbound flight left from must be on the eligible list.

Is the extra night for US departures real?

Yes. Turkish Airlines' terms list trips whose first departure point is the USA, Mainland China (excluding Hong Kong), Taiwan, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore or South Korea. Those get 2 nights in Economy and 3 in Business. Canada, Australia and Mexico are not on the current extra-night list; so a guide that includes them does not match Turkish Airlines' terms today.

Can I extend the stay?

Yes, at your own cost. After the voucher is issued you can contact the hotel directly and book extra nights at Turkish Airlines' special rates.

Back to top