Jan 10, 2015, 2:41 am
Last edit by: starflyergold
Lounge Location
IST International Terminal. Near Gate 220
Video walkthrough of the lounge made on 2016-05-25
IST TK Lounge Walkthrough - YouTube
Getting In
Opening Hours: 24 hrs per day
Entrances: 2 entrances - one in the main terminal, another from the far-left side of the check-in area of the airport with separate passport control, Only for TK Business Class passengers or TK Elite Plus in Y, but not Elite or other *G cards, you need to go through main passport control and enter from airside). Entry in the main terminal is done by automated gates. You need a boarding pass with your status on it, if that is not present, please ask the lounge matrons and they'll manually let you in. It is also necessary to consult the front desk if you're bringing a guest(s).
Dedicated entry from the check in area (far left side as you face security/immigration) is only open from 5am to 12am midnight, outside of those hours you must enter the main terminal first and use that entrance.
Prior noted in this wiki, was that there was three entrances, however that one is an exit only that can be found in the lower level of the lounge.
Bag Storage: There are lockers right next to the main entrance on both floors. Lockers are emptied at night.
Eligibility:
Business Class travellers on international flights operated by Turkish Airlines,
Miles&Smiles Elite and Elite Plus members (they may invite their families or one guest),
Star Alliance Gold members (they may invite one guest),
First and Business Class travellers on flights operated by Star Alliance member airlines.
Must travel on Turkish Airlines or Star Alliance
The lounge cannot be accessed through Priority Pass or by paying at the entrance. There are many other pay lounges at IST.
Multiple Entries:
If you're connecting and want to visit Istanbul, you can enter the lounge with your connecting BP, enjoy the lounge then go back to Immigration, enter Turkey, and come back to the lounge after your visit.
To go landside from the lounge: leave the lounge on the upper level and walk straight toward the food court. Just before the food court there is a set of stairs on the left (look for signs to the mosque) that takes you down to the arrival level, and then to the immigration counters.
Facilities
Working
Free Wi-Fi (you get the code by scanning your boarding pass at machines dotted around the lounge)
Showers
Printers and computers
Eating
Extensive Food and Drink Areas
Upstairs:
Turkish desserts, ie baklava
Nut station
Coffee station + Demel cakes
Kofte/grill station
Pasta
Mezze
Beverages (alcoholic/non-alcoholic)
Fresh fruits
Fresh pide
Olive bar
Nut bar
Downstairs:
Turkish "special of the month"/chef's station
Coffee station + Demel cakes
Simit cart
Kofte/grill station
Pasta
Mezze
Make-your-own-tea/wellness tea station
Beverages (alcoholic/non-alcoholic), stands throughout the lounge
Fresh fruits
Fresh pide
Olive bar
Nut bar
Early morning food differences
"Turkish special of the month" chef's station serving breakfast foods instead (e.g. gozleme)
Kofte station replaced by made-to-order omelette bar/breakfast items
Mini-simits, croissants, and other breakfast pastries
Demel cakes not taken out until ~ 8am
Turkish desserts not taken out until after 8am
Mezze station replaced by muesli, yogurt station
Smoking
This is a non smoking lounge, smoking area is upstairs at the far end of the terminal.
Relaxing
Relaxation Rooms (see below)
Ironing service
Newspapers and Library
Media wall
Pool Table
Golf simulator
RC car track
Self-playing piano
2x Xbox systems with FIFA and NBA
Sleeping in the Lounge
There are 5-7 relaxation rooms.
Eligibility:
4-7 hour layover for TK Business and Elite Plus customers in Economy Class.
International to International connections only
Couches throughout the lounge.
You may be eligible for a free hotel outside the airport.
IST International Terminal. Near Gate 220
Video walkthrough of the lounge made on 2016-05-25
IST TK Lounge Walkthrough - YouTube
Getting In
Opening Hours: 24 hrs per day
Entrances: 2 entrances - one in the main terminal, another from the far-left side of the check-in area of the airport with separate passport control, Only for TK Business Class passengers or TK Elite Plus in Y, but not Elite or other *G cards, you need to go through main passport control and enter from airside). Entry in the main terminal is done by automated gates. You need a boarding pass with your status on it, if that is not present, please ask the lounge matrons and they'll manually let you in. It is also necessary to consult the front desk if you're bringing a guest(s).
