Review: Turkish Airlines Lounge at Istanbul Ataturk

Lounge Review: Turkish Airlines Lounge at Istanbul Ataturk

While making my way back from the US to India, I had a chance to visit Turkish Airlines’ lounge at Istanbul Ataturk airport.

It is often highly regarded in reviews, and I cannot agree more – it was the best business class lounge I visited to date. In fact, more than a lounge, it almost felt like a small amusement park.

But, more on that later.

Lounge Overview

The Turkish Airlines lounge can be accessed in two ways.

For passengers originating in Istanbul, there is a direct entrance through a dedicated business class check-in and security area. And, for those that transfer at the airport, or (for some reason) opt not to use the dedicated area, there is the main entrance from airside.

Given that I was transferring from a flight from San Francisco, I entered through the main entrance – by scanning my boarding pass at one of the lounge’s automated gates.

[one_half padding=”010px 10px 10px 10px”]Turkish Airlines Lounge Istanbul Entrance

Entrance into the Turkish Airlines Lounge at Istanbul Ataturk airport.

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[one_half_last padding=”010px 10px 10px 10px”]Lockers

Luggage lockers.

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The lounge itself spanned two spacious floors, and it had many interesting features – some of which are rarely, if ever, seen in other airport lounges.

[full_width padding=”10px 10px 10px 10px”]Turkish Airlines Lounge Istanbul

Looking down from the upper level.

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[full_width padding=”10px 10px 10px 10px”]Turkish Airlines Lounge Istanbul

Hallway.

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Among other things, the lounge offered a movie theater room, a pool table, video game consoles, a golf putting course.

[full_width padding=”10px 10px 10px 10px”]Turkish Airlines Lounge Istanbul Pool Billiards Table

Library and pool room.

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[one_half padding=”010px 10px 10px 10px”]Turkish Airlines Lounge Istanbul Movie Room

Theater room.

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[one_half_last padding=”010px 10px 10px 10px”]News Room

News room.

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[full_width padding=”10px 10px 10px 10px”]Golf

Golf.

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There was also a well-equipped kids’ room, a slot car race track, and a video gaming area.

[full_width padding=”10px 10px 10px 10px”]Turkish Airlines Lounge Istanbul Kids Room

Kids’ room.

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[one_half padding=”010px 10px 10px 10px”]Slot Car Track

Slot car race track.

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[one_half_last padding=”010px 10px 10px 10px”]Video Games

Video game consoles.

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All of the above, as well as some seating and dining areas, and a business center with iMacs were on the upper floor. For the musically-talented, there was also a piano.

[one_half padding=”010px 10px 10px 10px”]Computers

iMacs.

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[one_half_last padding=”010px 10px 10px 10px”]Turkish Airlines Lounge Istanbul Piano

Piano.

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At the time of my visit, the upper floor was fairly crowded. But, the lower floor was much quieter with plenty of seats open.

[full_width padding=”10px 10px 10px 10px”]Turkish Airlines Lounge Istanbul Lower Floor

Looking at the lower floor from the second floor of the lounge.

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[full_width padding=”10px 10px 10px 10px”]Turkish Airlines Lounge Istanbul

First floor of the Turkish Airlines Lounge.

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While the lower floor had no “fancy” features, there was plenty of seating, as well as dining there to keep one busy.

[one_half padding=”010px 10px 10px 10px”]Dining Space

Dining area.

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[one_half_last padding=”010px 10px 10px 10px”]Turkish Airlines Lounge Istanbul Seating

Lounging area.

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Finally, the lower floor also offered shower and nap rooms. It took about an hour wait until I got to use one of the shower rooms.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t use one of the nap rooms, as the conditions for access are fairly strict with passengers having to meet all of the following criteria:

  • Traveling in business class or being a Miles&Smiles Elite Plus member
  • Having a transit time of four to seven hours
  • Flying on at least one flight longer than 8 hours

As for the shower room, it was quite extravagant with all marble.

[one_half padding=”010px 10px 10px 10px”]Concierge Desk

Concierge desk.

