Turkish Airlines CIP – Star Alliance Gold Lounge

Great lounge with great food and very nice ambience; can get overcrowded fast; it’s not ideal but Turkish Airlines are one of the best from my experience and this lounge makes all the difference in the world if your layover traps you in Bakırköy/​Istanbul airport.

The food is still great and in terms of layout this lounge is wonderful.
That said, they don’t put enough effort into maintenance. The same luggage lockers that were broken in Feb are still broken (or broken again) in May. More have broken since then.
And the promise of showers… taken away repeatedly by 3-​hour waits and indifferent staff who generally can’t even seem to muster a sympathetic look. … Well, it’s just setting users up for disappointment.
In truth, overall, this is a 4-​star lounge but it most certainly doesn’t deserve the 4.5 it currently has.

Is there a 6 star available? Just amazed!
I am a frequent world traveler and have never come across a business lounge so beautiful! The sheer size yet attention to detail is absolutely breath-​taking.
The architecture is spectacular and it has everything you could possibly want — and more!
Golf simulator, movie theatre, massage room, luxury spa showers, live jazz and an abundance of bars and good stations.
Everything was delicious and this made my 15 hour trip seem worth it (even if I am just passing through!)
You MUST come here!

Best lounge /​airport waiting are /​place in the world. This is he best 5 hour layover location Ove ever had the pleasure of being in my entire life.
Two floors of amazingness. Food stations everywhere you can see from fresh stuffed breads, grilled kebab meats and veggies, tons of desserts, olive bar, veggies and salads, pickles, made to order Turkish coffee and teas, the worlds best Turkish stuffed dumplings. Service is also top notch cleaning everything instantly and catering to all needs. All types of juices, beers, soda, wine and cocktails in self serve areas all
over the place. Fast wifi and easy to use lockers on both levels, video games, golf range, even a walking masseuse who will give you 10 min chair massages. Oh and the chairs, comfy huge loungers or dining chairs or office chairs… you pick.
Bathrooms are clean, tons of TVs and good fresh foods, and just amazing amazing lounge amenities. Don’t miss this lounge… I miss it already. It shames all other lounges in the world and is one of the happiest places on earth.

Pretty good lounge but seems lose its quality as time goes by. It was about 2 years ago I’ve been for the first time. Everything was fresh, in order and high quality. Now most of PC and lockers are not working, menu has been exactly the same as 2 years ago (turkish pizza, grilled meat with veggies, pasta and salad bar with lentil soup and turkish bretzel and cakes)… but still plenty of food, drinks (alcoholic, non-​alcoholic) and spacious tables/​sittings. Maybe a little change or update might help.

This is the best lounge I’ve visited (I’ve been to around 20). The interior design is stunning, with many beautiful, quiet, and/​or grand spaces.
The food selection is wide, varied, and delicious.
The service is good (4.5 stars, simply because the space is so grand you can find nooks where you’re far from nearest service).
They have newspapers and magazines, drinks, full bathroom and showers. They have self service secure bag storage, reading rooms, a theatre, computers for use, WiFi, and many fun nooks. This lounge is incredibly well appointed and a great airport space to pass time or freshen up.

Without question, the single finest airport lounge I have ever experienced. Blows away any other European or Asian lounge I’ve been to. It’s a huge, grand space, all arches and high ceilings. The list of amenities is shocking and you’ll want to plan extra long layovers just to enjoy them all. Chief among these is the wide array of food options available. There are multiple hot food stations, dishing out Turkish and Middle Eastern standards. There’s an olive buffet with 10+ different varieties and a dessert station that will more than satisfy any sweet tooth. Baristas are on hand to craft any coffee you want, multiple self-​service bars are setup throughout the lounge (be sure to try some Turkish wines) and a variety of fresh juices are available.
Other lounge features include excellent showers, napping rooms, a movie theatre with large leather seats, a golf simulator and soothing music from a grand piano. Complimentary wifi is reasonably speedy.
Despite its size, I can see how this lounge could get busy. IST airport is monstrously large, so there are probably rush hours during the day when many people are filing through. Despite that, this is certainly an oasis in which to relax and recharge before the next leg of your journey.

