Turkish Airlines has just opened its newest lounge, which is also the carrier’s largest lounge outside of Istanbul…
In this post:
Basics of Turkish Airlines’ new Tokyo Narita lounge
Today, Turkish Airlines has opened a lounge at Tokyo Narita International Airport (NRT). The lounge is located in the South Wing of Terminal 1, Satellite 4, near gate 47.
The lounge is opening in two phases. With the first phase (which has opened today), the lounge is 800 square meters (8,600 square feet), and can accommodate 105 guests. Then when the remainder of the lounge opens, it’ll be a total of 1,500 square meters (16,000 square feet).
The lounge is open daily from 7:30AM until 9:45PM, and follows standard Star Alliance lounge access policies. That means it’s open to all Star Alliance first and business class passengers, as well as Star Alliance Gold members. Turkish Airlines currently operates once daily flights from Narita Airport, which depart mid-morning.
This lounge occupies the space of the former All Nippon Airways Suites Lounge, which was vacated a while back.
Here’s how Turkish Airlines describes the design and features of this lounge:
Designed with a focus on luxury and comfort, Turkish Airlines Lounge in Narita presents an array of amenities to elevate the passenger experience. Guests can enjoy a buffet-style selection of Turkish, Japanese, and Far Eastern cuisines, with highlights including being the only lounge outside Istanbul with a Turkish pide oven to offer freshly baked pide during lunch and dinner. Additional features include relaxation areas, daybeds with apron views, and a VIP room for enhanced privacy. Practical facilities such as shower rooms, accessible restrooms and a baby care room ensure all passenger needs are met.
Connectivity is prioritized with complimentary Wi-Fi, flight information screens, and a dedicated workspace. Reflecting Turkish Airlines’ commitment to artistry and culture, the lounge’s design incorporates traditional Turkish marbling art and nods to iconic destinations, such as the local favourite Mount Fuji at the entrance.
How this fits into Turkish Airlines’ lounge network
This latest opening at Tokyo Narita represents Turkish Airlines’ seventh foreign lounge, with other locations in Bangkok (BKK), Miami (MIA), Moscow (VKO), Nairobi (NBO), New York (JFK), and Washington (IAD).
Some people may be curious about Turkish Airlines’ lounge strategy, since the locations seem a bit random. For example, Turkish Airlines has two lounges in Miami, with one being in a terminal that Turkish Airlines doesn’t even operate from.
It seems like Turkish Airlines’ outstation lounge strategy is to open lounges in markets where operating lounges is independently profitable. As it stands, most of Turkish Airlines’ foreign lounges participate in Priority Pass.
So they’re typically not very high quality lounges and are often very crowded, but at least they give travelers a space where they can use their membership.
As of now, there’s no indication as to whether this lounge will participate in Priority Pass (I’ve asked, but haven’t received a response yet). I have to imagine that it will participate, and that this is one of the primary motivations for the lounge opening. Otherwise it would be mighty strange to open a lounge at Narita Airport with just one daily flight, and a partner airline having a hub there.
If this lounge does in fact participate in Priority Pass, that would be great news for travelers, given the lack of options at the airport. 
Bottom line
Turkish Airlines has just opened a lounge at Tokyo Narita Airport. The lounge is opening in two phases, and once the whole thing is ready, it’ll be the carrier’s largest lounge outside of Istanbul. This occupies the space of the former All Nippon Airways Suites Lounge.
For now, the airline has just stated that the lounge will be open to Star Alliance passengers. However, I have to imagine that it will also be accessible by Priority Pass members. I’ll report back when I know for sure.
What do you make of Turkish Airlines opening a lounge at Narita Airport?
LAX seems like a hole in their lounge network. Up to 3 flights per day and tons of unused lounge space in TBIT/MSC.
There's a *A lounge right in that terminal!
Would complement the iASS lounge airside if it is part of Priority Pass
How many flights a day do they even have?! Wouldn't it make more (financial) sense to just funnel their passengers to one of the ANA lounges?
United and, to a lesser extent, Air Canada would've made more sense.
I think Turkish Airlines does this to promote the country of Turkey since it is a government owned airline.
Turkey is a very insecure country that needs to soothe it's ego with self promotion.
Before COVID, United announced the plan to open Polaris lounge in LHR and NRT but it seems they froze that plan. United still occupies not-in-use former United First lounge space in Narita (above United Club lounge) so it makes sense to renovate that space and Polaris lounge… fingers crossed.
I believe HKG was also in that list iirc, which is probably the least likely now.
NRT makes some sense imo with their return to 5th freedom flights. The ANA lounges are severely overcrowded
It's kind of crazy that three of the seven Turkish lounges outside Turkey are in the United States. And one of the remaining four is in Moscow, which is hardly a bastion of international travel these days.
They can't really open lounges in Europe as they would be located in the 'wrong' part of the terminal for most *A pax. BRU (SN don't have a non-Schengen lounge) or MAN might work, but not much else.
But what about the Caucasuses and central Asia? Or North Africa? Baku has something like 5 flights a day on Turkish. No lounge. In Cairo, there's like 4 flights a day on Turkish.
CAI is another *A hub, no real incentive to open their own facility there and have everyone else going to MS. Some other destinations in N. Africa, C. Asia and the Balkans have Primeclass lounges which belong to the same owner but can be used by TK's competitors without worrying about the branding.
You've got to remember that it's only the US airlines and Air Canada that operate anything like a substantial network of outstation...
CAI is another *A hub, no real incentive to open their own facility there and have everyone else going to MS. Some other destinations in N. Africa, C. Asia and the Balkans have Primeclass lounges which belong to the same owner but can be used by TK's competitors without worrying about the branding.
You've got to remember that it's only the US airlines and Air Canada that operate anything like a substantial network of outstation lounges - virtually everyone else is confined to hubs and a handful of key destinations.
Air France and KLM have a pretty decent network of lounges. Emirates too.
@FNT Delta Diamond - Moscow is a super high yield destination these days precisely because the options are so limited. Half of all Russians travelling to the west must be on TK.
@Throwawayname - Nothing it stopping TK from opening a lounge in Schengen section of an airport, just like that lounge in the US which is in a terminal TK doesn't fly from :)
Are you sure this is the former ANA space? It looks like one of the former Delta Sky Clubs. Delta had two lounges at Narita.
@ FNT Delta Diamond -- I'm 99% sure. Are you referring to the lounge pictured in this review?
https://onemileatatime.com/delta-one-business-class-a330-900neo-review/
As you can see, the former Sky Club curves, while this lounge seems to have corners.