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 13, 2017, 9:39 am
#571
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: LAX
Programs: TK M&S, LH MM, Global Entry, Hertz Gold, Sixt Platinum
Posts: 1,087
I’m pretty sure everyone here would guest someone’s mom/dad into the lounge if asked politely at the entrance, so ask around if you can only bring one.
Dec 15, 2017, 5:44 pm
#572
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM
Posts: 23,293
Has anyone been able to use the sleeping room on a connection longer than 7 hours?
Our flights are 11:20 and 8:30 long, in J, no other flights available, but with a 9 hour connection.
While I know we can get the hotel - which really would at most give us 5 hours in the room, and cost $80 in visas.
Our flights are 11:20 and 8:30 long, in J, no other flights available, but with a 9 hour connection.
While I know we can get the hotel - which really would at most give us 5 hours in the room, and cost $80 in visas.
Dec 15, 2017, 6:38 pm
#573
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: LAX
Programs: TK M&S, LH MM, Global Entry, Hertz Gold, Sixt Platinum
Posts: 1,087
Has anyone been able to use the sleeping room on a connection longer than 7 hours?
Our flights are 11:20 and 8:30 long, in J, no other flights available, but with a 9 hour connection.
While I know we can get the hotel - which really would at most give us 5 hours in the room, and cost $80 in visas.
Our flights are 11:20 and 8:30 long, in J, no other flights available, but with a 9 hour connection.
While I know we can get the hotel - which really would at most give us 5 hours in the room, and cost $80 in visas.
Dec 16, 2017, 7:49 am
#574
Join Date: Jun 2008
Programs: TK*G (E+), IHG Plat Ambassador
Posts: 7,884
Folks on the hotel thread report TAV Hotel charges ridiculously high prices.
Dec 16, 2017, 12:35 pm
#575
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: LAX
Programs: TK M&S, LH MM, Global Entry, Hertz Gold, Sixt Platinum
Posts: 1,087
booked it after an operation once when I wanted to stay off my feet as much as possible.
Dec 22, 2017, 1:26 am
#576
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: UK
Programs: BAEC Silver, VS Red, HH Gold, IHG Gold, Marriott Gold, SPG Basic, Alitalia Status Match
Posts: 1,173
I have a J ticket leaving IST at 1355. Does anyone know the earliest time I can check in? I plan to maximise time in this lounge
Dec 22, 2017, 2:46 am
#577
Moderator, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles & Accor ALL
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: BRU
Programs: TK*G, Accor ALL Platinum
Posts: 7,581
Any time (departure -24h). At the end of the day it is just an airline lounge, so anything more than 2 hours would be excessive IMHO, even at this lounge.
Dec 22, 2017, 3:06 am
#578
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SIN (with a bit of ZRH sprinkled in)
Posts: 9,449
If you're really hot for the lounge, I'd try to arrive at 9am. That will guarantee you both breakfast as well as lunch food options.
Dec 22, 2017, 5:13 am
#579
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY, SK, TK
Posts: 7,591
Is it only me or why do I think that the best part of the lounge, that is the food, is controversially the "worst"
First, you want to eat but all the queues are so packed there that I don't have the patience to wait.
Second, the great assortment of sweets makes a headache very fast as they somehow remind and taste more of artificial forms of additives and all but natural ingredients.
Okay it is the most fabulous lounge in the world still and these things get very small to complain about, 1st world problems
First, you want to eat but all the queues are so packed there that I don't have the patience to wait.
Second, the great assortment of sweets makes a headache very fast as they somehow remind and taste more of artificial forms of additives and all but natural ingredients.
Okay it is the most fabulous lounge in the world still and these things get very small to complain about, 1st world problems
Dec 22, 2017, 9:45 am
#580
Moderator, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles & Accor ALL
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: BRU
Programs: TK*G, Accor ALL Platinum
Posts: 7,581
I think the lounge is definitely going down in standards. When I passed through at 1am on Sunday there was hardly any food left. Only one station served food. Drinks were running low and no ice anywhere. And yes it was busy!
Dec 22, 2017, 10:55 am
#581
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: UK
Programs: BAEC Silver, VS Red, HH Gold, IHG Gold, Marriott Gold, SPG Basic, Alitalia Status Match
Posts: 1,173
Dec 22, 2017, 10:25 pm
#582
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: LAX
Programs: TK M&S, LH MM, Global Entry, Hertz Gold, Sixt Platinum
Posts: 1,087
I’m not often at the lounge at that time, but was under the impression that they stopped serving food around midnight until 5-6, so I never thought about on the handful of occasions that I visited in the armpit of the night.
Jan 2, 2018, 10:40 pm
#583
Moderator, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles & Accor ALL
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: BRU
Programs: TK*G, Accor ALL Platinum
Posts: 7,581
To make it easier to find information a new thread has been created: TK's Flagship IST *G Lounge [2018 onwards Master Thread]
starflyergold
TK M&S forum moderator
starflyergold
TK M&S forum moderator