Flying to Mongolia: A Helpful Istanbul Airport Layover Guide for Long and Short Layovers
Flying to Mongolia on Turkish Airlines? Use this helpful Istanbul Airport guide and maximize a long or short layover at Istanbul International Airport (IST).
For the last six years now, my preferred way to get to Ulaanbaatar has been on Turkish Airlines. Always with a layover over in Istanbul.
From Tbilisi, where I previously lived, and the east coast of the United States, Turkish Airlines is the cheapest and best option when flying into Mongolia.
Not only that, but in all the years I’ve been flying with them, I’ve only had a few major issues. Which, in the grand scheme of the number of flights I’ve had, is a very low percentage! Additionally, I’ve only had one “lost bag,” and that was delivered within 24 hours after landing. I’ve also never missed a connection, despite having very short (1 hour) layovers. I touch more on this below.
Finally, I would like to mention this is not an ad! I do genuinely fly with them every chance I get, even when it’s not to Mongolia. Now, let’s jump into this complete Istanbul Airport layover guide and I’ll share all my tips and secrets for surviving a long or short layover at IST airport.
Table of Contents
Want to extend your layover and spend a few extra days in Istanbul?
Add a few extra days in Istanbul onto your journey using the links below.
🛫 Search cheap flights on CheapoAir (find the best, cheapest flight to Istanbul)
🚕 Book a Cheap Airport Transfer (great, budget-friendly option when landing in Istanbul)
🛌 Best Places to Stay:
Wabi Hostel (clean, central, cost-friendly!)
The Soul Istanbul Hotel (cool and charming, great location)
Karakoy Aparts Hotel (apartment hotel in the heart of trendy Karakoy)
👉 Top Things to Do in Istanbul:
Istanbul Guided Tour Hagia Sophia, Topkapi, Cistern with Tickets (the best of Istanbul)
2-Day All Inclusive Cappadocia Tour from Istanbul with Optional Balloon Flight (a place everyone needs to see once in their lives!)
Bosphorus Sunset Cruise on Luxury Yacht (coolest thing to do in the city)
When does Turkish Airlines fly to Ulaanbaatar?
Turkish Airlines flies from Istanbul to Ulaanbaatar every day except Saturday.
The flight from Istanbul to Mongolia is roughly 8 hours and 15 minutes. Flights always arrive into Ulaanbaatar the following day. There are usually three different arrival times: 5:25 am, 7:35 am, or 10:50 am.
If you arrive on one of the early morning flights, you’ll want to request an early check-in at your hotel. Once you land, you can be at your hotel within 2-3 hours after passing through immigration, collecting your bag, and going through customs. At Chinggis Khaan International Airport, this process is relatively straight forward and easy.
Will I make my connection if I have a short (1 hour) layover in Istanbul?
When flying from the United States, as soon as you land in Istanbul International Airport, you disembark into the main international terminal. You don’t need to go through any additional security checks.
However, once you’re inside the international terminal, you will need to quickly make your way to your gate.
My biggest tip for when you have a very short layover is to pay the extra fee to book a seat as near to the front of the plane as you can.
This will save you a lot of aggravation when you land, getting you off the plane as quickly as possible. This tip alone could save you upwards of 15 minutes if you’re sitting in the back of the plane.
Now, if you’re flying to Mongolia via a non-European, Middle Eastern, African or other country, when you disembark the airplane, you will need to go through an additional security check. Normally, this takes some time. Plan on this process taking around 30 minutes.
However, if your layover is very short (1 hour), there are fast-track security lanes on the upper floor of the airport that you can scan your boarding pass and use. These lanes are coordinated just for you – the airline knows you have a short connection already. They are there just for you.
To get to this fast-track gate, look for the sign that says something like short connections as soon as you walk up the ramp and enter the terminal from the airplane. You will not be following the rest of the passengers towards the baggage claim and international layover main security areas. If you go down an escalator, you’ve already messed this up.
These gates are located at the end of the corridors, on this upper level. When you find this fast-track security area, you will scan your boarding pass to access the agents and scanners. You will go through the scanning process as normal, taking out your laptop, taking off your shoes and belt, and walking through a body scan machine.
