My bargain trip to Istanbul – with Turkish Airlines and Hilton

The points-collecting and cheap travel game can occasionally throw up some real bargains, where savings meet with other savings and points discounts.

A great example of this is the trip I have just booked to Istanbul for me and the family.

The good news is, these prices are still (currently) available to all.

The booking can be broken down as follows:

Flights

We have taken advantage of the €99 Turkish Airlines all-in returns from Malta to Istanbul (travel 20 January to 31 March 2014), so total cost for three travellers plus one baby is €297.

A reasonable estimate “par” price for a return to Istanbul from Malta is around €200, so the €99 all-in return is great value. Plus Turkish Airlines fly at better times than Air Malta.

Hotel

We are staying in the Conrad Hilton in Besiktas. We have stayed there before and it is a quality hotel with fantastic views of the Bosphorus and Old Town (see photo above, of the executive lounge). This time round we booked it at a very good value €34 plus 12,000 HHonors points a night, using Hilton HHonors “points & money” option. At this rate, we were then instantly upgraded to an executive Bosphorus river view room, for no extra charge.

Given that the standard charge for a Bosphorus view executive room is €334 a night, you can see what a good value deal this is.

Total cost

So, I am paying around €450 for 4 return flights from Malta to Istanbul and 4 nights (for 2 adults + 2 children) in an executive room in a five star hotel.  At standard rates, the total cost should be pushing €2000.

Fancy it yourself?

I’m not just writing this post to show off. These prices are still available to all. I’ve already mentioned this offer to two friends, both of whom booked their own trip straightaway (no commission for me, sadly).

Now I appreciate not everyone has a stash of HHonors points, so can’t necessarily get the “points + money” rate I booked. However, in these circumstances you could simply book the Hilton Double Tree, in the Old Town. That is currently going for a very impressive €65 a night, with this rate fully available in the Turkish Airlines €99 flight window (late Jan-March 2014).

In addition, you can book the €99 all-in return via Turkish Airlines here, subject to the following conditions:

• Travel Period: 20 January 2014 – 31 March 2014
• Purchasing Period: 27 November 2013 – 11 December 2013
• Maximum Stay: 15 day(s)

Obviously dates are limited with the €99 fare, but there are a number of long weekends currently available.

Don’t forget to earn HHonors points on Hilton stays (plus airline miles of your choosing), and Miles&Smiles (or Lufthansa Miles&More) points on Turkish airlines flights.