6 Things To Know About Flying Turkish Airlines [Get Free Tours and Hotels in Istanbul]

The author traveled as a guest of Turkish Airlines. All opinions are the author’s own, and the airline had no input in this article.

I recently took my first trip on Turkish Airlines, flying round-trip in business class between New York and Istanbul. It was a fantastic experience.

Before flying Turkish for the first time, I knew a little about the airline and its loyalty program, Miles&Smiles. I didn’t know much about its presence in the U.S., different business class options, or some of its perks. After researching, I discovered a few interesting things about Turkish that you should know before you fly, including how to get a free tour or overnight accommodation in Istanbul.

Let’s jump into it!

1. Turkish Airlines’ Network Is Bigger Than You Think

While many U.S. passengers aren’t familiar with Turkish Airlines (or its Miles&Smiles loyalty program), it’s a big player in world travel.

Turkish Airlines flies to more countries than any other airline in the world — 349 destinations in 130 countries on 6 continents. Based in Istanbul, a city on both the European and Asian continents, the national flag carrier of Türkiye connects to over 90 destinations in 3 hours or less.

The airline has flights from 14 cities across the U.S., including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.

2. The Food Is Excellent

Turkish Airlines is known for its high-quality inflight catering, which I experienced on my recent trip. I was impressed with the meal service and the food quality.

Menus feature Turkish and international dishes, with 80% of the ingredients sourced from local producers. One of the unique things about flying on Turkish Airlines is the “flying chefs.” These are real chefs who are on board to oversee the preparation of passenger meals. You’ll find flying chefs on select flights, including all long-distance flights.

In business class, meals are served on real dishes and include appetizers and desserts from a moving cart so you can choose exactly what you want.

3. There Are 3 Types of Business Class Seats

If you book Turkish Airlines business class, you’ll be in 1 of 3 business class seats, depending on which aircraft you fly on.

• The Airbus A350 business class cabin has suites with privacy doors in a 1-2-1 layout.
• The Boeing 787 business class cabin has pod-style seats in a 1-2-1 layout.
• The Boeing 777 business class cabin has an older style 2-3-2 layout with forward-facing seats.

I recently flew on a Boeing 777 in the older style of business class, but this product will change in 2025. These planes will be retrofitted with new “Crystal” business class suites with privacy doors in a 1-2-1 configuration, offering every passenger direct aisle access. The staggered layout will include honeymoon suites (similar in style to Qatar Airways Qsuite) in every other row.

4. The Wi-Fi Is Free for Business Class Passengers [And Will Be Free for All Soon]

I often work while traveling and love seeing free or reasonably priced Wi-Fi on flights. I was pleased to learn that Turkish Airlines offers free Wi-Fi for business class passengers. The connectivity on my flights was spotty at times, but free is free.

Even better, the airline announced earlier this year that it plans to start adding free Wi-Fi for all passengers starting at the end of 2025.

5. Passengers With Long Layovers Can Take a Free Tour With Touristanbul

Turkish Airlines offers complimentary tours for passengers with 6- to 24-hour international connections in Istanbul. Its Touristanbul program offers 6 tours that let you explore the city during a layover.

These tours include:

• Transportation services by shuttle bus to and from Istanbul Airport (IST)
• English-speaking guide
• Breakfast and/or lunch
• Any museum fees

How To Book a Touristanbul Tour

You can book a half- or full-day tour through Touristanbul once you land at the Istanbul airport. There are 2 locations:

• At the hotel desk at the international arrivals terminal
• At the Touristanbul desk office in the transfer area

You must arrive at the desk at least 30 minutes before departure.

6. Passengers With Stopovers Can Get a Free Stay in Istanbul

Through the Stopover in Istanbul program, Turkish Airlines provides free accommodations for passengers with connections of at least 20 hours. Passengers will also have the option of staying at contracted hotels for as little as $49 per night.

Passengers arriving from the U.S.:

• Economy class passengers can get a 2-night stay in a 4-star hotel
• Business class passengers can get a 3-night stay in a 5-star hotel

Passengers arriving from select countries other than the U.S.:

• Economy class passengers can get a 1-night stay in a 4-star hotel
• Business class passengers can get a 2-night stay in a 5-star hotel

To apply for this program, eligible passengers can email Turkish Airlines through a country-specific email address with the following information:

• Full name
• Reservation code (PNR) and ticket number
• Desired accommodation dates and preferred room type
• Telephone number and e-mail address

The contact address for passengers arriving from the U.S. is freehotelusa@thy.com.

Final Thoughts

Turkish Airlines has a lot going for it. It flies to more countries than any other airline worldwide, has fantastic onboard food, and even offers free tours and accommodations for passengers with long layovers or connections. While it may not be at the top of many U.S.-based travelers’ minds, Turkish Airlines should be on your radar, especially if you have plans to visit its hub city of Istanbul.