We’re just about a week from a huge milestone for Istanbul and Turkish Airlines. As of April 6, 2019, all operations will be moved from Istanbul Ataturk Airport to Istanbul New Airport.
The airport has had some very limited service since late last year, though the full move to the new airport has consistently been pushed back due to a variety of issues. Finally it looks like the transition will be happening in just over a week, as the move takes place from 2AM until 2PM.
There are a lot of questions about Istanbul New Airport, and there has been uncertainty regarding when the new lounge would actually open. The airport’s domestic lounge is already open, though as of now there’s not an international lounge. Currently international premium passengers are being given food vouchers.
Turkish Airlines is well known for their current lounge at Ataturk Airport, which is one of the better business class lounges out there, so hopes are high for the new lounge.
Well, today Turkish Airlines has shared four photos of the new lounge on social media, so here they are:
I know they moved the piano from the old lounge, though the white chairs in the third picture look very similar to the furniture they had in the old lounge. Are they reusing that furniture, or did they just decide on the same style?
The other great news is that Turkish Airlines says that the new international lounge will be opening the same time as the airport move, so you can expect for it to be fully operational on April 6.
This is great news, and I can’t wait to check out the new lounge, which I imagine will be massive. While Turkish’s current lounge is already huge, the airport is massive and the airline has a lot of passengers during peak hours, so they need a lot of capacity.
Just excellent!!! I am very satisfied with this brand new lounge in Istanbul new airport!
I await eagerly for pictures of the *new* TK BUSINESS LOUNGE.... am I right in saying the pics above are from Miles & Smiles Lounge?
I won't be travelling through the new IST until December 2019. I will be travelling Business (J) so I will spend most of my time in Business Lounge, but will visit Miles & Smiles to take some pics.
Interesting information from Qatar Airways on the airport move...
Qatar Airways will fly to new Istanbul Airport from Sunday, 7 April 2019
Flights temporarily transferred to Sabiha Gokcen International Airport on 5 & 6 April 2019
From 00:00 on Sunday, 7 April 2019, all Qatar Airways flights arriving to and departing from Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport will transfer to the new Istanbul Airport (IST).
However, for a two-day period prior to this change, all Qatar Airways...
Interesting information from Qatar Airways on the airport move...
Qatar Airways will fly to new Istanbul Airport from Sunday, 7 April 2019
Flights temporarily transferred to Sabiha Gokcen International Airport on 5 & 6 April 2019
From 00:00 on Sunday, 7 April 2019, all Qatar Airways flights arriving to and departing from Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport will transfer to the new Istanbul Airport (IST).
However, for a two-day period prior to this change, all Qatar Airways flights to and from Ataturk will be temporarily transferred to the Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW) in Istanbul (situated 57KM from Ataturk Airport).
Passengers travelling from Qatar to Istanbul and Istanbul to Qatar will arrive to and depart from Sabiha Gokcen International Airport during the period of 00:00 on April Friday 5 April to 23:59 on Saturday 6 April.
From 00.00 on Sunday 7 April 2019, all previously scheduled Qatar Airways flights to and from Ataturk Airport will operate out of the new Istanbul Airport (situated 34KM from the old Istanbul Ataturk Airport). Customers will arrive into and depart from Istanbul Airport Terminal 1.
I will fly tomorrow through the old airport, get a last glimpse of the lounge (I'll miss it), and then 2 weeks later I'll try the new lounge. Which I suppose may be different from the Star Alliance lounge of these pictures.
Here are a few more pics from the lounge. http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/yazarlar/ugur-cebeci/iste-dunyanin-en-buyuk-misafir-odasi-thy-istanbul-havalimanindaki-cip-salonunu-hurriyete-acti-41164221
@Didi
This is “Miles & Smiles” Lounge. Executive Lounge will be opened probably in end of May.
WIll all airlines move from Ataturk? I have an Egyptair flight form Istanbul to CAI on Aug 8.... its scheduled for Ataturk... would appreciate any help.
Thanks!
As an Elite+ member the new lounge arrangement sounds quite disappointing to be honest.
Had the opportunity to spend some time in the Senator lounges of Lufthansa and the experience was much better than their regular Business lounges, just because it was much less crowded and felt more intimate.
@Captain
There are 20 Brand New Bus Lines from/to almost every corner of Istanbul to ISL on deluxe buses...Let me remind you, There are only two bus lines to Istanbul-Ataturk, only from Taksim and Asian side. That’s it...And Metro will be ready next year and It will be easily reach to Istanbul Airport within 30 Minutes...So, No Worries...;) What Horrible is to go to Ataturk Airport by car or by bus...Endless Traffic Jam all day...