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[one_half_last padding=”010px 10px 10px 10px”]Sink

Sink inside shower room.

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[one_third padding=”010px 10px 10px 10px”]Turkish Airlines Lounge Istanbul Shower

Shower.

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[one_third padding=”010px 10px 10px 10px”]Shower

Toilet in the shower room.

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[one_third_last padding=”010px 10px 10px 10px”]Bathrobe

Bathrobe.

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Separately, there was also supposed to be a quick 10-minute shoulder massage service by a therapist coming around the lounge, but I couldn’t see one walking around.

Food & Drinks Selection

Starting with the food there were some lighter items like salads and simit – a Turkish sesame bread.

[one_half padding=”010px 10px 10px 10px”]Salad

Salads.

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[one_half_last padding=”010px 10px 10px 10px”]Turkish Airlines Lounge Istanbul Simit

Simit.

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[full_width padding=”10px 10px 10px 10px”]Butter

Turkish butter.

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Then, there were separate staffed counters for a variety of dishes, and all of the ones I tried tasted delicious. Among others, there was a Turkish pizza station, a grilled meat station, and even an Indian food station.

On a side note, the food in the lounge was catered by Do&Co, the same company Turkish Airlines uses for their onboard business class catering.

[one_half padding=”010px 10px 10px 10px”]Turkish Ravioli

Manti – Turkish ravioli.

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[one_half_last padding=”010px 10px 10px 10px”]Manti

Many of the food stations were staffed.

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[full_width padding=”10px 10px 10px 10px”]Turkish Pizza Station

Pide – Turkish pizza.

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[one_half padding=”010px 10px 10px 10px”]Indian Food Station

Indian food.

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[one_half_last padding=”010px 10px 10px 10px”]Meat Station

Grilled meat station.

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[full_width padding=”10px 10px 10px 10px”]Pasta

Pasta.

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Finally, there was also plenty of desserts to choose from – including items from Demel, a famous Viennese sweets shop.
[full_width padding=”10px 10px 10px 10px”]Turkish Airlines Lounge Istanbul Demel Cakes

Demel cakes.

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[one_half padding=”010px 10px 10px 10px”]Pie

Pie.

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[one_half_last padding=”010px 10px 10px 10px”]Turkish Dessert

Turkish dessert.

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Overall, everything on offer in the lounge – from the appetizers all the way to the desserts – looked fresh and delicious. Just as an example, I had some perfectly cooked penne arabiata and Demel cakes, both of which were fantastic.

[full_width padding=”10px 10px 10px 10px”]My Meal

My choice of food and drinks.

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As for drinks, the usual canned and bottled soft drinks were available in refrigerators dispersed throughout the lounge.

[one_half padding=”010px 10px 10px 10px”]Canned Soft Drinks

Canned and bottled soft drinks.

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[one_half_last padding=”010px 10px 10px 10px”]Drinks

Juices and Schweppes.

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[full_width padding=”10px 10px 10px 10px”]Ayran

Ayran.

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Apart from that, there were stations where one could get Turkish coffee, home-made iced tea with dates syrup, as well as lemonade and tea counters.

[full_width padding=”10px 10px 10px 10px”]Coffee

Coffee.

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[full_width padding=”10px 10px 10px 10px”]Turkish Airlines Lounge Istanbul Tea

Tea.

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[one_half padding=”010px 10px 10px 10px”]Lemonade

Lemonade.

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[one_half_last padding=”010px 10px 10px 10px”]Ayran

Ayran “on tap.”

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Alcoholic beverages were available at self-service counters in a number of places throughout the lounge as well.

[full_width padding=”10px 10px 10px 10px”]Turkish Airlines Lounge Istanbul Alcoholic Drinks

Alcoholic drinks.

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Turkish Airlines Lounge Istanbul Ataturk Summary

Overall, the Turkish Airlines lounge is by far the best business class lounge that I’ve visited to date. And, even though I visited it during one of the airport’s peak times and as such it was a bit crowded, it still provided for a very pleasant stay.

The only two downsides of my visit – my short one hour stay and the inability to try the nap rooms – were not even faults of the lounge itself.

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