The Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles Lounge is a virtual mirror-image copy of the Turkish Airlines Business Lounge In Istanbul.
I’m tempted just to refer you to my review yesterday of the Turkish Business Class lounge and write “the end” but I spent some time in this lounge and photographed it thoroughly as well. Here’s a photo tour.
Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles Lounge Access + Hours + Location
While the Turkish Business Lounge is for business class passengers on Turkish Airlines and other Star Alliance and partner carriers, the Miles & Smiles lounge is for Elite and Elite Plus members of the Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles program as well as Star Alliance Gold travelers. Each eligible traveler is allowed one guest. The lounge is open 24/7 and located near Gate C1.
Note there is also a side entrance for female passengers, handicapped, and those with young children.
Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles Lounge Istanbul Map
For your reference, here’s a map of the lounge:
As you enter the lounge, you’ll scan your boarding pass in order to open an automated gate…no human interaction required.
Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles Lounge Istanbul Seating
Seating includes a large open area overlooking the terminal below with white sectional couches (same as the old lounge) and several other smaller seating areas scattered throughout the lounge.
There is also a “Tea Garden” and “Library” area of the lounge with more quiet seating (and of course a wide selection of tea in the Tea Garden).
Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles Lounge Istanbul Food + Drink
For a comprehensive look at food and drink, please see my Business Lounge review, which carefully describes the sort of food and drink you can expect in this lounge as well. You’ll note several live cooking stations, a salad bar that is constantly replenished (24/7), and a pair of coffee stations in which baristas are happy to prepare the coffee drink of your choice (also 24/7, though you may have to ask).
Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles Lounge Istanbul Private Suite
A Private Suite offers a private bedroom to passengers who meet the following criteria:
- Traveling on Turkish Airlines (not on a Star Alliance partner)
- Award tickets qualify
- A connection between four and nine hours
- At least one of your flights (either arriving or departing) needs to be at least eight hours
There are no ensuite facilities in the room, but shower suites with restrooms are right down the hall. Be advised that the walls are thin and if you are a light sleeper you may be awakened by foot traffic.
Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles Lounge Istanbul Daybeds
If you cannot snag a private suites, daybeds are available, though these are often even more difficult to get than the suites since they are available to all lounge guests.
Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles Lounge Istanbul Restrooms + Showers
Two large restrooms are available in the lounge and showers are available at the same reception desk for the Private Suite.
Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles Lounge Istanbul Lockers
If you are staying awhile, you can drop your luggage off in a keypad-controlled locker near the entrance to the lounge.
CONCLUSION
Singapore Airlines has a separate lounge for its Star Alliance Gold passengers and it is a huge step down form the business class lounge. Thankfully, Turkish Airlines has two lounges just to space out crowds and both are more or less identical (the Business Lounge has an art gallery, which is really the only difference). If you are flying economy class out of Istanbul, enjoy a great meal in this lounge before your flight and show up early…it will relax you before a long flight on Turkish (where legroom is tight).
I spent almost 12 hours here last month between flights and was most impressed by the range of food/drink offerings and variety of seating areas. TK has improved on its old IST lounge, in part by creating two almost identical ones to deal with peak crowding and it would seem little difference in amenities. Having had long transfers at several hub airports, I can say this is the place I’d rather be. As you note, STARGolds are treated to 3rd rate facilities @SIN in both terminals if flying Y (even worse during renovations now going on at T3) and OW upper elites @DOH. By comparison, even the QR J lounge exclusive to its own J customers, has its highlights but is very sterile and lacks the character of this TK one. I look forward to revisiting it if we ever get back into the air…
Matthew, why don’t you do an article about what made you decide not to practice law as a distraction from the COVID-19 coverage. I am a lawyer and I find your analysis of legal matters well written and informative. Just a thought.
That’s not a separate entrance for female passengers, it’s a separate entrance for *pregnant* passengers.
Lost in translation then, because when I tired to use it I was told females only. I thought it was one of those moves Erdogan is making to Islamize the country.
Interesting there is no significant difference between this and the business class lounge. You’d think TK would reserve some better amenities for those passengers actually flying in business.
Each airline handles it differently. Oddest to me are the LH group Senator lounges, which are only accessible to *G and higher elites, and are actually *better* than their business lounges.
I hoped—vainly, it turns out—that LH might be changing their approach when they unveiled their gorgeous new all-in-one business lounge at BOS without a separate space for elites, but it seems to have been a one-off.
Only difference is the art gallery. I too would think one would be better, but perhaps standardization is the easiest approach. The question of which one *should* be better is an interesting one…are business class passengers or elite members more loyal? Airlines would do well to think beyond transactional loyalty and look at the bigger picture. I like how LH does it with Senator vs. Business lounges.