@Captain
There are 20 Brand New Bus Lines from/to almost every corner of Istanbul to ISL on deluxe buses...Let me remind you, There are only two bus lines to Istanbul-Ataturk, only from Taksim and Asian side. That’s it...And Metro will be ready next year and It will be easily reach to Istanbul Airport within 30 Minutes...So, No Worries...;) What Horrible is to go to Ataturk Airport by car or by bus...Endless Traffic Jam all day long! It’s impossible to get there less than 1 hour! The Road to ISL is not busy. Almost empty ans Yes, The Terminal is ready. Airport Hotel is now ready, TK and IGA Lounges are about open.
Last but not Least, Airline Haber is a typical fan media, spreads lot of Speculations. Like this: “Ataturk has been selected as 5. Best Airport of the world in 2019 by Report Best Airport Authorities” :D There is no information about these “authorities” anywhere..So, be careful to find your source...:)
A few things look cheap and there's no theme. The plants look plastic. Two of them plants are only in plastic pots sitting on what looks like cardboard - though that would suggest that it's a real plant but whatever it is, it doesn't look good.
The stone looks fake and it doesn't go with the modern style ceiling. Those country style timber doesn't really match anything else. The piano looks odd there as do those blue curtains.
I really enjoyed the street food experience and airy, 2-level space when my family and I visited the lounge at IST last, so have been looking forward to the time we'll spend at the lounge at the New Airport on April 6th! Not loving that dated-looking blonde wood and Shaker-back chair decor in the new pics but still excited to check it out -maniacally so, according to my husband, who dosn't share my passion for...
I really enjoyed the street food experience and airy, 2-level space when my family and I visited the lounge at IST last, so have been looking forward to the time we'll spend at the lounge at the New Airport on April 6th! Not loving that dated-looking blonde wood and Shaker-back chair decor in the new pics but still excited to check it out -maniacally so, according to my husband, who dosn't share my passion for all things miles and points- related. He points out that there are bound to be teething pains, since we'll arrive within an hour or so of the airport having opened at 14:00. TK 36 from YUL to IST gets there at 15:35. Plenty of time to check out the showers and other amenities before my onward flight to visit the in-laws in LHE. There had better be some semit..though I guess it's too much to hope for celebratory Krug!
Amazing.. God speed Erdoğan and Turkey... Turkish airlines already surpassed Lufthansa....
Traveling in late May, looking for info on the Yotel for overnight stay, thx
It does look a bit weird to me, can't say I really like the style and decor. Looks like it used to be a village-style cantina, and then it was remodeled into a hipper place but with minimal budget so that they had to work with what was there...
It’s horrible airport . So far from city center . No metro . And wind up to 30 knot over 100 days in a year . And it’s also not ready. It’s a landing and news photos from airport
https://youtu.be/mr5Pa-kQyeI
https://www.airlinehaber.com/istanbul-havalimaninin-son-haline-bakis/
@ Greg
Yes, you're right - it could be a 2012 or later serial number!
(And in tune or not! Many years ago I stayed at Richard Branson's Necker Island (pre-fire) and the resident upright piano was WAY outta tune, which was disappointing given the cost to stay there in the first place).
One day...a Steingraeber...sigh...
Thanks Debit. However Economy here. Will look it up
Does anyone know if the current lounge will be open and fully functional up until the move? I fly through on the 3rd and am hoping to get a last glimpse at the old facility.
First pic with stairs joined within the globe would provide a good setting for a post-apocalyptic video game with zombies swarming from multiple directions.
Platy -- I trust you are jesting. I used to represent Seiler Pianos in North America once upon a time (nearly 15 years ago now)....so I know something about the quality of German-made pianos. In this example, it depends if the piano is being made at the original Feurich plant or in Ningbo, China.
Lucky -- I'm underwhelmed with these photos of the Turkish Airlines business class lounge. Let's hope the rest are much better.
The current lounge at atarturk is so iconic, I don't low about this, time will say.......
Will book a flight with TK in Aug. Does anyone know of a good hotel to stay in Istanbul? Have some Marriott Bonvoy points to use but terrified to book incase I don't get there on the days and they charge those $$$ as per a previous post on here.
It looks like the same as the old one, I wonder if they just move everything there.
Look at that PIANO!!! Very high quality German...Feurich!
