Apr 2, 19, 4:31 am
Last edit by: starflyergold
Unlike like Atatrk 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: This lounge will be Turkish Airlines's top tier lounge, no opening date is in sight. Business Class passengers holding Elite or Elite Plus status on Miles&Smiles will be able to access this lounge. There is no information about if non-TK-*G pax traveling in TK J will be admitted to the lounge. Also, the features of the lounge remain unknown.
Arrivals Lounge: Similar to Atatrk Airport, there will also be an arrivals lounge which will be opened in a future unspecified date. However, the lounge hours and eligibility are not known yet. In Atatrk Airport, the arrivals lounge operated from 04:30 to 12:30 for arriving international Turkish Airlines Business Class passengers and Miles&Smiles Elite Plus passengers on arriving international Turkish Airlines flights.
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: This lounge will be Turkish Airlines's top tier lounge, no opening date is in sight. Business Class passengers holding Elite or Elite Plus status on Miles&Smiles will be able to access this lounge. There is no information about if non-TK-*G pax traveling in TK J will be admitted to the lounge. Also, the features of the lounge remain unknown.
Arrivals Lounge: Similar to Atatrk Airport, there will also be an arrivals lounge which will be opened in a future unspecified date. However, the lounge hours and eligibility are not known yet. In Atatrk Airport, the arrivals lounge operated from 04:30 to 12:30 for arriving international Turkish Airlines Business Class passengers and Miles&Smiles Elite Plus passengers on arriving international Turkish Airlines flights.
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
Sep 24, 23, 5:18 am
#1396
Join Date: Mar 2021
Posts: 720
Don't get me wrong I think the TK lounges are one of the world's great ones food vice and alcohol has and should not be the selling point of the lounges due to demographics as IST writes and nobody expects it including your truly.
What I don't understand is that if what IST writes in regards to hard spirits is right you maby have 5-10% of people that potentially would go for a drink.
So the reality would be that a very limited group of people would have any interest in the hard spirits of the the bar cards. Which is very much in line with my experience from the lounge. So why do it because it can not be a cost cutting exercise? and it will only annoy the limited group of people interested in the stuff but send a signal of cheapness to all including me that has no interest in the stuff.
As hfly writes management doesn't care about custumer experience/relations and never did. That's the luxury of sitting on a pot of gold where the rainbow ends. So I'm not expecting them to change it either but I fint them beyond stupid for doing it if the motivation is not political?
When it comes to pax behaviour in the lounge the lounges can be really bad, but it might help if the employees started commenting on it as I'm yet to see.
What I don't understand is that if what IST writes in regards to hard spirits is right you maby have 5-10% of people that potentially would go for a drink.
So the reality would be that a very limited group of people would have any interest in the hard spirits of the the bar cards. Which is very much in line with my experience from the lounge. So why do it because it can not be a cost cutting exercise? and it will only annoy the limited group of people interested in the stuff but send a signal of cheapness to all including me that has no interest in the stuff.
As hfly writes management doesn't care about custumer experience/relations and never did. That's the luxury of sitting on a pot of gold where the rainbow ends. So I'm not expecting them to change it either but I fint them beyond stupid for doing it if the motivation is not political?
When it comes to pax behaviour in the lounge the lounges can be really bad, but it might help if the employees started commenting on it as I'm yet to see.
Sep 24, 23, 7:20 am
#1397
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 15,182
When TK dropped all alcohol from Domestic flights there was a LOT of press in Turkey about it. That there are no spirits available in the lounge, there is no press about it. Political, that is a difficult one, Turks are known for their hospitality and I have been to my share of events held by religious people over the years, where booze is available (as there were either non religious, or better yet foreigners there), just that most people do not drink it.
Sep 24, 23, 12:03 pm
#1398
Join Date: Mar 2021
Posts: 720
When TK dropped all alcohol from Domestic flights there was a LOT of press in Turkey about it. That there are no spirits available in the lounge, there is no press about it. Political, that is a difficult one, Turks are known for their hospitality and I have been to my share of events held by religious people over the years, where booze is available (as there were either non religious, or better yet foreigners there), just that most people do not drink it.
But that is not necessarily the case for others.
I'm not saying that people will stop flying TK because of it but to be a first mover by legacy Airlines to stop serving booze to J pax in a hub lounge and with no visible upside profoundly baffles me!
So maby in the not so distant future one will be able to enjoy a GT in the Alfursan lounge (or what it will be called then) in JED but not in the IST Business lounge.
Interesting times.
Sep 30, 23, 7:21 am
#1399
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Dublin,Ireland and Nice France
Programs: BA
Posts: 1,971
Folks,We're incoming to IST from DUB with a 2hr layover before connecting to BJV also on Turkish all in business class
no idea of the gates,it's next week
What lounge do we go to?
Are we going to have to re clear security and have a long walk to a domestic terminal
I will be going through customs/immigration at IST first presumably
Thank you
no idea of the gates,it's next week
What lounge do we go to?
Are we going to have to re clear security and have a long walk to a domestic terminal
I will be going through customs/immigration at IST first presumably
Thank you
Oct 1, 23, 8:31 pm
#1400
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 928
Apologies if this has been asked and answered already but after doing a search on this thread I can't quite figure it out. Is there any way to use the TK lounge--or the IGA lounge for that matter with Priority Pass-- as an arrivals lounge in IST? I called TK and asked and they said yes to TK lounge but as usual the agent sounded fairly clueless and may not even have understood the question. Arriving on TK J flight (carryon only so that's not an issue) but will have no onward flight until a few days later so just wondering whether any lounge is accessible from the International terminal as I need to kill a couple hours to meet family member. So annoying that they didn't put in an arrivals lounge at the new airport.
Oct 2, 23, 1:28 am
#1401
Join Date: Sep 2017
Programs: TK E+, RJ G, AZ E
Posts: 1,681
Apologies if this has been asked and answered already but after doing a search on this thread I can't quite figure it out. Is there any way to use the TK lounge--or the IGA lounge for that matter with Priority Pass-- as an arrivals lounge in IST? I called TK and asked and they said yes to TK lounge but as usual the agent sounded fairly clueless and may not even have understood the question. Arriving on TK J flight (carryon only so that's not an issue) but will have no onward flight until a few days later so just wondering whether any lounge is accessible from the International terminal as I need to kill a couple hours to meet family member. So annoying that they didn't put in an arrivals lounge at the new airport.
Oct 2, 23, 3:33 am
#1402
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denmark
Programs: TK Elite
Posts: 10,994
No. You will not even get near the lounges. Without an onward int. BP you will not get airside (int.) and the lounges.
Oct 2, 23, 8:15 am
#1403
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 928
Well as far as I can tell the IGA lounge in the domestic terminal is landside but I guess they likely won't allow entry with PP card + incoming same day J boarding pass? I heard PP lounges are variable in enforcing departure only rule.
Oct 2, 23, 12:53 pm
#1404
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Programs: TK Elite Plus,QR Platinum,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold, HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold
Posts: 13,913
Also they do check and scan boarding passes upon entry and enforce the card name - boarding pass match rule.
Oct 4, 23, 2:15 pm
#1409
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: got2flyfar (YouTube)
Programs: SkyMiles Gold, TK Elite/*G, Simbad Gold, ITA Premium, Hilton Gold; BW Diamond Select
Posts: 429
say more 🙂 However for others, who read this: no you cannot bring non-TK/non-*A guests to the lounge amd no, the lounge still DOES NOT have spirits/hard liquor.
Oct 4, 23, 3:40 pm
#1410
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 275