Dedicated entry from the check in area (far left side as you face security/immigration) is only open from 5am to 12am midnight, outside of those hours you must enter the main terminal first and use that entrance.
Prior noted in this wiki, was that there was three entrances, however that one is an exit only that can be found in the lower level of the lounge.
Bag Storage: There are lockers right next to the main entrance on both floors. Lockers are emptied at night.
Eligibility:
Business Class travellers on international flights operated by Turkish Airlines,
Miles&Smiles Elite and Elite Plus members (they may invite their families or one guest),
Star Alliance Gold members (they may invite one guest),
First and Business Class travellers on flights operated by Star Alliance member airlines.
Must travel on Turkish Airlines or Star Alliance
The lounge cannot be accessed through Priority Pass or by paying at the entrance. There are many other pay lounges at IST.
Multiple Entries:
If you're connecting and want to visit Istanbul, you can enter the lounge with your connecting BP, enjoy the lounge then go back to Immigration, enter Turkey, and come back to the lounge after your visit.
To go landside from the lounge: leave the lounge on the upper level and walk straight toward the food court. Just before the food court there is a set of stairs on the left (look for signs to the mosque) that takes you down to the arrival level, and then to the immigration counters.
Facilities
Working
Free Wi-Fi (you get the code by scanning your boarding pass at machines dotted around the lounge)
Showers
Printers and computers
Eating
Extensive Food and Drink Areas
Upstairs:
Turkish desserts, ie baklava
Nut station
Coffee station + Demel cakes
Kofte/grill station
Pasta
Mezze
Beverages (alcoholic/non-alcoholic)
Fresh fruits
Fresh pide
Olive bar
Nut bar
Downstairs:
Turkish "special of the month"/chef's station
Coffee station + Demel cakes
Simit cart
Kofte/grill station
Pasta
Mezze
Make-your-own-tea/wellness tea station
Beverages (alcoholic/non-alcoholic), stands throughout the lounge
Fresh fruits
Fresh pide
Olive bar
Nut bar
Early morning food differences
"Turkish special of the month" chef's station serving breakfast foods instead (e.g. gozleme)
Kofte station replaced by made-to-order omelette bar/breakfast items
Mini-simits, croissants, and other breakfast pastries
Demel cakes not taken out until ~ 8am
Turkish desserts not taken out until after 8am
Mezze station replaced by muesli, yogurt station
Smoking
This is a non smoking lounge, smoking area is upstairs at the far end of the terminal.
Relaxing
Relaxation Rooms (see below)
Ironing service
Newspapers and Library
Media wall
Pool Table
Golf simulator
RC car track
Self-playing piano
2x Xbox systems with FIFA and NBA
Sleeping in the Lounge
There are 5-7 relaxation rooms.
Eligibility:
4-7 hour layover for TK Business and Elite Plus customers in Economy Class.
International to International connections only
You can only use them only if you are connecting to/from a longhaul Turkish Airlines flight (8+ hours) AND your layover is between 4 and 7 hours.
You may be eligible for a free hotel outside the airport.
TK's Flagship IST *G Lounge [2015 onwards Master Thread]
Dec 2, 2016, 4:58 am
#421
Join Date: May 2015
Location: ATL/MCO
Programs: Costco Executive, RaceTrac Sultan of Soda, Chick-fil-A Red
Posts: 5,660
Dec 7, 2016, 3:38 pm
#422
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Edinburgh
Programs: BA Gold, HHonors Gold, Priority Pass
Posts: 759
Where does the ground floor exit lead to? I see that there are two main entrances on the upper floor and a exit only on the ground floor, Where does this exit only lead to?
Dec 7, 2016, 11:21 pm
#423
Join Date: May 2015
Location: ATL/MCO
Programs: Costco Executive, RaceTrac Sultan of Soda, Chick-fil-A Red
Posts: 5,660
I would not recommend using it unless you have any reason to be on the ground floor as it will require taking the elevator up to the top floor again.
Feb 12, 2017, 2:05 am
#424
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Canada
Programs: Star Alliance G*, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium,
Posts: 3,584
no showers for G*
I had my 3rd visit to the TK lounge last week. I discovered an issue which is not mentioned in the WIKI..........
