BOM → JFK in September — does Qatar Airways K-class or Turkish Airlines V-class qualify for the free stopover hotel?
Planning a one-way BOM → JFK around late June on cash (not award). Happy to take a long layover for a free hotel night, but I'm stuck on whether my fare class actually qualifies. Cross-checked airline pages + a few older FlyerTalk threads and the answer for both options is buried or vague. Hoping someone who's claimed one of these in the last few months can sanity-check before I book.
Option 1 — Turkish Airlines (flights TK 720 + TK 3)
- BOM 03:55 → IST 08:30; IST 17:25 (next day) → JFK 21:25
- ~33h Istanbul layover, Economy V class, ~$685
- Turkish Airlines' Touristanbul page says V/L/H qualify for the free hotel; N/R are explicitly excluded. I'm on Visa so should be fine! but does an India-origin ticket unlock the enhanced 2-night Touristanbul benefit, or only the standard 1-night?
Option 2 — Qatar Airways (flights QR 557 + QR 701)
- BOM 04:20 → DOH 05:55; DOH 19:45 → JFK 02:25 (next day)
- ~14h Doha layover, Economy K class, ~$720
- Qatar Airways' STPC (Stopover Paid by Carrier) page says "minimum base fare USD $400" does that mean the one-way base, or total ticket fare?
Also: has anyone successfully claimed STPC on K class in the last 3-6 months? Qatar's eligible-classes list includes K, but I've seen FlyerTalk threads where K got rejected at the desk.
Posted May 12, 2026, 8:17 AM UTC