We had a 13-hour layover in Istanbul on our way to Sri Lanka, and we spent it on the free Touristanbul tour from Turkish Airlines. This post covers both halves of that journey: what the Touristanbul tour is really like, and how Turkish Airlines business class held up for a family of three, including how the crew handled our son's food allergies.

If you are flying Turkish Airlines with a long connection in Istanbul and wondering whether the free tour is worth it, this is for you. We also cover how we paid for the business class seats with Chase points.

Quick Summary

• The Touristanbul tour is free for eligible Turkish Airlines passengers with a 6 to 24 hour layover at Istanbul Airport. We took the half-day tour (8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.).
• It is mostly a walking tour around Taksim Square, İstiklal Avenue and Galata. It does not go to Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque or the Grand Bazaar.
• Best for: a long layover when you want to see some of Istanbul without planning anything. Wear good shoes and be ready for heat in summer.
• Business class: the newer seats on our Chicago to Istanbul 787 were the best of the trip. The other three flights used an older layout that was still comfortable.
• Food allergies: calling ahead did nothing for us, but the onboard flying chef went through the whole menu with us item by item. That is what made us comfortable letting our son eat the airline food.
• The Istanbul lounge is worth arriving early for. After the tour we ate well and took a shower before the next flight.
• How we paid: 762,881 Chase Ultimate Rewards points covered a $15,257 fare for three round-trip business class seats, about 2 cents per point, booked through Chase Travel with Points Boost.

Why We Ended Up Flying Through Istanbul

This was not our first plan. We originally booked Qatar Airways Qsuites for a trip to Sri Lanka in March, connecting through Doha. When the conflict with Iran escalated at the start of March, Qatar closed its airspace and Qatar Airways suspended flights, and our trip was cancelled.

When we rebooked for the summer, we decided not to route through the Middle East at all. Turkish Airlines through Istanbul kept us away from Gulf airspace, and the long outbound layover turned into a bonus day in a city none of us had seen.

How We Booked Turkish Airlines Business Class With Chase Points

We paid for these flights entirely with Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Three round-trip business class seats from Chicago to Colombo priced at $15,257.61 in Chase Travel, including $4,276.59 in taxes and fees, and we covered it with 762,881 points.

That works out to 2 cents per point, which is the top Points Boost rate for Sapphire Reserve cards. Without the boost, the same booking would have needed about 1.5 million points at the standard 1 cent per point.

Here is how it worked for us:

• We booked through Chase Travel using our Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business card, which gets Points Boost offers.
• We hold several personal and business Chase cards, and Chase lets you combine points between them, so we pooled everything into that one card before booking.
• Points Boost raises the value of your points on selected flights and hotels. With the Sapphire Reserve cards, Chase says boosted bookings can be worth up to 2 cents per point, compared with 1 cent per point on most other Chase Travel bookings.
• Boosted options show up with a rocket icon in Chase Travel search results. The offers rotate, so check a few dates and routes.
• A Chase Travel booking is treated like a paid ticket, so it can still earn airline miles.

Chase explains the program on its Points Boost page. We used the same approach for the Qsuites booking that was cancelled. If you have a big Chase balance and a specific premium cabin in mind, it is worth searching Chase Travel before you transfer points to an airline.

Before the Flight: The LOT Business Lounge at O'Hare Terminal 5

Turkish Airlines flies from Terminal 5 at Chicago O'Hare, and business class passengers can use the LOT Polish Airlines business lounge there because both airlines are in Star Alliance.

It was pretty good. The food was good, there was plenty of seating, and the windows look straight out at the planes. Nothing spectacular, but a comfortable place to start a long day.

Turkish Airlines Business Class: Chicago to Istanbul on the 787

Our Chicago to Istanbul flight, TK 186, was a Boeing 787-9 with the newer business class layout, and it was the best seat of the whole trip. The flight takes a little over 10 hours.

• Every seat has direct aisle access in a 1-2-1 layout.
• The walls around each seat are high, so each one feels like a private pod.
• The screen is big, with plenty of movies and a moving map with a live camera view.
• The seat goes fully flat, which matters on a flight that lands in Istanbul before 6 a.m.