This sounds great since they already have IMHO the best Star Alliance Gold lounge in the world, should be no other SA lounge to compare it to. One day the rest of the world might catch up :):):)
I was just there in January and was blown away! It was incredible, so I am hopeful the new one will be just as eye dropping!
Can’t be worth than the current lounge in Ataturk. Seriously this lounge is dirty and noisy.
I don’t understand the hype with TK lounge. The one in Moscow is crappy and bkk is below average.
I don’t have any high expectations with TK anymore. Neither on the ground or in the air. I really don’t understand what people love in their C class product. They are so many options arround.
Have a flight there in the summer and another in the winter. Have elite status with TK so very familiar with the lounges at Ataturk. Am looking forward to experiencing the new airport and lounges.
I will wait till I actually pass through before scoring this lounge, but goodness me....that dining area sure looks "ye olden days".
In Manila, there has been a saying for decades that after God, Filipinos worship Cathay Pacific.
Based on the website lounge description, it appears that the Business Lounge will be nicer than the Miles & Smiles lounge, which is the opposite of what Lufthansa and SAS have with the Star Gold / Senator lounge being slightly better than the Business Lounge. It doesn't state that, but since the Miles and Smiles lounge is the lounge that they allow the corporate club travelers to use (anyone issued a ticket on a corporate...
Based on the website lounge description, it appears that the Business Lounge will be nicer than the Miles & Smiles lounge, which is the opposite of what Lufthansa and SAS have with the Star Gold / Senator lounge being slightly better than the Business Lounge. It doesn't state that, but since the Miles and Smiles lounge is the lounge that they allow the corporate club travelers to use (anyone issued a ticket on a corporate contract), as well as Star Gold from other airlines, I can't imagine that the Miles and Smiles lounge will be a superior experience. Or, maybe they will be the same, with the Business Lounge having the perk of being much less crowded? I am a little surprised to see them group their Miles and Smiles Elite Plus together with the Corporate Club flyers. And since Business Class travelers can use the Miles and Smiles lounge but not the other way around, it will be interesting to see trip reports showcasing the difference between the two.
@tomwhom, tell me more about the BKK lounge.
Meanwhile TK's just opened BKK lounge is a letdown almost in every aspect!
@SC - exactly what I'm thinking. The decor looks a bit confusing to me...
Meanwhile Berlin Brandenburg airport is still under construction... #taxmoneygonetowaste
The dining area looks like an Applebees crossed with Olive Garden. Not sure what they were going for there exactly...
Ben, assume this is the Business Class Lounge?
IIRC TK will operate with a concept similar to QR in DOH with a premium lounge for own premium Pax and a different lounge for Star Alliance Status (*G) Pax?
Now that a few new credit cards are in my hands with extensive lines of credit, I hope to someday in the near future travel to a few countries and experience this beautiful planet.
Can they be the same exact ones if the current lounge is still open?
Seems there will be a dedicated lounge for business class passengers.
Below link suggests there will be 3: Domestic, Business and Miles&Smiles Lounges.
https://www.turkishairlines.com/en-us/istanbul-airport/turkish-airlines-lounge-business/index.html
Those white chairs look the same but not as beaten up as the current ones
It’s refreshing that many countries and cities are improving and taking airport experience to a new level. A couple of fridays back I was in Muscat and the new airport that has opened approx an year back, is amazing. A true beauty. Modern, beautiful, clean, efficient. Before that I witnessed Doha airport. The refurbishment of Dubai. Can’t wait to see the new terminal in Abu Dhabi and the new one in Jeddah. So Istanbul is...
It’s refreshing that many countries and cities are improving and taking airport experience to a new level. A couple of fridays back I was in Muscat and the new airport that has opened approx an year back, is amazing. A true beauty. Modern, beautiful, clean, efficient. Before that I witnessed Doha airport. The refurbishment of Dubai. Can’t wait to see the new terminal in Abu Dhabi and the new one in Jeddah. So Istanbul is one of many great surprises that align into this new trend. Awesome!
I'm hopeful. The current lounge is one of the highlights of flying TK, and I hope the new one is at least as good (hopefully even better!).
Here's more great news: it was built by a repressive dictator who jailed workers who protested their unfair labor conditions! This has been condemned by Human Rights Watch. So, yeah, support the oppressors! Enjoy the privileges gained from the blood of oppressed Turkish workers. Long live privilege.
https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/10/29/turkey-workers-behind-bars-airport-opens
I’ll be there next saturday! Can’t wait!