Layover in Istanbul airport | How to keep yourself occupied

Are you going to travel and you have a longer layover in Istanbul airport? You asking yourself how to keep yourself occupied?

Now, it depends on how long this layover is – if it’s a short one I recommend you to connect to a 2-hour free wifi service, have a coffee, enjoy a meal, do some shopping. Your time will pass fast.

Get your free food voucher

If you are flying with Turkish Airlines and your layover is 5 hours or more, you are entitled to a free food voucher, just go to the Turkish Airlines help desk and they will give it to you. We got one voucher each and we could choose from a couple of restaurants in the food area.

If you have a layover in Istanbul airport for 6 hours or even more than it’s not so fun to spend it at an airport, you will get bored sooner or later. Here is what you can do:

Join Istanbul free city tour

If you are flying with Turkish Airlines, and your layover is longer than 6 hours, I have good news for you, you can join Istanbul free city tour! Read more about the tour HERE.

How to join the tour

It’s easy. First, you have to leave the arrivals area – when you come from your flight, you head towards passport control and get your passport stamped, a visa is not required. Maybe check for your country just to be sure.

After they stamp your passport start looking for a free tour office (TourIstanbul). You give them your passport and your flight ticket, they will ask you to wait close and they will call your name before the tour starts.

You have different tour schedules, at 8:30 am, 9 am, 12 pm, and 4 pm. You have to be at the counter half an hour before the tour starts, no previous booking is required. You can check the schedule HERE.

How the tours looks like

The bus will pick you up at the airport and take you to the city of Istanbul. You will get an English speaking guide. You will discover the classics such as Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia Museum, Topkapi Palace, and the Grand Bazar. At the end of the tour, they will take you to lunch, all included in the tour -it’s free. I enjoyed the tour a lot, it made my waiting time much easier.