The Food Was Top Notch

Turkish Airlines is known for its catering, and it lived up to that. Service started with Turkish coffee and Turkish delight, then a starter tray, soup, a choice of mains and dessert, with a lighter breakfast before landing.

How Turkish Airlines Handled Our Son's Food Allergies

Our son needs to avoid fish and nuts, both peanuts and tree nuts. He can have sesame, but we avoided it on this trip to be safe. Airline meals are usually where we get the most nervous, so here is exactly what happened.

• Calling ahead did nothing for us. We called Turkish Airlines before the trip to tell them about the allergies, and it did not lead to anything useful onboard.
• The flying chef made the difference. Turkish Airlines has a chef onboard in business class on long flights. He came over to our seats, we showed him the list of allergies, and he went through every item on the menu with us, telling us what our son could and could not have.
• That conversation is what made us comfortable. We let our son eat the airline food, which we do not always do. Flying business class probably had a lot to do with getting that level of attention.

Our advice if you are flying Turkish Airlines with a food allergy:

1. Do not rely on a phone call before the trip. Tell the crew again when you board.
2. Bring a written list of the allergies so the chef can read it, not just hear it.
3. Ask the chef to go through the menu dish by dish, including bread, sauces and desserts.
4. Pack safe snacks anyway, especially for the shorter flights and for time on the ground.

The Touristanbul Tour: Our Review

We landed in Istanbul at 5:45 a.m. with almost 13 hours until our flight to Colombo. Rather than sit in the lounge all day, we joined Touristanbul, the free layover tour that Turkish Airlines runs for connecting passengers.

What Is Touristanbul?

Touristanbul is a free guided tour for Turkish Airlines passengers connecting through Istanbul Airport between two international flights. Turkish Airlines lists these rules on its Touristanbul FAQ at the time of writing:

• Your layover must be between 6 and 24 hours.
• Your ticket must be a Turkish Airlines ticket (number starting with 235), with both flights on the same booking.
• The tour is free and includes transport, an English-speaking guide, a meal and any museum fees on the route.
• You need at least 1 hour 25 minutes between the end of the tour and your next flight.
• You can join one tour per layover, and you cannot combine it with a free layover hotel.

Tour	Times
Sightseeing Tour	8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Half Day Tour	8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Evening Tour	4:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Bosphorus Tour (April through October)	6:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Because you leave the airport, you go through Turkish passport control. US citizens do not need a visa for short tourist visits to Turkey, but check the rules for your own passport before you fly.

How Check-In and Luggage Worked

1. We booked our spots online before the trip using our booking reference.
2. After landing, we cleared passport control and went to the Touristanbul desk in the Arrivals Hall, opposite Meeting Point 4 and next to the hotel desk.
3. We handed over our confirmation and got a tour tag with the day's route printed on it.
4. We left our carry-on bags at the luggage storage area next to the desk. Turkish Airlines lists this as a paid left-luggage office. Our checked bags went straight through to Colombo.
5. Then we waited. There was a decent amount of waiting before the bus left, so do not expect to walk straight out.

Breakfast and the Bus Ride In

The bus took about an hour to reach the city, and the first stop was breakfast at a cafe. It was a simple Turkish breakfast plate: cheese, tomato, cucumber, a boiled egg, simit, and small packs of honey, jam and butter.

Allergy note: simit is a bread ring covered in sesame seeds, so skip it if sesame is a concern. The rest of the plate was simple, packaged or easy to identify, which made it fairly easy to work around fish and nuts.

Taksim Square and Taksim Mosque

From breakfast the bus drove along the waterfront and up to Taksim Square, where the walking started. The square is busy and open, with the Atatürk Cultural Center on one side and Taksim Mosque, one of the city's newest large mosques, on the other.

We went inside Taksim Mosque. The dome is enormous and beautifully detailed. Women need to cover their hair, and everyone needs covered shoulders and knees, so bring a scarf or light layer if you are in summer clothes.

Hagia Triada and İstiklal Avenue

A short walk from the square is Hagia Triada, a Greek Orthodox church whose twin bell towers and dome you can see from Taksim. Expect a line to go in. The inside is bright and ornate.

From there we walked down İstiklal Avenue, Istanbul's main pedestrian shopping street. It is crowded and very touristy, with shops, cafes and sweet shops like Hafız Mustafa, whose windows full of Turkish delight and baklava are hard to walk past. We also cut through Çiçek Pasajı, the old glass-roofed Flower Passage lined with restaurants.

St. Anthony of Padua Church

Further down İstiklal, the tour stopped at the Church of St. Anthony of Padua, the largest Catholic church in Istanbul. Its red brick front sits back from the street behind a courtyard, so it is easy to miss if you are walking on your own.

Lunch on Our Own

Lunch was not part of the tour, so we picked up doner and fries on our own near İstiklal. Handling the allergies was easy: we told the staff, and the food was simple enough to check. There are plenty of quick options along the street if you need to eat between stops.

Galata Tower

The last stop was Galata Tower, the medieval stone tower that rises above the Galata neighborhood. The tour only visits it from the outside, and the area around it is packed with visitors. A short walk away we found a view over the rooftops to the Golden Horn.

Then it was back on the bus to the airport, arriving around 3:00 p.m. with plenty of time before our 6:40 p.m. flight.

Is the Touristanbul Tour Worth It?

For a long layover, yes. It is free, it is easy, and the guides spoke good English. But go in with the right expectations:

• It is mostly a walking tour. We expected more time on the bus. The tag said about 3 km of walking, through crowded streets and up and down hills.
• It was hot. Not terrible, but fairly hot in late July. Bring water, sunscreen and a hat.
• It is touristy. Most of the time is in the Taksim and İstiklal area: shopping streets, a few mosques and churches. It does not visit the big sights in the old city, such as Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque or Topkapı Palace.
• There is little information beforehand. Turkish Airlines lists the stops, but not what the day actually feels like. Hopefully this post fills that gap.
• Kids: younger children may struggle with the walking and the heat. Carry snacks and water, and take breaks when the group stops.

If you have a 10 to 15 hour layover and do not want to plan anything, this works great. If you have more time, we would do it differently next time: Turkish Airlines also runs a Stopover program that gives free hotel nights in Istanbul when you stop there for 20 hours or more on a round-trip Turkish Airlines ticket. A couple of nights in Istanbul would let you see the old city properly. We didn't want to take time away from our main trip, so the day tour was the right call for us.

The Turkish Airlines Business Lounge in Istanbul

After the tour we went through security and straight to the Turkish Airlines business lounge, and it was one of the best parts of the day.

• The food is the highlight. There are stations all over the lounge with Turkish dishes, mezes, fresh breads, pastries and desserts, plus cooks preparing food to order. We had a really good meal.
• The showers are a lifesaver. After a hot day of walking, a shower and a change of clothes before an overnight flight was exactly what we needed. You book a shower slot at the desk and get a buzzer when it is ready.
• It is huge. There is a kids' area, quiet zones and a golf area, though the golf section was closed when we visited.
• It is open 24 hours and sits airside in the international departures area.

Allergy tip for the lounge: it is a large buffet with many shared serving areas. Ask staff about ingredients at each station, and be careful with desserts and pastries, which often contain nuts.

The Other Flights: Older Business Class Seats

Our other three flights used older business class cabins. Istanbul to Colombo (TK 730) and Colombo to Istanbul (TK 731) were Airbus A330-300s in a 2-2-2 layout, and Istanbul to Chicago (TK 5) was a Boeing 777-300ER in a 2-3-2 layout.

These seats still recline into flat beds and were comfortable, and the food and service were just as good. But window seats share an aisle with the person next to them, and there is much less privacy than on the 787. If you can choose your flights, the newer 787 seat is the one to aim for.