Too many people. Takes 30 min wait to get in and even then, it’s packed.
Not so much an airline lounge as a cattle run.
Avoid Istanbul Airport. It’s a mess of buses and line ups for everything from the lounge to retail.
Seriously. Avoid Turkey like the plague. The cheap airfare is not worth the price you will really pay by transiting through this place.

Now this is what ALL airline lounges should aspire to be. Every time I am at IST I am reminded that airline lounges in America suck donkey balls. It is a miracle if I get a decent cup of coffee at the United/​Star Alliance lounges in America. As my NY-​born and bred husband would say, «oy vey»!
Baristas making custom-​made coffee drinks. Extensive selection of alcohol. Various food stations that cater to all your gluttonous needs (the eggplant dish is to die for). A separate dessert station. A grand piano. Snooker table. Separate play area for the children. A MOVIE THEATER! Numerous sofas where you can lounge and fall asleep. A library. Locker room. RAIN SHOWERS!!! Do you hear me? Rain showers in the bathrooms, complete with robes and slippers. And most importantly the dessert table. The list goes on…
The food is so good that I probably gained 10 lbs from eating in this lounge. Greedy much!?! Take that United Airlines, with your dry week-​old muffins and stale bananas! And I have to PAY for alcohol above house wine and beer… after all the business I give you?
I now look for connections via IST just so I can visit this lounge. You will too, if you have been here…

This was by far the best Airport Lounge I have ever been in. It makes the United Clubs even overseas look like a sad dive bar. This is an experience and one that if you are traveling in Europe you just need to have. First of all it is huge and secondly it is very classy. The food and the service is top notch with no corners being cut.
The food was delicious and could be served in a high end restaurant. I had the grilled chicken and beef and was in food zen. There was so much to choose from and so little time between flights that I was actually hoping for a flight delay to take it this amazing experience a little longed. The have an upper and lower level so plenty of space and some of the food selections are repeated so you don’t wait long for anything.
The décor is so nice and the stairs to the lower level are an architectural masterpiece. They even had a golf simulator downstairs along with a pool table upstairs. The beer, wine and liquor selection is all top shelf. No cheap stuff like in the US Airport lounges. They are Star Alliance so Gold members get in free. I have two more trips through Istanbul this trip and looking forward to some more lounge time.

One of my Top 3 Airport Lounges in the World.
I go out of my way to book 6 hour layovers at IST just to maximize my fun here. Food is crazy good, all the time. And a free pour bar? YES! All sorts of nooks and crannies to explore. Love this lounge!!!

This place is more crowded than a yard sale at a trailer park in Appleton Wisconsin. Still nice though — got to love their olive buffet. One of the worst 2.0 ever. :)
On the other hand this place is still very quiet compared to the terminal itself.
Stay disco!

Oh my God.
It’s like I have died and gone to travellers heaven.
For starters, it’s palatial.
The front desk staff are cheery!
The food is off the charts.
Home made omelettes to order.
Great selection of breakfast items, including Turkish staples.
It is everything that the Air Canada lounges (in Canada) are not.
The Maple Leaf Lounge in FRA dwarfs the Canadian lounges, but the Turkish Airlines here in IST is where Air Canada should start doing their homework.

A very clear «thumbz up». One of my favourite Airport Lounges all over the world! Simply great. I try to make it short, as many good reviews are already in place: centrally located within the big main airport hall you will find the entrance to the Gold Lounge. Entrance is done by your one via computer boarding card check.
Inside you will be surprised about the enourmous space and great luxury athosphere. You will find nearly everything, to have a pleasant stay:
— cinema
— complimentary showers
— two live ccoking restarurants turkish style
— several self service very well sorted alcoholic bars
— fruits
— fresh juices
— piano area
— relaxing area
— large bussiness center
— nice outside view
Even the place is well visited, you can relax perfectly in one of the nice couches with a good drink.

Für Inlandsflüge eine ausgezeichnet Gelegenheit zeit bis zum Abflug zu überbrücken.
Die Auswahl an speisen ist überschaubar. Getränke sind ausreichend vorhanden.

