Apr 2, 2019, 3:31 am
Last edit by: starflyergold
Unlike like Atatürk Airport, at Istanbul Airport there is more than one international lounge. Eligibility depends on your travel of class and your frequent flyer card status. PLEASE READ THIS WIKI BEFORE ASKING QUESTIONS.
For discussions and questions regarding outstation lounges ( Moscow, Nairobi, Washington DC ) and all other domestic lounges ( including SAW ) please refer to the respective forum.
For PriorityPass Lounges in Istanbul Airport (IST) please consult this thread in the Europe forum or the Istanbul Airport Master Thread for questions regarding contract lounges.
This thread covers TK Lounges at IST airport.
Chart of Eligibility for Lounges:
Thanks to DELLAS for sharing this chart.
International Lounges:
Miles&Smiles Lounge: This lounge is open to all Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Elite, Elite Plus card holders and Star Alliance Gold status holders along with one of their guests when flying Turkish Airlines or another Star Alliance member. Miles&Smiles Elite Plus members are also able to guest family members regardless of the number of people (spouse and children). Also Turkish Corporate Club members are allowed to access this lounge with one fellow guest who holds a valid boarding pass on Turkish Airlines.
To access this lounge take the elevators across gate C1 to the mezzanine level.
Business Lounge: This lounge would be open for all Business Class passengers on Turkish Airlines and Star Alliance partners. Unfortunately, no guests are allowed to this lounge.
To access this lounge take the elevators across gate E1 to the mezzanine level.
Both lounges are non-smoking. The nearest "terrace" (IST does not advertise smoking areas) is: For the business lounge: exit via the escalators, turn left and left again, past the public rest areas, and the terrace is on the right hand side. For the M&S lounge: exit via the escalators, turn right and right again, past the public rest areas, and the terrace is on the left hand side. In both cases a 3 minute walk.
Exclusive Lounge: No details, no plans as of yet
Arrivals Lounge: No details, no plans as of yet
Both the Business Lounge and the Miles&Smiles Lounge have showers, sleeping rooms and Turkish speciality food.
To use the sleeping rooms, you must have a connection time between 4h and 9h and the duration of one of your flights must be more than 8 hours. Unfortunately, Miles&Smiles Elite card holders and Star Alliance Gold card holders traveling in Economy Class are not eligible to use the sleeping room service. For sleeping room related issues please consult the this thread.
None of the international lounges have direct lounge access from the check-in hall; however, priority immigration and security checkpoint are available both for transfer passengers and passengers starting their journey in Istanbul.
Domestic Lounges:
The domestic lounge has two sections; one for Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles Classic Plus and Elite card holders, Star Alliance Gold card holders and Turkish Corporate Club members (if they have a same day onward international connection); and the other one for Business Class passengers and Miles&Smiles Elite Plus card holders.
Miles&Smiles Elite passengers, Star Alliance Gold card holders and Turkish Corporate Club members can invite one guest into the lounge. Miles&Smiles Elite Plus passengers can also guest one passenger or their family members regardless of the number of people (spouse and children). Miles&Smiles Classic Plus card holders do not have the right to guest someone.
The lounge has a separate entrance and check-in lobby from the street, along with a special valet parking drop-off point. Transfer passengers and passengers who decide to use the main terminal building can also access this lounge by using the elevators across gates G6 and G7. Be aware that there are no lounge signs within the terminal so it's advised to follow signs for gates G6 and G7.
For discussions and questions regarding outstation lounges ( Moscow, Nairobi, Washington DC ) and all other domestic lounges ( including SAW ) please refer to the respective forum.
For PriorityPass Lounges in Istanbul Airport (IST) please consult this thread in the Europe forum or the Istanbul Airport Master Thread for questions regarding contract lounges.
This thread covers TK Lounges at IST airport.
Chart of Eligibility for Lounges:
Thanks to DELLAS for sharing this chart.
International Lounges:
Miles&Smiles Lounge: This lounge is open to all Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Elite, Elite Plus card holders and Star Alliance Gold status holders along with one of their guests when flying Turkish Airlines or another Star Alliance member. Miles&Smiles Elite Plus members are also able to guest family members regardless of the number of people (spouse and children). Also Turkish Corporate Club members are allowed to access this lounge with one fellow guest who holds a valid boarding pass on Turkish Airlines.
