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
Apr 13, 2019, 12:35 am
#76
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Kent, UK
Programs: M&S Elite+
Posts: 3,647
I am in the business lounge now. I managed to get a shower within 30 minutes, which must be an improvement for 0800. The shower rooms are very similar to before, but with the addition of exposed mains wiring near the mirror (maybe for a fixed hair dryer) and conditioner in the shampoo bottle. But still, it was a shower. Food is pretty good, there has been a good supply of fresh orange juice too.
Once you get over the 'I liked the old lounge better' feeling, it is pretty good. No problem with finding seating anywhere at what is a busy time.
Once you get over the 'I liked the old lounge better' feeling, it is pretty good. No problem with finding seating anywhere at what is a busy time.
Apr 13, 2019, 1:26 am
#77
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 26
THY Domestic Lounge is a clear improvement to the previous domestic lounge in Atatürk. Feels much more similar to Atatürk international lounge
improvements:
1. Bigger lounge hall, spacier due to the high ceiling.
2. leather sofas (same Atatürk international lounge i think) + tables
3. 2 dedicated conference rooms (glas wall, door that can be closed), Table for 6 people, projection TV with digital connection for notebooks (various HDMI, DP, connectors in the table).
4. Better WC area
5. Non alcoholic drink choices now same as in Atatürk international lounge (same coolers); no alcoholic drinks as far as I could see
Food with a bit more quality, but not much more choices
6. Salad bar similar to Atatürk international lounge, one daily soup, one desert (cake), hot tea options, various simit choices
7. MAC PC (approx. 10)
8. No flight annoucements
9. Wall with multiple TV (same as IST Atatürk)
Direct VIP buses to plane as before. Free Wifi code machine (one code per plane ticket)
improvements:
1. Bigger lounge hall, spacier due to the high ceiling.
2. leather sofas (same Atatürk international lounge i think) + tables
3. 2 dedicated conference rooms (glas wall, door that can be closed), Table for 6 people, projection TV with digital connection for notebooks (various HDMI, DP, connectors in the table).
4. Better WC area
5. Non alcoholic drink choices now same as in Atatürk international lounge (same coolers); no alcoholic drinks as far as I could see
Food with a bit more quality, but not much more choices
6. Salad bar similar to Atatürk international lounge, one daily soup, one desert (cake), hot tea options, various simit choices
7. MAC PC (approx. 10)
8. No flight annoucements
9. Wall with multiple TV (same as IST Atatürk)
Direct VIP buses to plane as before. Free Wifi code machine (one code per plane ticket)
Apr 13, 2019, 9:47 am
#78
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Dublin, Ireland / Doha, Qatar
Programs: BA, QR status varies from rags to riches - now gold, IHG Diamond Elite
Posts: 543
Anyone seen a link to the IGA Lounge? Or better still first hand experience. Trying to find out if it worth €59 - which is quite steep for lounge access in my view, unless of course it's a very nice lounge with rest area, showers, good eats and quality wine!
All input appreciated
Grantosol
All input appreciated
Grantosol
Apr 13, 2019, 12:54 pm
#80
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: 14,185
Anyone seen a link to the IGA Lounge? Or better still first hand experience. Trying to find out if it worth €59 - which is quite steep for lounge access in my view, unless of course it's a very nice lounge with rest area, showers, good eats and quality wine!
All input appreciated
Grantosol
All input appreciated
Grantosol
hfly is right, the lounge wouldn't be worth €59, the only lounge that accepts payment and worth more than €59 could be the QR Al Safwa Lounge in Doha which I prefer not to pay the high amount which was around $100 when they last offered me.
Apr 13, 2019, 1:55 pm
#81
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 36
I am in the business lounge now. I managed to get a shower within 30 minutes, which must be an improvement for 0800. The shower rooms are very similar to before, but with the addition of exposed mains wiring near the mirror (maybe for a fixed hair dryer) and conditioner in the shampoo bottle. But still, it was a shower. Food is pretty good, there has been a good supply of fresh orange juice too.
Once you get over the 'I liked the old lounge better' feeling, it is pretty good. No problem with finding seating anywhere at what is a busy time.
Once you get over the 'I liked the old lounge better' feeling, it is pretty good. No problem with finding seating anywhere at what is a busy time.
Also quite a lot of people in that lounge around midnight. Quite hard to find a seat, we had to drone around for 5min until we got a seat.
Food seamed nice, only tried a couple. Again too many people lining at most stations (e.g. like 20ppl waiting for some sort of pizza, the tiny wine station was overcrowded by 10ppl around checking bottles in and out etc). A real bazaar!
When I left around 00:40 it started to get more reasonable in terms of amounts of people but that's when the last planes take off I figure. Maybe the miles and smiles is better in terms of traffic?
Overall, as a traveler, quite disappointed by the huge, nice, but not functional lounge.
The worst part is the counter intuitive entrance. The first one people find is actually only for handicapped, had to go all around the duty free for the "big" entrance. No signs/indications at least for now.
What a strange design choice for a new airport and lounge..
Last edited by Duriangris; Apr 13, 2019 at 2:01 pm
Apr 14, 2019, 3:54 am
#83
Join Date: May 2016
Location: SFO, DUS
Programs: BA Gold (OW Emer), TK ELPL (*G), Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, IHG Gold
Posts: 528
Other than that the lounges are identical in size, food, layout.
During my two transfers so far, the M&S lounge was significantly less busy than the Business lounge.
Apr 14, 2019, 7:57 am
#84
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 310
The Business Lounge and the M&S lounge are almost identical. I might be wrong, but maybe the M&S lounge doesn't have shower rooms - I did not immediately see those.
Other than that the lounges are identical in size, food, layout.
During my two transfers so far, the M&S lounge was significantly less busy than the Business lounge.
Apr 14, 2019, 8:04 am
#85
Join Date: May 2016
Location: SFO, DUS
Programs: BA Gold (OW Emer), TK ELPL (*G), Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, IHG Gold
Posts: 528
I flew J and every time I wanted to enter the M&S lounge they wanted to send me to the Business lounge. Maybe the M&S lounge is less busy because they are actively sending J pax to the Business lounge.
Apr 14, 2019, 10:35 am
#87
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 310
Apr 14, 2019, 11:22 am
#89
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: LAX
Programs: TK M&S, LH MM, Global Entry, Hertz Gold, Sixt Platinum
Posts: 1,087