Why You SHOULD NOT USE Turkish Air’s Touristanbul Layover Program

The main reason I booked Turkish Airlines was their Touristanbul program, which promised a guided tour of the city. This was the end of a graduation trip for my brother, and we hadn’t traveled together as a family for over 20 years. 

We envisioned a free guided tour of Istanbul during our 16-hour layover – a perfect way to reconnect and explore a new city together. Unfortunately, this negative experience almost ruined the entire trip.

Little did we know, the program was far from the advertised “free tour” – it was more like a carefully orchestrated trap to exploit unsuspecting traveler

This is a cautionary tale for anyone considering this program: don’t be fooled by the promises.

I should have seen the writing on the wall when doing research after booking the ticket.

The problems began even before we arrived in Istanbul. When researching Touristanbul after booking our tickets, information was scarce and confusing. Even Turkish Airlines agents in Barcelona couldn’t answer basic questions about the program. This lack of communication continued in Istanbul.

Our flight from Barcelona landed in Istanbul around midnight, and our exhaustion quickly turned into frustration. No one at the airport seemed to know about Touristanbul. When we went to ask either security officials or those next to security checkpoints, they simply thought we wanted to see Istanbul. “Istanbul?” said one of the checkpoint officers and she gestured to go through security. But I mentioned that we aren’t simply trying to see Istanbul and we’re trying to find “Touristanbul.” She leaned to her co-worker to ask and they didn’t seem to know what “Touristanbul” was and seemed annoyed that we were asking and there was the added layer there wasn’t any person available proficient in English to assist (despite how Turkish Airlines promotes this service).

However, it was only a few meters later that we kept wandering. Within a minute or two, we found an official looking “Touristanbul”  kiosk with an inattentive worker who directed us to the Turkish Air Transfer Desk.

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Hoping to get some rest, we approached the transfer desk to inquire about the promised hotel stay.

At the Transfer Desk, we were met with indifference and excuses. The person behind the counter, who claimed to be the highest-level manager, offered a nonsensical explanation: we couldn’t have a hotel room because another flight was arriving the next day. This made no sense since we were clearly there, ready to use the room that night. His suggestion that we should have booked an earlier flight to qualify was equally absurd, especially since our connection in Barcelona didn’t allow for that. We were left feeling abandoned and blamed for the airline’s poor planning.

Since we were left to fend for ourselves, we decided to skip visiting Istanbul altogether and instead make our way to the International Terminal. Once we cleared security, we made our way to Turkish Airlines’ Care Point, where several other stranded passengers were already waiting.

The staff there were equally indifferent, advising us to contact Turkish Airlines customer support. The entire experience was marked by a lack of empathy and support, making an already difficult situation even more stressful.

After being denied a hotel room and essentially abandoned by Turkish Airlines, we were told we could get food vouchers for our layover. What they failed to mention was that the boarding pass itself is the food voucher, and it’s only valid at a limited number of overpriced restaurants within the airport.

For our 16-hour layover, the $16 USD voucher could only be used at eight places in the international terminal and one in the domestic terminal. The restaurants included Popeyes, Sbarro, The Gang Food, Subway, Carl’s Jr., Arby’s, Burger King, and Pidem. The meals were limited to small portions, often not enough to satisfy hunger. At Carl’s Jr., for instance, a single chicken tender burger cost $16.73 – more than the entire voucher amount!

How did I know the voucher was $16 USD? Well for one Turkish Airlines won’t actually tell you that. You have to play Ring-Around-the-Rosie to figure out which restaurant will accept your voucher and what food comes with it. If you want a foot-long, good luck you will get an inch-long. JK, but seriously.

It was only when I went to Carl’s JR that when I asked they showed me the lousy options available. That’s when I asked can you simply just run this meal and see how much it’s worth–what I can actually get? And that’s when their turned around the point-of-sale (POS) system (what you see below) that shows the true cost of the voucher. From there, that’s when it starts to make sense that the elevated prices and the rather limited voucher will make you say “Please Sir I Want Some More.”

Instead of enjoying a guided tour of Istanbul, we ended up spending our layover in the airport, feeling stranded and frustrated. The airport, while visually appealing, is designed to trap passengers in a consumerist environment with limited seating and overpriced food.

For example, our meal at McDonald’s cost 1,285 Turkish Lira, which is approximately $70 USD, €65 EUR, or £56 GBP. This was an incredibly high price for a few items, showing how inadequate the $15 voucher was

My family’s experience with Turkish Airlines’ Touristanbul program was nothing short of a disaster. It was sad to see my elders moping around the airport, tired, knowing that I had planned what was supposed to be a “feel-good” cap to an otherwise positive trip.

Not to mention, the misleading advertising, unhelpful staff, and insufficient vouchers left us stranded, hungry, and out of pocket.

As a result, I strongly advise against booking Turkish Airlines solely for their Touristanbul program. The reality is a far cry from their promises, and you’ll likely end up feeling frustrated and stranded.

If you must fly Turkish Airlines, be prepared for a potentially stressful layover in Istanbul. Don’t rely on Touristanbul for anything – plan your own activities, bring your own snacks, and avoid the overpriced airport food options.

Read the following need-to-know document provided at their counter to see how restrictive their policy is for the program. And note that even you have the extended layover (like we did) you won’t necessarily be entitled for a stay.

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Conclusion

Turkish Airlines is the Spirit Airlines of West Asia—when it comes to customer service. The Touristanbul program is a complete scam. It preys on unsuspecting travelers with the allure of a free tour but delivers nothing but frustration and disappointment. Don’t fall for their misleading advertising; choose a different airline with a strong layover program like AIr France or Icelandic Air  or plan your own layover activities to avoid this nightmare.

You can try to contact Turkish Customer Support. But this is real-life footage of Turkish Customer Service agents in action: