Inside Istanbul Airport (IST)

  • YOTEL Istanbul Airport: city side, on the departures level, before passport control; you must leave the transit zone to reach it. According to sources, about 277 rooms, with a bar, restaurant and gym.
  • YOTELAIR Istanbul Airport: international zone, after security, in the duty-free area. A valid boarding pass for an international flight is required; about 174 rooms according to sources. At opening, YOTELAIR also offered stays of a few hours: check the duration and current rates on the YOTEL site, as they were not up to date in our sources.

We found no other hotel in the terminal. The figures (rooms, services) vary by source: check the YOTEL site before booking.

Sabiha Gökçen (SAW)

Sabiha Gökçen airport is on the Asian side, far from the centre. Hotels are in the neighbouring districts rather than in the terminal; we have not verified a list of properties. For transfers, see Sabiha Gökçen: which transfer offer.

In the city with the metro

If you have a whole day before or after your flight, sleep in a central district such as Sultanahmet, Beyoğlu or Kadıköy and reach the airport by metro, bus or transfer. The guide Istanbul airports: getting to the centre gives durations and fares, and where to stay in Istanbul the districts.

Very early morning flight

The M11 metro runs from about 6:00 to about 00:40; for a flight before 8:00 it does not work. Three solutions: sleep at the airport, book a taxi or private transfer in advance, or take a night bus. A private transfer has the advantage of a price fixed in advance; it is the offer in the box on this page, to compare with Istanbul airport transfer: which offer.

A layover of a few hours

Between flights, you can wait at the airport or go out sightseeing: see layover in Istanbul. Respect the time for checks and transport: allow at least 3 hours of margin before your next flight.