Flying on a V class ticket, I tried checking in to have a shower between flights YUL-IST-TXL. I was told the showers are only for those traveling biz. class!
Any other FTs encountered this problem? I am going back next week, and I need to find an alternative?
Flying on a V class ticket, I tried checking in to have a shower between flights YUL-IST-TXL. I was told the showers are only for those traveling biz. class!
Any other FTs encountered this problem? I am going back next week, and I need to find an alternative?
Feb 12, 2017, 2:47 am
#425
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 3,921
I think the showers are very heavily used and getting one can be difficult. I have twice tried to use them and both times was given a time an hour or more away. Perhaps they try to ration availability?
Feb 12, 2017, 4:19 am
#426
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: SFO, BRU, ADB
Programs: UA Gold, BA Silver, Marriott Titanium, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 702
I had my 3rd visit to the TK lounge last week. I discovered an issue which is not mentioned in the WIKI..........
Flying on a V class ticket, I tried checking in to have a shower between flights YUL-IST-TXL. I was told the showers are only for those traveling biz. class!
Any other FTs encountered this problem? I am going back next week, and I need to find an alternative?
Flying on a V class ticket, I tried checking in to have a shower between flights YUL-IST-TXL. I was told the showers are only for those traveling biz. class!
Any other FTs encountered this problem? I am going back next week, and I need to find an alternative?
They might enforce this when the lounge in busy.
Feb 12, 2017, 6:44 am
#427
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: CDG
Programs: A bit of this and a bit of that
Posts: 777
Did anyone try using an inbound business class ticket to access the lounge and got accepted at the machine?
I arrive flying tk business class and leave in economy and was wondering if maybe I had the chance to get in the lounge
I arrive flying tk business class and leave in economy and was wondering if maybe I had the chance to get in the lounge
Feb 12, 2017, 7:57 am
#428
Join Date: May 2016
Location: IST, LHR
Programs: TK E+, AA PLAT
Posts: 481
Sounds like they are limiting access at busy times as noted above. Maybe they misunderstood you and thought you requested access to the relaxation rooms as that is the policy there? Did you try down stairs? They tend to be less busy.
Feb 12, 2017, 8:12 pm
#429
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: SFO, BRU, ADB
Programs: UA Gold, BA Silver, Marriott Titanium, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 702
Yes there have been reports of this working, just scan your inbound boarding pass at the lounge gates and hope for the best.
Feb 15, 2017, 6:07 am
#430
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: NYC/Northern NJ
Programs: 1K - UAL, Platinum DL, Marriott, Hilton, SPG
Posts: 1,815
Sorry for repeat questions.. I've read the thread (lots of content) and believe the below itin doesn't qualify for sleeper lounge but thought I asked before I attempt to book airfare and airport hotel (Park Inn) which requires a visa -
Arrive international at 10:10PM and depart to JFK the next morning @ 6:45am.
8:35 hr connection time in ATH but flying as *A Gold (UA 1K) so does Turkish have a discount hotel option available as based on my reading of the website - I may not qualify as a 'valuable passengers' plus my wait doesn't exceed 10 hrs as an economy cabin passenger for complimentary hotel accommodation.
I believe my choices are loiter at the lounge or book my own accommodations for the duration of my connection time. As late night in Turkey + recent crimes against the innocent rather not venture too far from airport.
Arrive international at 10:10PM and depart to JFK the next morning @ 6:45am.
8:35 hr connection time in ATH but flying as *A Gold (UA 1K) so does Turkish have a discount hotel option available as based on my reading of the website - I may not qualify as a 'valuable passengers' plus my wait doesn't exceed 10 hrs as an economy cabin passenger for complimentary hotel accommodation.
I believe my choices are loiter at the lounge or book my own accommodations for the duration of my connection time. As late night in Turkey + recent crimes against the innocent rather not venture too far from airport.
Feb 15, 2017, 6:53 am
#431
Join Date: May 2016
Location: IST, LHR
Programs: TK E+, AA PLAT
Posts: 481
Sorry for repeat questions.. I've read the thread (lots of content) and believe the below itin doesn't qualify for sleeper lounge but thought I asked before I attempt to book airfare and airport hotel (Park Inn) which requires a visa -
Arrive international at 10:10PM and depart to JFK the next morning @ 6:45am.
