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
Oct 30, 2022, 7:30 am
#1156
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denmark
Programs: TK Elite
Posts: 11,837
Unless you are TK Elite or Star Alliance Gold you will not have access to the TK M&S lounge. It doesn't matter as it is exactly the same as the TK Business lounge; often the Business lounge is less crowded.
Oct 30, 2022, 8:24 am
#1157
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 only difference between the Miles&Smiles Lounge and the Business Lounge is that the former has a movie theater and the latter has an art gallery.
Oct 30, 2022, 8:28 am
#1158
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,477
Oct 31, 2022, 1:47 am
#1161
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CPH
Programs: UAMP S, TK M&S E (*G), Marriott LTP, IHG P, SK EBG
Posts: 11,088
I don't care which lounge I got into, it's good.
I couldn't even tell
Oct 31, 2022, 5:34 am
#1162
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 17,008
I prefer the business variant - it generally seems less crowded. I guess that's because there's higher demand from *Gold-in-Y + TK grandees populating the M&S lounge. In everything else they seem the same: I'm a philistine who remain blissfully unaware of either cinema or art gallery.
In practice I generally flit between the two.
The super-lounge will shake everything up when it opens. But that opening's likely to be an event beyond our lifetimes
In practice I generally flit between the two.
The super-lounge will shake everything up when it opens. But that opening's likely to be an event beyond our lifetimes
Nov 22, 2022, 11:28 am
#1163
Join Date: Jan 2008
Programs: TK Elite+, DL Plat, Bonvoy Gold, IHG Spire, IC Ambassador, Hilton Gold
Posts: 186
TK E+ flying Air France J… can I use TK lounge?
I usually fly TK out of IST but am taking an Air France flight this time. As an Elite Plus can I use any of the TK lounges if not flying a *A carrier? Or do I have to use the inferior SkyTeam lounge? Compared to the ST lounge, are any Priority Pass lounges better?
Nov 22, 2022, 1:22 pm
#1164
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: got2flyfar (YouTube)
Programs: FB Silver, TK Elite/*G, ITA Premium, Hilton Gold; BW Diamond Select; Radisson Premium
Posts: 517
No you can't. Your Miles&Smiles Elite Plus status won't serve you when flying Air France. You have to use the lounge SkyTeam uses at IST and you will have access only if flying business or if you are Skyteam Elite Plus.
Nov 22, 2022, 5:20 pm
#1165
Join Date: Jan 2008
Programs: TK Elite+, DL Plat, Bonvoy Gold, IHG Spire, IC Ambassador, Hilton Gold
Posts: 186
EDIT: having gone to both lounges, there’s no question that the IGA lounge is vastly better. Much larger, many more seating areas, a bar, food stations, and much bigger buffet. No comparison.
Last edited by dtphonehome; Nov 22, 2022 at 8:48 pm
Nov 22, 2022, 10:42 pm
#1166
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 15,347
That would be the simplistic view of someone who only looks at size and not anything else. The IGA lounge is normally overcrowded, who caes if there are more seating areas if they are all full? As for the food.................they have three food "banks" all with the same crappy food. Sorry what exactly is this "bigger buffet" that you refer to? The hot stations have the following: Soup, hard boiled eggs, "Su Boregi" which is terrible, and maybe some Pogaca. Then there are three banks of inedible plastic covered sandwiches (mixed and cheese), a tray of olives, a tray of cucumbers, some bread products, and maybe some yogurt and jam. There are at times an egg station with one chef slowly making omelettes, normally with a line of 20+ people.
The Skyteam lounge is never full, so you are likely to get a seat............the food is almost the same as the IGA lounge, but you do know that you can request things such as freshly made Pizzas and other goodies, right?
The Skyteam lounge is never full, so you are likely to get a seat............the food is almost the same as the IGA lounge, but you do know that you can request things such as freshly made Pizzas and other goodies, right?
Nov 23, 2022, 1:40 am
#1167
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,477
I would value the IGA lounge for its ambiance, comfortable chairs, and killer views from the top level over the terminal.
Nov 23, 2022, 5:10 pm
#1168
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 15,347
Look, the TK lounge is leaps and bounds ahead of either of them. At the end of the day the catering at the IGA and Skyteam lounges is essentially THE EXACT SAME, as they are the same at the back end.............the only difference being that the ST lounge is much smaller, never that crowded and they will prepare things for you.
Nov 30, 2022, 1:06 pm
#1169
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: SFO or OAK
Programs: AA 1MM GLD, Hertz #1 Gold, bunch of other programs w/no status
Posts: 1,454
I'm thinking of booking an award flight: Europe - IST - BJV in Biz with both legs on TK. To avoid getting into BJV in the middle of the night, one option is to schedule a long layover in IST. Would I be able to access the Business lounge if I am connecting to a domestic flight? I realize I wouldn't be eligible for the sleeping rooms since my international leg is under 8 hrs but I figure spending 7-8 hrs in the Business lounge has got to be more comfortable than the Domestic lounge.
Nov 30, 2022, 1:14 pm
#1170
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: got2flyfar (YouTube)
Programs: FB Silver, TK Elite/*G, ITA Premium, Hilton Gold; BW Diamond Select; Radisson Premium
Posts: 517
I'm thinking of booking an award flight: Europe - IST - BJV in Biz with both legs on TK. To avoid getting into BJV in the middle of the night, one option is to schedule a long layover in IST. Would I be able to access the Business lounge if I am connecting to a domestic flight? I realize I wouldn't be eligible for the sleeping rooms since my international leg is under 8 hrs but I figure spending 7-8 hrs in the Business lounge has got to be more comfortable than the Domestic lounge.
Last edited by MitjaPod; Nov 30, 2022 at 1:19 pm