Aircraft	Layout	Direct aisle access for every seat?	Our flights
Boeing 787-9	1-2-1	Yes	Chicago to Istanbul (TK 186)
Airbus A330-300	2-2-2	No, window seats climb past a neighbor	Istanbul to Colombo (TK 730), Colombo to Istanbul (TK 731)
Boeing 777-300ER	2-3-2	No, window and middle seats climb past a neighbor	Istanbul to Chicago (TK 5)

Tip for families: on the A330 and 777, pick a window and aisle pair for a parent and child so the child never has to climb over a stranger. Check the aircraft type when you book, since Turkish Airlines uses different planes on different days.

Flying Home: Colombo to Istanbul to Chicago

Our flight home left Colombo at 6:50 a.m. We used the business class lounge at Colombo airport before departure, and it was pretty good as well.

Onboard TK 731, breakfast was a Turkish spread of cheeses, tomatoes, olives and fruit, followed by gözleme, a stuffed flatbread. A meze plate came before landing in Istanbul, and the 777 flight to Chicago served grilled lamb with bulgur and roasted vegetables.

The connection in Istanbul was only 1 hour 55 minutes, and we parked at a remote stand, so a bus took us to the terminal. We still made it to the lounge for a quick stop before the flight to Chicago, but on a connection that tight, head straight through transfer security and do not plan on a long visit.

Tips for a Turkish Airlines Layover in Istanbul

• Book Touristanbul online before your trip, then confirm at the desk in the Arrivals Hall.
• Allow about 45 minutes from the gate to the desk, including passport control, and arrive at least 30 minutes before the tour starts.
• Pack a small day bag with water, sunscreen, a hat, a scarf for mosques and any allergy medication.
• Wear comfortable shoes. Plan on a few kilometers of walking on uneven streets.
• Save time for the lounge after the tour. The shower alone is worth it before an overnight flight.
• For a longer visit, look at the Turkish Airlines Stopover program instead and spend a night or two in Istanbul.

Touristanbul and Turkish Airlines FAQ

Is the Touristanbul tour free?

Yes. It is free for eligible Turkish Airlines passengers connecting between two international flights at Istanbul Airport with a layover of 6 to 24 hours. Transport, a guide and a meal are included.

How long is the Touristanbul half-day tour?

The half-day tour runs from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Ours included a bus ride into the city, breakfast, and a few hours of walking around Taksim, İstiklal Avenue and Galata.

Does Touristanbul visit Hagia Sophia or the Blue Mosque?

Not on the half-day tour we took. It focused on Taksim Square, Taksim Mosque, Hagia Triada, İstiklal Avenue, St. Anthony of Padua Church and Galata Tower from the outside.

Where do you leave your bags during Touristanbul?

There is a left-luggage office next to the Touristanbul desk in the Arrivals Hall. Turkish Airlines lists it as a paid service. Checked bags on a through ticket go on to your final destination.

Does Turkish Airlines accommodate food allergies?

In our experience, calling ahead did not help, but the flying chef in business class went through every menu item with us and told us what our son could safely eat. Always tell the crew again when you board and bring a written allergy list.

Is Turkish Airlines business class good for families?

Yes. The newer 1-2-1 seats on the 787 gave each of us privacy and aisle access, the flat beds make a long overnight flight much easier, and the food was excellent. The older 2-2-2 A330 and 2-3-2 777 layouts were still comfortable, and they make it easy to sit next to your child.

Which Turkish Airlines planes have the best business class?

Of the three we flew, the Boeing 787-9 was the best, with a 1-2-1 layout and private, high-walled seats. The A330-300 (2-2-2) and 777-300ER (2-3-2) have flat beds but less privacy and no direct aisle access from every seat.

Final Thoughts

Flying Turkish Airlines business class to Sri Lanka gave us a comfortable trip, excellent food and a flying chef who took our son's allergies seriously. The Touristanbul tour turned a 13-hour layover into a real taste of Istanbul for no extra cost, as long as you are ready for a hot, busy walking day in the Taksim area.

If you have a long Istanbul layover coming up, book the tour ahead, pack light and save time for the lounge afterward. And if you can spare a couple of nights, look at the Stopover program and give Istanbul the time it deserves.