I visited the Turkish Airlines Business Lounge before flying from Istanbul to London Heathrow with Turkish Airlines on an evening flight. This was part of a press trip to try Turkish Airlines new menus. I loved spending time at the lounge; there are more facilities and things to do than any other lounge I have visited.
The lounge is a luxurious oasis of calm in the bustling airport, with a warm, welcoming atmosphere complemented by outstanding service. The food was delicious, and there was a wide variety of food and drink options.
In this post:
How to Get to the Turkish Airlines Lounge
The Turkish Airlines Business Lounge is at Airside in the international terminal on the departure level near gate E1. After passing through business class check-in and security, walk to the right until you reach the central part of the airport (pictured). You will be able to see the lounge on the first floor overlooking the terminal.
Walk to the right and past the disabled entrance, and you will reach the escalators.
You must scan your boarding pass on the automatic scanners to enter the lounge. Staff are on hand to help if you meet other criteria to enter the lounge.
Who Can Use the Turkish Airlines International Lounge?
The lounge is not just for Turkish Airlines business class passengers. Here is how you can enter:
- Turkish Airlines International Business Class Passengers
- Star Alliance Gold Members + 1 Guest
- Star Alliance Business Class Passengers
- Turkish Airlines Corporate Club card holders + 1 Guest
- Miles&Smiles Elite and Elite Plus members + 1 Guest or family, including all children under 25.
Opening Times
The lounge is open 24 hours!
My Experience
After a seamless check-in experience, I was impressed.
There was a self-playing piano in the eating area. After passing the entrance, it was clear that the lounge was huge, and there was a huge array of things to do. Many people were in the lounge, but it did not seem crowded. There were still plenty of places to sit.
Seating
The sheer size of the lounge, which accommodates around 1000 people, means it did not feel crowded. The lounge is spacious and spread out, blending traditional Turkish motifs, creating a sense of place and a relaxed ambience.
With various seating options, from plush armchairs to private sleeping rooms, there was something for everyone in our group.
Food
A real standout feature is the lounge’s exceptional dining offerings. There is a vast selection of food, ranging from fresh Turkish mezes and a variety of international dishes to delectable pastries and desserts. #
The open kitchen concept adds a dynamic element to the dining experience. There was a small selection of hot dishes. But there was a vast variety of lovely-looking cakes.
Lots of the things on offer are also available on the new Turkish Airlines menu. The selection is very recognisable from the menu launch.
Drinks
There was a huge array of soft and hot drinks on offer in different locations throughout the lounge. It does not look like they would run low on supplies any time soon!
There was a small self-service alcohol section:
Toilets and Showers
The lounge also has shower facilities which you can view below. You can book a slot with the concierge, and you will be given a buzzer which will go off when you can enter.
The toilets were spacious, and there were lovely big mirrors. There seemed to be an attendant cleaning every time someone went out.
Other Facilities
As well as the classic buffet, bar and seating options, this lounge offered a huge range of extras.
Nap Rooms
You can access a nap room if you have a layover of 4-9 hours as long as one of your flights is over 8 hours. You can book a room at the concierge desk.
The Children’s Area
This is the only children’s area I have ever seen in a lounge. It was extensive, with resting places, little tables and chairs and even a popcorn machine! Some colouring on the tables may have been better, though!
Champions League Museum
Plenty of other fun activities are in the lounge for older children and adults alike. Visit the Champions League area/museum, go on the miniature golf course or try the race car simulator.
Meeting and Work Spaces
As well as having work booths, you could also use the lounge’s state-of-the-art facilities located in a quiet area at the back of the lounge near the sleeping pods (see the door).
There were no worries about missing the flight. The large screens have all the information.
There was also a helpful screen about how long it would take to walk to each gate. I usually only see these guides on the journey to the gate! This was a good addition.
Finding the Gate and Departure
There was quite a long walk to the gate. We were not expecting this! On arrival, everything seemed to be going well until Heathrow Airport phoned to say we could not take off because we could not land.
The departure time we kept being pushed back 15 minutes, leading to everyone queuing unnecessarily. Knowing about this delay would have been nice so we could have spent more time in the lounge.
However, the time in the lounge had left me refreshed, so I wasn’t as worried about this delay as people who had been waiting at the gate a long time.
Other Lounges at IST Airport
If you’re due to visit Istanbul Airport, there are a variety of other lounges available:
Domestic Lounges at Istanbul Airport
Turkish Airlines Domestic Lounge: This lounge is a smaller version of the business lounge in a separate part of the airport. The lounge has the same entry requirements as the business lounge, but you can also enter if you hold Miles&Smiles Classic Plus status. Similar facilities and services include hot dishes, drinks, workspaces, relaxation areas, rooms, and another children’s area.