To access this lounge take the elevators across gate C1 to the mezzanine level.
Business Lounge: This lounge would be open for all Business Class passengers on Turkish Airlines and Star Alliance partners. Unfortunately, no guests are allowed to this lounge.
To access this lounge take the elevators across gate E1 to the mezzanine level.
Both lounges are non-smoking. The nearest "terrace" (IST does not advertise smoking areas) is: For the business lounge: exit via the escalators, turn left and left again, past the public rest areas, and the terrace is on the right hand side. For the M&S lounge: exit via the escalators, turn right and right again, past the public rest areas, and the terrace is on the left hand side. In both cases a 3 minute walk.
Exclusive Lounge: No details, no plans as of yet
Arrivals Lounge: No details, no plans as of yet
Both the Business Lounge and the Miles&Smiles Lounge have showers, sleeping rooms and Turkish speciality food.
To use the sleeping rooms, you must have a connection time between 4h and 9h and the duration of one of your flights must be more than 8 hours. Unfortunately, Miles&Smiles Elite card holders and Star Alliance Gold card holders traveling in Economy Class are not eligible to use the sleeping room service. For sleeping room related issues please consult the this thread.
None of the international lounges have direct lounge access from the check-in hall; however, priority immigration and security checkpoint are available both for transfer passengers and passengers starting their journey in Istanbul.
Domestic Lounges:
The domestic lounge has two sections; one for Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles Classic Plus and Elite card holders, Star Alliance Gold card holders and Turkish Corporate Club members (if they have a same day onward international connection); and the other one for Business Class passengers and Miles&Smiles Elite Plus card holders.
Miles&Smiles Elite passengers, Star Alliance Gold card holders and Turkish Corporate Club members can invite one guest into the lounge. Miles&Smiles Elite Plus passengers can also guest one passenger or their family members regardless of the number of people (spouse and children). Miles&Smiles Classic Plus card holders do not have the right to guest someone.
The lounge has a separate entrance and check-in lobby from the street, along with a special valet parking drop-off point. Transfer passengers and passengers who decide to use the main terminal building can also access this lounge by using the elevators across gates G6 and G7. Be aware that there are no lounge signs within the terminal so it's advised to follow signs for gates G6 and G7.
TK in Istanbul Airport: Thread #2 - Lounges
Mar 1, 2021, 10:06 am
#541
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 565
The TK lounge is one of my main reasons to fly TK. I was pricing up some flights and looking at whether it was worth a premium on TK, noticed a comment on Sam Chui's post that there's no booze in the lounge currently and having read the above am disappointed that the lounge is a shadow of its normal self. TK off my list for now.
Mar 1, 2021, 10:13 am
#542
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Programs: TK Elite Plus,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold,QR Gold,HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold
Posts: 14,186
The TK lounge is one of my main reasons to fly TK. I was pricing up some flights and looking at whether it was worth a premium on TK, noticed a comment on Sam Chui's post that there's no booze in the lounge currently and having read the above am disappointed that the lounge is a shadow of its normal self. TK off my list for now.
If not, you could access the iGA Lounge with a €59 walk-in fee.
Mar 1, 2021, 1:02 pm
#543
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: UK/Mauritius
Programs: EK Skywards silver Miles and Smiles Hilton Honours Hyatt Priority Club Kestrel A
Posts: 683
If you have PriorityPass, I would suggest you visit the iGA Lounge instead of the TK Lounge. It has better offerings compared to the TK Lounge and has booze. Obviously, this comment applies to the current COVID era and the current services of both of the lounges.
If not, you could access the iGA Lounge with a €59 walk-in fee.
If not, you could access the iGA Lounge with a €59 walk-in fee.
Mar 1, 2021, 2:05 pm
#544
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Programs: TK Elite Plus,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold,QR Gold,HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold
Posts: 14,186
Although the Business Lounge is closed, pre-COVID the Miles&Smiles and the Business Lounge had no difference in terms of offerings. The Business Lounge just had fewer people inside it, other than that the only difference was that one has an art gallery and the other one has a movie theater. Everything else was identical.