Bin das erste Mal in dieser Lounge, es ist der Hammer. Allein wie groß es ist und welche Auswahl man hat ist bemerkenswert!
Es ist vergleichbar mit den besten 5 Sterne Hotels.
Das Essen schmeckt genial, ganz egal was man isst, hier hat man nur die besten und qualitativ hochwertigsten Lebensmittel genommen…
Schade dass ich nicht immer Business fliege, allein das ist ein Grund…

The best airport lounge hands down! Spent 5 days in Istanbul and the best Lanchum is here !!!

Over the top isn’t close to what this experience is. If you’ve ever been to a Ritz Carlton or Four Seasons Sunday brunch — imagine that wiIth a Turkish flair in a 100,000 square foot lounge. The women are internationally exotic in classy black or grey the men are mysterious dark skinned and dour; the whole scene is something out of a James Bond movie. That was until the 40 something in the neon pink Victoria secret track suit came through yelling at her kids In an American Accent.
But really the place is worth flying to Istanbul for.

Now this might be the best airport lounge I have ever visited. Trust me if we had more than a 5 star system this would be more than that.
As you might have read before I missed my flight and had to stay in Istanbul overnight. This lounge made me forget that I had missed the flight. As soon as I entered the lounge I was given first class royal treatment. I told the front desk that I had missed my flight and they immediately started working on a connection for me and told me to enjoy the lounge while they figured out the connection flight.
This lounge has 3 different levels with all sorts of amenities and spas and shower access to refresh the passenger. Tons of different kinds of buffet food lineups along with refreshments and breath taking architecture doesn’t start to describe the atmosphere which makes you forget where you are.
The service and aptitude of the professional and courteous staff of Turkish airlines is not comparable to any other I have experienced and they make sure that you are helped as required.
If you ever go through Istanbul this is a must see lounge without any if ands or buts!!!

The Turkish Airlines CIP lounge at Istanbul Ataturak International Airport is located on the departure level near gate 220. The lounge is accessible by first and business class passengers on all Star Alliance flights, Star Alliance Gold members and Miles and Smiles elite members. Star Alliance Gold members and Miles and Smile elite members may invite one guest.
Turkish Airlines is one of my favorite airlines and the newly remodeled CIP lounge is definitely one of my favorite lounges as well. This business class lounge is impressive and is better than some first class lounges that I have visited. It’s a massive and beautiful space to rest and relax before or after your flight and I highly recommend you visiting if you are connecting through Istanbul.
To enter the lounge, you simply present your boarding pass and credentials to the front desk agent. As your credentials are approved, the gates will open, angels will sing and you will be granted entry into one of the best business class lounges in the world. Okay, there won’t be any angels singing but you will be in awe if it your first time here, as it was mine.
The beautiful architecture and ambiance of the Turkish Airlines CIP lounge hits you immediately as you enter the doors. The open air, dome-​like rooms created defined spaces to the massive lounge without making you feel confined or claustrophobic. The lounge was beautifully decorated in both modern and traditional Turkish design elements with each section of the lounge different from the last. There was a nice flow to the lounge and each new area invited you to continue exploring the next.
Now, the Turkish Airlines CIP Lounge is a topic of much discussion and many people have reviewed it before. Talk to any frequent flier and the most common thing you’ll hear is, «I really liked the Turkish Airlines CIP lounge but it was too crowded.. . «
And while that may have been true, Turkish Airlines responded to that complaint by adding a second level to the existing lounge. The second level was completed in February 2014 and increased the size of the lounge by almost 70%. The new addition is located below the primary level and is connected by a beautiful spiral staircase that leads into a garden like space.
If you don’t want to haul your luggage around, there are two self-​service, luggage storage areas to secure your belongings. The individual lockers are large enough to fit a carry on size bag and can be programmed with your own combination.
The other defined areas of the massive lounge included a reading room with a full size billiards table, work areas with iMac computers, movie room with a popcorn machine, enclosed kid’s play room with video games and more dining rooms and food and alcohol stations than I could count.
The lounge had plenty of seating options from work and dining tables to lounge chairs and couches. There was a good variety of seating space to allow people to rest and relax or be productive. At the time of my visit, the lounge was approximately 30% full and I did not have a problem finding a table or seat at all. Granted, I was there at 10:00 AM on a Sunday so I can’t attest to how crowded it can be during the week.
There is no denying how impressive this lounge was but in my opinion, what made this lounge special was the food. Seriously, the food spread was amazing. The food was catered by gourmet catering company, Do & Co, and it did not disappoint.
Walking around the lounge, there was no shortage of food or alcohol stations. There were plenty of buffet stations with hot and cold dishes from breakfast items and hot sandwiches to fresh fruit and cold cuts. If you don’t like eating from a buffet bar and want something more «made to order,» you can order from omelette station. Too early for alcohol and want some coffee to pick you up? There was a beverage bar with a wide selection of traditional and Turkish coffees and teas. Got a sweet tooth? There was an entire station dedicated to desserts and other sweet items.
Around lunch time, the breakfast bars switched to hot lunch items including grilled meats, pastas, pizzas, sandwiches, soups and other Turkish mezze.
Other lounge amenities included day rooms, shower suites, WiFi, computers, printers, universal power outlets, complimentary massages and other entertainment such as a virtual golf simulator, putting green and a micro car race track.
Service wise, the lounge was kept clean and there were plenty of attendants bussing dishes and re-​stocking the food stations. The lounge was kept a bit on the warm side and they did not make any gate or boarding announcements. But don’t worry, there were plenty of flight information boards around.
Overall, I was very impressed with the Turkish Airlines CIP Lounge and I definitely recommend a visit. It was much larger than I expected and (surprisingly) not as crowded as everyone made it out to be.

