Istanbul to Nairobi on Turkish Airlines
About My Flight from Istanbul to Nairobi on Turkish Airlines
In December of 2022, I flew on Turkish Airlines from Marrakech, Morocco, to Nairobi, Kenya, with an overnight stopover in Istanbul. I was especially excited about this trip as it was my first time taking Turkish Airlines, which is one of the world’s top-rated airlines. In this section, I will review only the second leg of my flight, which was from Istanbul to Nairobi on Turkish Airlines. To learn about the Marrakech to Istanbul leg, click HERE.
When searching for flights from Marrakech to Nairobi, I purposely selected an itinerary that had an overnight layover in Istanbul. I’d never been to Istanbul before and had always wanted to visit the Hagia Sophia. Thanks to having an overnight layover, I was able to spend a few hours touring the Hagia Sophia.
I found that Turkish Airlines provided excellent service between Istanbul and Nairobi aboard their A330-200. Hopefully, this review will be helpful for those considering flying from Istanbul to Nairobi on Turkish Airlines.
Istanbul, Turkey to Nairobi, Kenya on Turkish Airlines - Table of Contents
- About My Flight
- How to Get to Istanbul International Airport
- Check-In and Security
- Where to Eat at Istanbul International Airport
- Showering at Istanbul International Airport
- Boarding Process
- The Seat
- Meal Service
- Entertainment and WiFi
- Arriving in Nairobi
- Support Buzzin’ Around the World – Visit Our Affiliates
- Earning Rewards and Points
- Related Content
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How to Get to Istanbul International Airport
There are many different ways to get from the city center of Istanbul to Istanbul International Airport. I chose to go with a private transfer instead of a taxi as I was on an overnight layover and had a tight schedule. Another reason I decided that a private transfer was a better option was the cost. I was able to book a private transfer from the tourist area of Istanbul near the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque to Istanbul International Airport for $25.
If you are interested in booking a transfer, I have provided a link below. Please note that I am an affiliate of Viator. If you purchase a transfer using my link, I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no additional cost to you.
 Private Airport Transfer: from Istanbul to New Istanbul Airport (IST) - $25.69 Book here your safe and reliable Private Airport Transfer from your hotel or location within the Istanbul city area to New Istanbul Airport (IST). |
My private transfer from the city center of Istanbul to Istanbul International Airport was on-time and dropped me off right outside the airport’s entrance.
As I entered the airport for my flight from Istanbul to Nairobi on Turkish Airlines, I couldn’t help but be impressed by this beautiful and modern airport. Istanbul International Airport is one of the nicest airports I’ve ever traveled through.
Check-In and Security at Istanbul International Airport
I did not have to check-in for my flight from Istanbul to Nairobi on Turkish Airlines as I was connecting. When I boarded my initial flight from Marrakech to Istanbul, I received my boarding pass for both legs of my flight. I did locate the check-in counter for Turkish Airlines just for the sake of this page, and it seemed like the line was moving very efficiently.
Before I entered the boarding area at Istanbul International Airport, I had to go through security and passport control. Both lines moved fairly fast, and within about twenty minutes of arriving at the airport, I was already in the boarding area.
My flight had not been assigned a gate as I had arrived multiple hours before its departure. Similar to most airports in Europe, Istanbul International Airport does not assign a gate until about one hour before the flight’s departure time.
One of the questions I had during my time in Istanbul was, “How early should I arrive at Istanbul International Airport?” The most common answer was at least three hours early for international flights. Since I was on a connection, already had my boarding pass, and my bag was already checked, I arrived about two hours before the departure of my flight. As a result, I had some extra time to explore Istanbul International Airport.
Where Should I Eat at Istanbul International Airport?
The next question I had was, “Where should I eat at Istanbul International Airport?” There are a variety of places to eat at Istanbul International Airport, including sit-down restaurants and fast food options. I chose to eat at one of the food courts and was surprised to see Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen as one of the choices. In all of my past travels, I had only once seen Popeyes in a foreign country, and that was Canada.
There were other US fast food restaurants in the food court, as well, including Sabarros, Wendy’s, Carl’s Jr., Arby’s, and Burger King.
My meal at the Istanbul Airport Popeyes consisted of chicken strips, fries, and corn and was basically the same as the food Popeyes serves in the United States.
Are There Showers at Istanbul International Airport?
With some time to spare, I found myself Googling, “Are there showers at Istanbul International Airport?” I was pleased to learn that there were showers available and that they were reasonably priced. To get to the showers at Istanbul International Airport, follow the signs towards the airport lounges, which are located upstairs near the food court.
The cost of a shower at Istanbul International Airport was €10. This price included a towel but no other toiletries. An amenity kit was available for an additional €5.
The showers at Istanbul International Airport had decent water pressure and plenty of hot water. It was nice to be able to refresh before the eight hour flight to Nairobi.
Each shower at Istanbul International Airport was attached to a small room with just enough room to change. I found it a bit difficult to keep my carry-on luggage, sweatshirt, and clothes dry since the shower did not a curtain or door.
Boarding Process - Istanbul to Nairobi on Turkish Airlines
One hour before my flight from Istanbul to Nairobi on Turkish Airlines was set to board, the gate was assigned. The flight was assigned gate A1B which was in the basement of the airport.