8:35 hr connection time in ATH but flying as *A Gold (UA 1K) so does Turkish have a discount hotel option available as based on my reading of the website - I may not qualify as a 'valuable passengers' plus my wait doesn't exceed 10 hrs as an economy cabin passenger for complimentary hotel accommodation.
I believe my choices are loiter at the lounge or book my own accommodations for the duration of my connection time. As late night in Turkey + recent crimes against the innocent rather not venture too far from airport.
Arrive international at 10:10PM and depart to JFK the next morning @ 6:45am.
8:35 hr connection time in ATH but flying as *A Gold (UA 1K) so does Turkish have a discount hotel option available as based on my reading of the website - I may not qualify as a 'valuable passengers' plus my wait doesn't exceed 10 hrs as an economy cabin passenger for complimentary hotel accommodation.
I believe my choices are loiter at the lounge or book my own accommodations for the duration of my connection time. As late night in Turkey + recent crimes against the innocent rather not venture too far from airport.
I don't think there have been a rise in general crime in Istanbul, I could be wrong, but I feel safe enough walking about at night. You would get a hotel shuttle or a taxi to the hotel so nothing really to worry about.
You could also look into the TAV airside hotel, It's not the cheapest option but saves you having to get a visa and pass through immigration, taxi/shuttle etc.
If you do decide to get a hotel then also note that you will probably only get 4/5 hours at the hotel before you'd have to be back at IST
Feb 15, 2017, 7:51 am
#432
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: NYC/Northern NJ
Programs: 1K - UAL, Platinum DL, Marriott, Hilton, SPG
Posts: 1,815
UPDATE - Just found the FAQ8 hotel thread - http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/turki...cting-ist.html which I think answers all my questions.
I'll look at lounge and hope they offer sleeper otherwise, a nice couch will work.
Last edited by RooseveltL; Feb 15, 2017 at 10:00 am
Feb 15, 2017, 12:54 pm
#433
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: LON, ATH
Programs: A3*G, BA Gold, OA Gold (in memoriam), Hertz #1 Gold
Posts: 546
Thanks for info. I'll look at Airside but I agree 4-5 hrs is ideal for shower and change of clothing but may not be worth it with transportation to hotel as Radisson is hourly and ParkInn 1st shuttle is 5am transportation to/from airport which is doable but for a 6:45am US bound flight might be too tight with passport & security and preboarding.
UPDATE - Just found the FAQ8 hotel thread - http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/turki...cting-ist.html which I think answers all my questions.
I'll look at lounge and hope they offer sleeper otherwise, a nice couch will work.
UPDATE - Just found the FAQ8 hotel thread - http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/turki...cting-ist.html which I think answers all my questions.
I'll look at lounge and hope they offer sleeper otherwise, a nice couch will work.
Feb 15, 2017, 1:14 pm
#434
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: NYC/Northern NJ
Programs: 1K - UAL, Platinum DL, Marriott, Hilton, SPG
Posts: 1,815
That could work without filter but I don't mind using earplugs and eye mask as long as the staff doesn't frown on that appearance. I reviewed all my options and 8:35 hrs layover turns into arriving hotel maybe 1.5 hrs after arrival (10:10pm -> 11:40pm @ hotel), and getting a cab/shuttle back to airport to arrive 2 hrs before departure @ 6:45AM (departing hotel @ 4:20am) which may not be worth dealing with customs/immigration and obtaining a visa for roughly 4 hrs. I'll look at airside lodging options. Thanks all for opinions/value.
Feb 15, 2017, 2:02 pm
#435
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: LON, ATH
Programs: A3*G, BA Gold, OA Gold (in memoriam), Hertz #1 Gold
Posts: 546
That could work without filter but I don't mind using earplugs and eye mask as long as the staff doesn't frown on that appearance. I reviewed all my options and 8:35 hrs layover turns into arriving hotel maybe 1.5 hrs after arrival (10:10pm -> 11:40pm @ hotel), and getting a cab/shuttle back to airport to arrive 2 hrs before departure @ 6:45AM (departing hotel @ 4:20am) which may not be worth dealing with customs/immigration and obtaining a visa for roughly 4 hrs. I'll look at airside lodging options. Thanks all for opinions/value.
Nope they won't I think. I used them in the cinema, as pretty much everyone else and there weren't any problems.
I don't know about the rest of the lounge though
Good luck!