Once you’ve cleared this security check, you will see an elevator that will take you down to the terminal’s main level. From here, you can walk, or run, to your gate.
Have a Long Layover? Take Advantage of Turkish Airline’s Free City Tour
Americans and Canadians no longer need a visa to “visit” Turkey, so you can easily leave the airport and take advantage of Turkish Airlines Touristanbul program. If you’re on an international flight and you have a layover time between 6 and 24 hours, you can use this free program to tour the city.
Read the details on how to use the Touristanbul program →
When you land at Istanbul Airport, there are two Touristanbul desks. One is located in the main transfer area and the other is on the arrival floor. If you ask anyone inside the airport, they can point you to these desks.
You can read the complete Touristanbul schedule here →
Is Your Layover More than 20 Hours? Turkish Airlines Will Give You a Free Hotel Room
If you’re traveling on Turkish Airlines and you have a layover of 20 hours or more, you qualify for their Stopover program.
That means they’ll give you a free 4-star hotel (economy passengers) for one night or free 5-star hotel (business class passengers) for two nights in the city.
See if you qualify for the Turkish Airlines Stopover program →
Some things to keep in mind, because this program is a bit more complicated to use and sign up for.
- You have to register with Turkish Airlines for this program at least 72 hours before your first flight.
- Your trip must start and end from the same country.
- You are responsible for the cost to get to/from the airport to your hotel, this cost is not included in the program.
- Be sure to check the First Departure Country section and travelling to Arrival Points section to see if you qualify for this program.
- If you’re flying from Canada or the United States to Mongolia, you qualify for this program.
- If you’re flying from Mongolia to any of the countries below, you also qualify for this program.
- Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, Cuba, Czechia, Egypt, England, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Netherlands, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United States, Uzbekistan, Venezuela
Tips for Spending a Long Layover inside the Airport: Lounges and Rent by the Hour Rooms
There are a few ways I like to spend my time in the Istanbul Airport, especially given the layover times to Mongolia aren’t always the best. Here are some of my favorite, tried and tested, Istanbul Airport layover hacks.
How to Access the Istanbul Airport Lounges
You can’t pay to access the Turkish Airlines Lounge, this is only for travelers flying on First or Business Class.
However, you can pay to access the IGA Lounge. To access the lounge the cost is:
- 102 € for adults
Inside the lounge you have free Wi-Fi, there’s a free massage service at select times, shower facilities, an open buffet, open bar (free alcoholic beverages), and a terrace.
The lounge operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Rent a Sleeping Cabin by the Hour
This is my favorite hack for surviving a long layover in Istanbul Airport, especially after a redeye flight. I like this option better than booking a hotel room inside the airport because it’s a fraction of the cost. Usually it’s exactly what I need to get my mind and body back on track and ready for the rest of my journey.
Inside the international terminal the Yotel Air Recharge Cabins are small rooms you can rent by the hour. For 25 € an hour you can sleep in a comfortable bed with a down duvet and pillow inside a blacked-out, temperature-controlled room. Plus, showers are also available for 15 €.
I prefer the Recharge Cabins over the sleeping pod section near Terminal D because they are much more comfortable and private, and are only a few euro more per hour. I get a much better sleep here because they aren’t out in the open terminal where you can hear every noise. You can still hear people in the hallways inside the Recharge Cabin, but it’s much less frequent.
The Recharge Cabins are located opposite the entrance to the IGA Lounge on the upper floor. Follow the signs for Yotel Air, the hotel (it’s actually quite expensive), but take the escalator just before it to find the entrance to the Recharge Cabins on your left.
These sleeping cabins are available for walk-in bookings only. You’ll have to tell them how many hours you would like to book when you arrive so you can pay up front. So, keep that in mind and have a number ready.
Author: Breanna Wilson
Hi! Sain uu! I’m Breanna, an American travel writer and adventurer living in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia for more than 5 years. I’ve written for and been featured in Condé Nast Traveler, CNN, Forbes, and the New York Times, among others. Read more of my Mongolia travel articles here.
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