The boarding process was quite chaotic as everyone traveling to Nairobi was required to have a visa. Before we were allowed to board the flight, a Turkish Airlines employee had to verify our visa. This process was unorganized, and it was difficult to tell which line was for checking visas and which line was for boarding the flight.
Gate A1-B at Istanbul International Airport does not have a jet bridge. To board our flight from Istanbul to Nairobi, we had to take a shuttle bus and then board via stairs. This flight was the first time I’ve boarded such a large plane (A330-200) via steps.
The Seat - Turkish Airlines - A330-200 - Seat 27J
My Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul to Nairobi was onboard an Airbus A330-200. This plane has a “2-4-2” configuration in economy. I chose to upgrade my seat to seat 27J, which cost an additional €79. On the Turkish Airlines A330-200, seat 27J has extra legroom as it is part of the exit row.
On a Turkish Airlines A330-200, seat 27J is on the aisle. The width of the seat is slightly constricted as the tray table is in the armrest. Also, the seat is near the restrooms, which can become slightly annoying when trying to sleep.
The middle section of row 27, seats D, E, F, and G, is slightly behind other parts of the row. I liked this as I felt like I had a little more privacy.
The best part about seat 27J on the Turkish Airlines A330-200 is the legroom. In the photo below, you can see that I had over five feet of legroom during my flight from Istanbul to Nairobi on Turkish Airlines.
Meal Service - Turkish Airlines - Istanbul to Nairobi
About an hour into my Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul to Nairobi, the meal service began. In economy, there were two choices, chicken or pasta. I chose the pasta, which was served with rice, beans, and vegetables. To accompany the meal, we were given bread, a yogurt-like salad, water, and a chocolate dessert. This meal was one of the better ones that I’ve had on an airplane.
There was a second meal service right before landing. I was exhausted and slept through this meal service.
Entertainment and WiFI
As is common on most long-haul flights these days, Turkish Airlines had seatback entertainment screens that featured movies, tv shows, flight information, and a live map where passengers could track their flight.
In addition to the seatback entertainment, Turkish Airlines offered WiFi on my flight from Istanbul to Nairobi. Turkish Airlines sells their WiFi by the megabyte and has multiple packages that can be purchased.
Here are the prices for the Turkish Airlines WiFi packages.
20 MB – $2.99
50 MB – $4.99
100 MB – $7.99
250 MB – $14.99
500 MB – $24.99
I chose to purchase the 500 MB package, although I probably could have gotten by with the 250 MB package.
I didn’t watch any movies during my flight from Istanbul to Nairobi but did enjoy watching some Euro League basketball.
The seatback entertainment screens did have one feature that I had not seen before. For followers of Islam, the seatback monitors had information on prayer times and an arrow that pointed to the direction of Mecca. Muslims pray five times a day, facing the holy city of Mecca, and this information makes it easier for them to pray while on the plane.
Arriving in Nairobi - Customs, Immigration and Airport Transportation
My flight from Istanbul arrived in Nairobi eight hours and five minutes after departing. We disembarked by stairs and took a bus to the arrival terminal. Upon arriving at the terminal, we were required to show proof of the COVID-19 vaccine. This vaccine check was chaotic as many people thought they were checking Yellow Fever vaccines. Once through this checkpoint, it took about an hour to clear passport control, gather my luggage, and clear customs.
I had prearranged transportation from Nairobi International Airport to my hotel in the city center of Nairobi. When I exited the airport, there were multiple drivers holding signs with the names of their clients. My driver was nowhere to be found. I had the contact info for the company that I had scheduled the transfer with saved in my phone, and texted/called numerous times but did not receive a reply.
After waiting for an additional thirty minutes, almost everyone had been picked up. There was no taxi queue at the airport, but there was one driver who couldn’t find his passengers. He told me that he would take me to my hotel and would get a different driver for his passengers. The driver claimed his colleague was only ten minutes away. I took him up on his offer and was at my hotel about twenty minutes later. The only issue was that he asked for more than double what I had paid the original company. With no other option, I agreed to pay 9,000 Kenyan Schillings ($75) for the ride.
Eight hours later, I received an apology from the initial company. Apparently, my driver had fallen asleep and missed my pick-up. The company offered to provide my ride back to Nairobi Airport and upgrade me to a VIP package. I agreed to this offer and had no issues returning to Nairobi Airport six days later.
Below are some transportation options to get from Nairobi Airport to the city center. None of these are links for the company that failed to pick me up. Please note that I am an affiliate of Viator. If you purchase a package using one of my links, I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no additional cost to you.
 Nairobi Airport Transfers - $30.00 Airport services between Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and city hotels and Nairobi hotels near Wilson airport and Jomo Kenyatta airport. |
 Arrival, Departure and Transit Meet and Assit Services at Nairobi Airport JKIA - $32.40 Umbato Safaris offers comfortable private mode of transport at affordable rate for airport transfers,short trips and tours from Jomo Kenyatta international airport or from Wilson airport to city hotels. We are located at JKI Airport and offers 24 meets greet and assist private airport transfers services available 24 hours a day. Services bookings will be confirmed 1-6 hours |
 Nairobi Airport One Way Private Transfer - $27.00 Book a one-way transfer between Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) and your Nairobi accommodation in the comfort of a private vehicle. Spend less time waiting for a taxi or other transportation with your priority reservation. Depending on the size of your group, you have the option of a sedan, a van, or a bus. |
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