Lounges. Istanbul Airport?

Mollie the cat · Post by **Mollie the cat** » Fri 31 May 2019 12:50 pm

Has anyone paid for a lounge at the new Airport at Istanbul please?

We dont qualify for the Turkish Airlines business lounges. The only one we saw on the way out was something like AEG lounge? Looked at the review sounds not good value for money? We have over 4 hours wait on our return visit to Istanbul before our flight to Ercan.

mrsgee · Post by **mrsgee** » Fri 31 May 2019 1:34 pm

Don’t even go there. We went on the first day the airport opened. Expected to find hsbc which we have always used at ataturk. Never used to have to pay anything with premier account, but for a couple of years now only Turkish based hsbc cards are free, other hsbc accounts around 15 quid, still a bargain if you have a long wait. There is no hsbc at the new airport, and no, if you just have the classic red basic TA miles and smiles card you can’t go in there, only gold card. Asked if we could pay but nope. So we got pointed in the direction of the one you are referring to I think. Well, the cost to go in was extortionate worked out about £120 for two of us, but, well we had three hours to kill, so went for it. Big mistake, never again.... got in there, the place is huge. Tiny salad and snack bar, nothing like ataturk.... no alcohol, just soft drinks or coffee. Very expensive can of juice and small bottle of water, WiFi didn’t work..... terrible experience. Coming back we just went up a level to the pub and had an Efes. You can have quite a few Efes in the pub for the cost of that lounge...... just don’t. I thought I must have bought shares in it!

mrsgee · Post by **mrsgee** » Fri 31 May 2019 1:35 pm

Or maybe I am a season ticket holder.... lol

Mollie the cat · Post by **Mollie the cat** » Fri 31 May 2019 4:17 pm

Thank you for the detailed experience, I thought that would be the case after reading the reviews on that establishment. Oh well, a bottle of wine then from duty free and our own sandwiches it is then, and as you say an Efes in the pub.

ifonly · Post by **ifonly** » Sun 02 Jun 2019 2:01 pm

The new airport is huge but i thought it was cheaper than the old one.
There are a lot more seating areas than the old airport and even if the ones near the food courts etc are full then there is plenty of seating at the many departure gates. I noticed a few people sleeping in the departure gate areas that were not being used for flights.
Between departure Gates C and D there is a "Quiet" area - screened with artificial plants - no children and no phones. It has about 10 lounger beds for short naps.
Just be prepared for the long taxi after landing to stop AND the long walk from stop to next transit gate. Well signposted though - just a long long walk !

Mollie the cat · Post by **Mollie the cat** » Sun 02 Jun 2019 3:28 pm

This was our first time at the airport. Unfortunately the design of the waiting areas is such that people are sleeping on one long settee taking up a lot of room! The taxi from the stand to the runway was 28 minutes, just unreal!