It was a great lounge but with last additions its just insane! Made Up Fact: Its the only business lounge actually bigger than airport itself.
If you have time make sure to explore. Lots of activities. Try to find olives table, never eaten better ones, or traditional turkish wraps. Lots of freah fruit, juice bar, every corner there is a self service bar. So many activities for kids, also lots of playstations.
In the morning Chefs makes your personal omlette and hot mozarella paninis are not bad. But do explore! Food is scattered all around.
PS: Just realised they put an elevator between lounge floors lol =)

Wow, the best lounge ever!
Das ist echt die beste Lounge, die ich jemals gesehen habe. Natürlich ist die Lounge der Turkish Airlines am Istanbuler Atatürk Airport auch ein Prestige-​Objekt der heimische Airline.
Sie ist neu, ist riesig und bietet alles, was man sich so wünscht.
Hier gibt es mehrere Getränkestationen (Kaffee, Tee, Softdrinks und Sprit). Auch Essenmöglichkeiten gibt es einige. Manche im Self-​Service aber auch Kochstationen (z.B. für Omelettes am Morgen).
Highlight sind neben den Ruhebereichen auch die besonderen Angebote, wie der Virtual Golf-​Abschlag, die Carrera-​Bahn (für die großen Jungs) und die Playstations.
Einzig und allein vermisse ich den Raucher-​Bereich. Aber das kann ja heutzutage bei derartiger Raucherfeindlichkeit an internationalen Flughäfen kein Kriterium sein (schliesslich kann man auf der anderen Seite des Terminals –in der Nähe des Food-​Courts– den öffentlichen Terrassenbereich zum Rauchen nutzen, was schon ein großes Zugeständnis ist).
Ich habe gehört, dass diese Lounge oft ziemlich voll sein soll. Bei meinem Besuch war sie fast leer. Ich kann mir auch nicht vorstellen, da die beiden Stockwerke wirklich so voll sein sollen, dass man keinen Platz mehr findet.
Ich freue mich schon auf das nächste Mal, in Istanbul ein wenig Zeit zu verbringen.

