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TK in Istanbul Airport: Thread #2 - Lounges

Old Apr 2, 2019, 3:31 am
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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.
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TK in Istanbul Airport: Thread #2 - Lounges

Old Aug 6, 2019, 2:01 am
  #256  
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: London UK
Programs: BAEC Silver,, Oman Air Gold
Posts: 745
I sent another tweet to TK overnight to ask about the opening dates for the Arrivals and Exclusive Lounges. The reply has just come in and it will be “in the coming months”.

This is exactly what they said when I asked six months ago.
CoweyB is online now  
Old Aug 6, 2019, 2:11 am
  #257  
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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
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Originally Posted by CoweyB
I sent another tweet to TK overnight to ask about the opening dates for the Arrivals and Exclusive Lounges. The reply has just come in and it will be “in the coming months”.

This is exactly what they said when I asked six months ago.
I am not surprised of the answer.
CoweyB and tr3k like this.
ISTFlyer is online now  
Old Aug 6, 2019, 5:29 am
  #258  
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: YYZ, IST
Programs: TK*G
Posts: 122
Although the official rules say otherwise, I brought both my parents into TK lounges a bunch of times in the past few years and never had a problem. This was at the old IST (both domestic and intl), DLM, BJV and AYT. We also used the domestic lounge in the new airport. Haven't tried in the intl lounge but I assume they won't cause a problem over there.

A few years ago I brought in my parents plus my cousin aunt and uncle once in DLM, didn't think that would work but it did. The lounge agent told us that as long as all our last names are the same they count it as "family". I'm not sure if that applies in all TK lounges tho.
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Old Aug 7, 2019, 3:31 am
  #259  
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: UK
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Originally Posted by dozerman94
Although the official rules say otherwise, I brought both my parents into TK lounges a bunch of times in the past few years and never had a problem. This was at the old IST (both domestic and intl), DLM, BJV and AYT. We also used the domestic lounge in the new airport. Haven't tried in the intl lounge but I assume they won't cause a problem over there.

A few years ago I brought in my parents plus my cousin aunt and uncle once in DLM, didn't think that would work but it did. The lounge agent told us that as long as all our last names are the same they count it as "family". I'm not sure if that applies in all TK lounges tho.
This is great news! So I just need to change my surname to a common Turkish surname (as then we'd be family according to lounge agents ) and befriend a few more or offer them a small amount of money for the lounge access.
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Old Aug 14, 2019, 3:08 am
  #260  
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: OTP
Programs: AF/KL platinum, Turkish gold, QR gold
Posts: 1,565
Another update on the exclusive lounge.

I just spoke to some TK employees at IST, who said that they have recently seen pictures of the lounge and it looks "fantastic". But they are as clueless as when it will open! One employee said: "We are wondering the exact same thing".

FWIW, the exclusive lounge will be located one level up from the M&S lounge. There is indeed a huge terrace one level higher up, although if that will indeed be the new location of the exclusive lounge I wonder how far construction is as it looks completely empty...

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Last edited by Romanianflyer; Aug 14, 2019 at 3:19 am
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Old Aug 14, 2019, 4:11 am
  #261  
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
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On the same note: future exclusive lounge entrance now has a different cover with the THY logo, also sporting a door.

Looks better than the generic IGA construction tarp they covered it with up until a few weeks ago.



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Old Aug 14, 2019, 6:27 am
  #262  
TPJ
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
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Posts: 7,884
Originally Posted by gr8pirate
On the same note: future exclusive lounge entrance now has a different cover with the THY logo, also sporting a door.

Looks better than the generic IGA construction tarp they covered it with up until a few weeks ago.

So there is (still) hope
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Old Aug 14, 2019, 7:31 am
  #263  
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
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Originally Posted by TPJ
So there is (still) hope
the last thing out of Pandora’s box
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Old Aug 15, 2019, 2:49 pm
  #264  
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
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Anyone tried getting into any of the lounges when arriving in C with TK from a domestic flight and connecting onto BA (separate ticket)? Got 5 hours to kill so wouldn't mind checking out the TK lounge in addition to the non-TK lounge. Also, is there a BA transfer desk if I manage to get my luggage checked through to get the tag added?
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Old Aug 15, 2019, 2:59 pm
  #265  
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Originally Posted by petter2
Anyone tried getting into any of the lounges when arriving in C with TK from a domestic flight and connecting onto BA (separate ticket)? Got 5 hours to kill so wouldn't mind checking out the TK lounge in addition to the non-TK lounge. Also, is there a BA transfer desk if I manage to get my luggage checked through to get the tag added?
A small reminder that you need to have a BA Silver, BA Gold ( respectively OWS and OWE ) or a British Airways Club Europe ticket, in order to access the IGA Lounge which BA contracts. Unfortunately, your domestic TK ticket would not give a lounge benefit in Istanbul so forget about the TK lounges at IST, unless you decide to buy a refundable TK Business Class ticket and refund it after using the lounge.

There is a British Airways transfer desk at Istanbul at the central transfer area for international to international transfer passengers. However, as you're arriving from a domestic flight, you won't be able to access the BA transfer desk and you would need to proceed to the BA check-in counters which would open 3 hours before scheduled departure time.
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Old Aug 15, 2019, 5:20 pm
  #266  
 
Join Date: May 2018
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It seems that the sleeping rooms requires a long haul TK flight. I have a short haul J class layover from 23:55pm - 6am, what are my options? Any tips and tricks to sleeping in the lounge?
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Old Aug 15, 2019, 7:46 pm
  #267  
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
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There are (a dozen?) semi-private nap rooms with curtains on three sides that are great, but they are much sought-after, so you have to keep an eye out.

Maybe approach a few people who are awake and ask them when they are leaving and if you can take over from them.

Otherwise, the cinema room is always a favorite as long as you bring ear plugs. I haven’t seen it full at new IST.
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Old Aug 16, 2019, 2:06 am
  #268  
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
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Those "nap" spaces are always occupied, and consequently I've never seen them being cleaned. Seems like they don't have pillows either, just headrests without covers. It's hard to inspect an occupied space without being inappropriate, so I could be wrong on this.
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Old Aug 30, 2019, 5:46 pm
  #269  
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
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Do they offer any private Family room ( to accommodate at least 1 adult and child) in the lounge.
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Old Aug 30, 2019, 7:40 pm
  #270  
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
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Originally Posted by Milo911MD
Do they offer any private Family room ( to accommodate at least 1 adult and child) in the lounge.
I don’t think there are family rooms at all. As far as I’ve heard, adults weren’t allowed to share rooms in the old lounge, but things may be different with a little kid.
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