Turkish Airlines Offers Free Film Studio Tours in Istanbul for Transit Passengers

Turkey

Turkish Airlines, Türkiye’s national flag carrier, is offering complimentary tours of Istanbul for international passengers with layovers of six to 24 hours at IGA Istanbul Airport.

Among the highlights is a visit to the Bozdağ Film Studio in the northern district of Beykoz, where many popular Turkish historical dramas are filmed.

Transit passengers can board a dedicated TourIstanbul bus from the airport to explore the Bozdağ Film Studio complex, the third-largest film studio in the world and the largest in Europe, covering 200 acres. Productions such as Diriliş: Ertuğrul, Kuruluş: Osman, and Destan are filmed here.

Participants are guided through the film sets and introduced to Turkish history, culture, and the behind-the-scenes world of Turkish television. The experience includes traditional Turkish food—such as soup, dishes prepared in a six-burner cauldron, and rice pudding—as well as hands-on activities like glassmaking workshops and a performance of Atların Destanı (Legend of the Horses). After the tour, passengers are returned to the airport in time for their connecting flights.

According to Abdullah Yormaz, Marketing Manager at Turkish Airlines, the studio tours run once daily between 12:00 and 18:00 local time. Passengers who meet the layover requirements can register for the experience through the Turkish Airlines website or by visiting the TourIstanbul desk at the airport.

“Today we have 25 participants, but during the early summer, we sometimes host up to 100 people a day,” Yormaz said. “Since the start of the year, around 3,000 travelers have taken part in the tour, with last year’s total reaching 5,000.”

He added that many guests specifically choose the film studio tour out of six available options, particularly fans of Turkish historical TV series. “Visitors come from South America, Asia, the Middle East, and especially from Turkic republics. Interestingly, we’ve had a growing number of guests from Mexico. We also see strong interest from passengers coming from the United States, many of whom are of Pakistani or Indian origin, as well as from Arab countries, Kazakhstan, the Asia-Pacific region, and Indonesia.”

Mani Krishna, an Indian citizen living in Mexico, took the tour during a layover on the way to New Delhi. “We arrived in Istanbul after a 15-hour flight and decided to join the tour before our next leg. It was recommended by a friend. Everything was free, and the food was delicious. It was the perfect break to get some fresh air after a long journey.”

Abdulsalam Arbaoui, a traveler from Tunisia, shared his appreciation for the tour as well. “I even went to Friday prayers with local Turkish people. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming. It’s my first time here, and I’m very happy. I’ve watched Turkish series before and, as a Muslim, I really enjoy them. Through these shows, I see how Turkish and Tunisian cultures connect.”