IGA Lounge: Anyone can purchase entry to the IGA lounge directly or with Priority Pass. The lounge features a buffet with a bar, a nap zone and a business corner. This is an excellent alternative if you do not meet the Turkish Airlines domestic lounge requirements.
International Lounges at Istanbul Airport
IGA Lounge: The IGA lounge in the international departure area has many additional facilities compared to the domestic space. There is also a free massage service on selected days and shower facilities! You can purchase entry direct with Priority Pass.
SkyTeam Exclusive Lounge: This extensive lounge can be accessed if you hold a first or business-class ticket for an international flight or an Elite Plus Frequent Flyer travelling with Air France, KLM, MEA, Korean Air, Saudia or Tarom. There is an extensive buffet with live cooking and a bar.
Turkish Airlines Lounges Around the World
- Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta
- Miami
- Bangkok Suvarnabhumi
- Washington Dulles
- Moscow Vnukovo
Final Words
I loved visiting the Turkish Airlines business lounge. I will now be rethinking how I get to Asia on future trips. If you’re looking for the best airport for a layover, I highly recommend Istanbul Airport.
If you are not travelling in business class, this is another reason to try reaching Star Alliance Gold Status.
11 comments
My last visit there were itinerant massaeur/euses that could be ad hoc booked for a neck/back massage. I wonder if they still exist.
Agreed. We were there early yesterday morning en route from Mauritius and it actually got pretty full by 6.30 am. Truly fabulous scrambled egg from the cooking station and excellent sweetmeats and coffee, sitting in the quieter library-type area. All the staff, even the night shift, were pleasant and helpful.
A word of warning about the new airport and Turkish Airlines. First, make sure you don’t risk economy if transiting in as an international traveller (v different when coming from London). There were several lines of hundreds of people queuing to go through security to get into the main area. The fast track security line was thankfully fine but they were advertising up to 20 mins for the rest. If you want to be a 24 hour airport you need to staff up in the small hours. Having to take an ordinary watch plus belt off only adds to delay, though no need to show toiletry bags separately.
Second, be aware that even as a business passenger to London it is a long bus ride to the aircraft in a crammed bus from the downstairs A gates and before that we queued for 15 minutes to access the final lounge area for our passports/boarding passes to be scrutinised by 4 different people at 4 different desks.
Third, the flight crew to London were awful, conducting the flight for their benefit rather than ours eg lavatories locked 40 minutes before landing at Gatwick.
Turkish are generally ok but press trips are different from the normal experience!
There maybe a bit of hyperbole here but it’s certainly not a puff piece, the lounge really is very good indeed! It was much more crowded when I visited recently so finding seating can be a problem if you are a group; I ended up sharing a small table with a stranger. It was very early so I stuck to coffee and only had a small salad snack but the food offering was impressive.
On many visits to the old lounge I never managed to get a shower in the time I had, but here there was no problem, even though, as I said, it was crowded.
Compare this to BA club lounge at Heathrow T5.
BAs offering is a complete joke in comparison
I regularly use this business lounge and the food is second to none. The only downside is that while the work pods near to the computer bank have usb ports – quite a few if which have been broken for ages – the only plug sockets are spaced randomly in the middle if the floor which means you have your cable stretched out along the ground presenting a trip hazard to anyone walking past. I also find the entrance to the lounge really badly signposted. I am also stunned to hear that despite using this lounge at least four times a year I had no idea that showers, nap rooms etc. were available for me to use!
Absolutely, Greg. And, Greenpen, I entirely agree (and have posted) that the Miles&Smiles lounge is terrific.
BA Business lounge in T5 is a disgrace of a lounge (used last wed 24/05). It’s in desperate need of updating with dirty and damaged walls and doors in the toilets and elsewhere. There are not enough ladies loos. Always a queue there. There are only two taps of drinking water where often there are queues too. However, I’d never use these unhygienic system as people often fill their own bottles by pushing the bottle neck right up to the water nozzles. The food is not displayed nicely. Mountains of undercooked bacon. No butter (only little bowls brought over at s time). Dirty crockery not collected often enough and dirty tables. I’m not blaming the staff. I’m blaming greedy management.
The lounge is awesome. Too bad they no longer have hard liquor. Used to enjoy the single malt Scotch. Yes, I recently got a neck and back massage. Loved it. On the other hand it’s unbelievable that a brand new airport doesn’t have enough gates that they have to use busses.
If you’re a Star Alliance Gold you can only access the Miles and Smiles lounge opposite gate C1.
This is a ‘mirror’ lounge complete with a similar piano, food stations, child area etc. but separated from the E1 business lounge.
I should have added ‘when travelling in economy’.
Does Turkish Airlines have any rule how early you can access their lounge at IST? If I have a flight leaving at 10am, can I access the lounge anytime after midnight if I wanted too? Thank you..
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