Turkish Airlines is among a few airlines (including Qatar and Singapore Airlines) that offer free city tours to passengers with lengthy layovers. Different tours are available based on the length of your layover and time of day you will be in Istanbul. The full schedule can be found on the Turkish Airlines website.
A very important note: you MUST have a visa to enter Turkey to be eligible to join this tour. For many people, this means applying for an Evisa in advance which ranges in cost from country to country.
An Evisa for US Citizens Will Cost About $50
Reserving a Spot on the Tour
Space on each tour group is available on a first come first served basis. There is no way to reserve in advance, nor is there priority for business class or Turkish Airlines elite members.
After entering the arrivals hall, you’ll turn right and walk all the way down (about 2 – 3 minutes) until you reach the Turkish Airlines Touristanbul desk.
Touristanbul Desk
You need to pick a number, and when called, a staff member will verify your layover qualifies for the free tour and assign you to the appropriate timed tour if space is available.
My layover in Istanbul was during the morning and afternoon, so I was offered a spot on the shorter Sultanahmet tour, with enough time to visit many of Istanbul’s most famous tourist spots and offering a free breakfast and lunch in the city.
The Tour
We were given a card to wear around our necks with the tour itinerary and timing.
The tour would cover breakfast, the Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, Serpentine Column, Obelisk of Theodosius, Tokapi Palace and lunch.
About 10 minutes before the tour was set to begin, we met our guide and were guided to the bus one floor below which would take us into the city.
After about an hour, the bus parked around the corner from a restaurant where we would have breakfast. The food quality was about what I would expect from a hostel, though considering it was all free, I didn’t complain.
We were told that we could leave the group at any time and explore Istanbul on our own, though of course we would be responsible for getting back to the airport in time for our next flight. I informed the guide that we would be leaving the group after the first stop at the Blue Mosque which was totally acceptable.
Of course I can’t comment on the rest of the tour, but just the beginning gave me a good sense of the entire tour. The tour is basic and most similar to free walking tours which have become so popular across most major cities worldwide. Personally I wish Turkish Airlines offered an option to pay more for a higher quality tour with more unique experiences and better food.
Bottom Line
Touristanbul is an excellent program offered by Turkish Airlines for passengers with lengthy layovers who prefer to see the city rather than stay at the airport. For those of you who haven’t visited Istanbul before and want to see some of the highlights, this is a great chance to do it for free and without worry of getting lost or missing your connecting flight.
For people who have already visited Istanbul like myself, the tour won’t be very interesting, however could be a nice way to meet people and may feature some activities and sites you haven’t seen before. Having visited Istanbul many times before, I don’t imagine I’ll join the tour again unless they offer a very unique activity I haven’t done before.
For anyone planning a long or short trip to Istanbul and would like some advice, feel free to comment your questions or email them at zach@madformiles.com.