Mar 3, 2021, 12:42 am
#545
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 60
We will have a 8 hrs layover in Istanbul this weekend. We are Star Alliance gold and also have priority pass.
Does anyone know, if we can enter and exit Turkish Airlines and IGA lounges multiple times in case we want to go back and forth?
Does anyone know, if we can enter and exit Turkish Airlines and IGA lounges multiple times in case we want to go back and forth?
Mar 3, 2021, 3:03 am
#546
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Programs: TK Elite Plus,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold,QR Gold,HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold
Posts: 14,186
The iGA Lounge has a maximum 3-hour stay limit for PriorityPass holders, I am not sure if this is enforced so I can't comment on this part.
Mar 5, 2021, 8:09 am
#548
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Programs: TK Elite Plus,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold,QR Gold,HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold
Posts: 14,186
This is related to the *A rule change that your guest as a *G should be on the same flight. No guests would be permitted which are travelling on another flight than the cardholder is on.
Mar 5, 2021, 8:14 am
#549
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Virginia City Highlands
Programs: Nothing anymore after 20 years
Posts: 6,900
Are transiting pax allowed to go airside in IST and visit a lounge? If so, do you need to present negative Covid test?
Don’t get me wrong - have not been on plane >1.5 years, writing from Singapore, in SIN transiting pax are marched directly to the departure box not allowed to go airside, only one lounge is operating in a terminal and negative Covid test is a requirement for entry.
Don’t get me wrong - have not been on plane >1.5 years, writing from Singapore, in SIN transiting pax are marched directly to the departure box not allowed to go airside, only one lounge is operating in a terminal and negative Covid test is a requirement for entry.
Mar 5, 2021, 8:15 am
#550
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 164
Mar 5, 2021, 8:20 am
#551
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Programs: TK Elite Plus,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold,QR Gold,HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold
Posts: 14,186
Are transiting pax allowed to go airside in IST and visit a lounge? If so, do you need to present negative Covid test?
Don’t get me wrong - have not been on plane >1.5 years, writing from Singapore, in SIN transiting pax are marched directly to the departure box not allowed to go airside, only one lounge is operating in a terminal and negative Covid test is a requirement for entry.
Don’t get me wrong - have not been on plane >1.5 years, writing from Singapore, in SIN transiting pax are marched directly to the departure box not allowed to go airside, only one lounge is operating in a terminal and negative Covid test is a requirement for entry.
That seperation between originating and transfer passengers is something specific to SIN and not the general practice around the world.
No, you could have guested someone on any *A flight.
Mar 5, 2021, 8:44 am
#552
Join Date: Oct 2012
Programs: TK EP, AF Platinum for life, something in Oneworld not worth to mention...
Posts: 420
Mar 5, 2021, 8:53 am
#553
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Programs: TK Elite Plus,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold,QR Gold,HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold
Posts: 14,186
Yes, the sleeping rooms are closed.
They were even closed when they softened the COVID-19 restrictions in the past summer so it wouldn't be accurate to make a prediction based on the restrictions softening.
They were even closed when they softened the COVID-19 restrictions in the past summer so it wouldn't be accurate to make a prediction based on the restrictions softening.
Mar 6, 2021, 6:18 am
#554
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Raddison Platinum, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 5,271
I know the domestic lounge allows for boarding directly from there. I always thought this was a nice perk. Is this the case for the international lounge? Last time I was there (old airport) I couldn't find where one would board so I just went to the gate.
Also, in terms of food, is IGA currently the better option for both international and domestic?
Also, in terms of food, is IGA currently the better option for both international and domestic?
Mar 6, 2021, 6:45 am
#555
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Kent, UK
Programs: M&S Elite+
Posts: 3,658
I know the domestic lounge allows for boarding directly from there. I always thought this was a nice perk. Is this the case for the international lounge? Last time I was there (old airport) I couldn't find where one would board so I just went to the gate.
Also, in terms of food, is IGA currently the better option for both international and domestic?
Also, in terms of food, is IGA currently the better option for both international and domestic?