Did you know Turkish Airlines will give travellers a night of free accommodation in Istanbul as part of a program to encourage a stopover in the Turkish capital?

Everyone loves a freebie – especially when it’s as good as a free hotel night!

While the ‘Stopover in Istanbul’ program isn’t new, it received a tide of attention when social media influencers ‘Claire and Peter’ filmed and shared their experience with the offer late last year.

In the last 10 seconds of the one-minute video to their 1.3 million followers (across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube), Claire narrates that “Turkish Airlines has a stopover program where you can extend your Istanbul layover and they’ll put you in a hotel for free.”

She continues, “so obviously we had to do this, so see you all in Istanbul!”

With the video recently resurfacing and renewing interest in the program, we thought we’d breakdown how you and your clients can score a free hotel night in Turkey.

What is the actual offer?

It is as Claire explained. It’s a free hotel night in Istanbul. Economy passengers will receive a room in a 4-star hotel while Business Class passengers have the option of staying two nights in a 5-star hotel free of charge.

Who can take advantage of the offer?

The offer is open to Turkish Airlines customers with a connection period of at least 20 hours in Istanbul.

Is it really open to just anyone with a connection?

The program is only available to people travelling to and from certain countries. It’s an extensive list, so check it out the full list, here.

How does one take advantage of the offer?

At least 72 hours before the first flight, travellers need to email their name, surname, reservation code (PNR) and ticket number, desired accommodation dates, preferred room type, telephone number and email address to Turkish Airlines.

The specific person to email is dependent on the country of origin and can be found on the airline’s website, here. 

Enjoy your freebie!