Zwischenlandung in Istanbul. Bin KO und muß noch weiter nach Hong Kong.
Da kam mir die Lounge sehr gelegen.
Großzügig, freundlich und vorallem gutes Essen!
Es ist wie es ist, wenn man viel Geld für ein Ticket hinlegt und dann die Lounge nutzen kann erwartet man auch einiges. Vorallem solche Vielflieger wie ich es bin.
Ich war sehr positiv überrascht. Personal war sehr freundlich! Ich fliege übrigens sehr gerne mit TK. Aber nur die Langstreckenflüge. Die haben einfach gute neue Maschinen, den besten Service und Sterneküche an Board.

Wowzers! I thought I’ve seen the best lounges in the United States but they don’t hold a candle to this gargantuan megaplex of a lounge by Turkish Airlines.
As soon as you step through the entrance foyer and into the main lounge hall, you will be welcomed with a comfy library area with pool table and you’ll also find spacious communal dining areas throughout with private chefs, a coffee bar, open bar and dessert station with incredible restaurant quality cuisine and every beverage available you can possibly imagine! And yes, at the open bar you can drink to your heart’s content! It’s all included.
There’s even a theatre room! Yes, it was playing Tony Bennett at the time and a cozy internet room with 10 Apple computers. A kids play area with video games and toys to distract your kids for hours! Wanna watch TV? there’s 9 different flat screens playing various channels to appease every persnickety viewer’s wish. The wi-​fi is of course free and the limitations… well, clearly they’re limitless!
Bravo Turkish Airlines!

So kann eine Flugreise beginnen. Eine Lounge zum Wohlfühlen. Freies WiFi, das auch sehr schnell ist. Die Getränkeauswahl riesig, wer es drauf anlegt beginnt seinen Flug schon im Rausch :-). Die sanitären Einrichtungen sind sehr großzügig gestaltet und wirklich sauber. Snacks gibt’s auch. Fazit: Man muss aufpassen, sonst vergisst man die Zeit und verpasst seinen Flug.

Die TK Star Alliance Lounge ist die einzige Lounge für Star-​Alliance Abflüge aus Istanbul und dementsprechend großräumig gestaltet. Gleichwohl platzt die Lounge aber zu den Hauptverkehrszeiten (morgens ab ~6:00 Uhr, abends von 18:00 — 24:00) aus allen Nähten und man findet keine freien Tische mehr.
Die Architektur mit den kugelförmigen Elementen ist ansprechend anders als in vielen anderen Lounges, hat aber auch Nachteile: Der Schall reflektiert sehr stark, so daß man Gespräche von Tischen 2 – 3 Tische weiter so hört, als würden sich die dort sitzenden direkt vor dem eigenen Ohr unterhalten.
Die Essensauswahl ist gut, wobei man durch die vielen kleinen Buffets mit teils unterschiedlichem Angebot manchmal etwas länger suchen muss, bis man das gefunden hat, wonach man sucht.
Positiv hervorzuheben ist der Cappucino, der nicht aus dem Vollaumaten kommt, sondern klassisch von Hand gemacht wird sehr gut!
Das WLAN funktioniert zuverlässig und schnell.
Alles in allem eine sehr schöné Lounge wenn es nicht immer so voll wäre!

Ich war das erste mal in dieser Lounge und bin begeistert.
Riesengroß, viele verschiedene Büfetts mit allerhand Köstlichkeiten, die teilweise frisch zubereitet wurden.
Extrem freundliches Personal, die auch einem alles an den Platz gebracht haben.
Besonders lecker waren die frisch gemachten Pides.
Nachdem Verzehr habe ich verstanden, warum dort immer eine Schlange war
Getränke was das Herz begehrt
Einfach Extraklasse!

Die Auswahl an Speisen und Getränken sucht seinesgleichen, gleiches gilt für die Vielfalt der frisch zubereiteten Kleinigkeiten. Leider ist es immer sehr voll und rummelig.
Weiter gehts Richtung Osten.

Super Teil hat erst kürzlich neu eröffnet. Es gibt gute Gerichte und Drink und Platz ohne Ende. Auf jeden Fall mal reinschauen.

Einfach eine unglaublich Lounge, da muß man schon fast aufpassen, daß man den Flieger nicht verpaßt, weil es so schon lecker und gemütlich ist.