Istanbul Airport Guide
| Istanbul Terminal Map | Istanbul airline lounges | Istanbul airport train | Istanbul airport Hotel |
Istanbul airport
The new airport opened in 2019, and is a completely different experience to the 'old' Istanbul Airport. Rapidly becoming a giant in aviation terms, the new airport is the fifth busiest airport in the world in terms of international passenger traffic. On a busy day in summer, many of them seem to be here, dashing between flights.
And dashing is the word: due to the vast size of the airport it an be a two kilometres between gates. There are travellators, but at best they just help by shortening the distance.
However the airport remains a genuine delight to use, with plenty of shops and restaurants, at least until something goes wrong, when you may experience what can only be called 'robust' Turkish customer relations.
Don't confuse it with Istanbul's Sabiha Gökçen Airport, a small domestic airport which also has a few international flights, such as occasional low cost flights to the UK.
There is just one terminals, but with five arms, in a rough H shape with a total of 143 passenger boarding bridges. All the main shopping is in the middle of the terminal.
One of the oddities about Istanbul - and Turkish Airlines in particular - is that the flight departure screens always flick from Wait In Lounge to Last Call in one jump. To make it worse, the boarding cards always state the boarding time will start 30 minutes before they really do. At most airports this shouldn't matter, but at Istanbul there is a danger of being bussed to the gate after an additional security check for a long-haul flights. There is a real pinch point at Istanbul Airport for some gates, such as to the UK, so people rush to the gate. While at every airport, you should time your gate arrival carefully, at Istanbul there are numerous additional hurdles to get over.
Istanbul airport
Another particular 'nasty' at Istanbul Airport, is that if you arrive for a transfer, at the airbridge when you arrive the airbridge splits two ways: right and up for transfer, or left to collect your luggage. Don't miss this split off for transfer, as it's a right pain to go landside then airside again. Mind you, if you go right and up, you'll end up straight on the departure floor (via some wiggles around glass screens) without any further security checks. If you don't then have an onward boarding card, you need to then head to the transfer desk. It's not exactly a smooth experience, and delays can be lengthy.
If you miss your connection at Istanbul Airport, don't expect the plane to wait for you, or any help from THY staff. They give a general expression of seeming to hate you, and the all too common call is to just buy another ticket.
Istanbul airport
Another surprising oddity about Istanbul Airport are the newspaper collection points: the main one is in the middle of the terminal, and if you have an onward flight on Turkish Airlines, you can collect any of the hundreds of daily newspapers they have for free. However, they are all in Turkish.
There is a Free Hotel or Tour for transfer passengers on Turkish Airlines. You can only get a voucher for this at the International Transfer desk. You then have to take the voucher to the Hotel desk. However the conditions for the Turkish Airlines hotel stopover (Turkish Airlines Transfer Hotel SPTC - Stopover Paid By The Carrier) are onerous. Arriving and departing flights must be on Turkish Airlines, but not on codeshares, and there must be 10 hours between your arriving flight and your departing flight (7 hours in business class), with no other options that you could take. The hotel desk will insist that you take the tour, not the hotel room, however all tours leave the airport at 0900 promptly and you should avoid the tour on Tuesday and Wednesday as it includes the Turkish Islam Works Museum.
Istanbul Airport International Terminal
The new Istanbul Airport has concourses. Only four are in use for international flights, lettered A, B, D, and F. Concourse G is just for domestic flights.
First & Business Class lounges at Istanbul Airport
The new Istanbul Airport has a much smaller collection of lounges than the old airport. On Star Alliance airlines, and some others, you'll just end up in one of the three Turkish Airlines lounges.
Istanbul Airport Pay in, First & Business Class lounges
Istanbul Airport transportation
Travellers should know that many bus, limousine and shuttle bus services operating to and from Istanbul Airport usually require pre-booking. However, the train is just a walk up and go service.
Istanbul Airport train
There is at last an airport railway station, opening in mid 2023.The airport train to Istanbul Airport is the normal domestic suburban Istanbul Subway.
The Istanbul Airport Metro Station is on the M11 line.
Istanbul airport
Eventually, the Mainline railway will connect the airport to Halkalı, and other more remote destinations.
The station for Istanbul Metro line M11 is right inside the terminal. The line goes through some major parts of the European side of the city, including the intercity bus terminal.
The Istanbul Airport Metro takes 30 minutes to get to the city, and costs 2,15 TL (0.75 euro) one-way.
Istanbul Airport shuttle bus services
There is an airport Airport Shuttle bus, which depending on the traffic can be slower than the metro. It runs every half hour to Taksim Square, and the fast ferry terminal in Bakirköy. The journey time to Istanbul is about 45 minutes and the fare is about €45.There is also a suburban bus which runs to Taksim, Etiler and Kozyatagi.
Car Hire at Istanbul Airport
Major car hire operators are located in the Arrivals Halls. To save time and ensure you get the car you want, book your rental in advance. Rental car operators from Istanbul Airport include: Europcar, Thrifty, Avis and Budget.
Istanbul Airport Hotel
There is just one airport hotel at Istanbul airport, however it operates in two locations, one airside and one landside.
The Yeotelair is available to both landside and airside transit passengers. Airside, it is right beside the Turkish Airlines lounge. Landside, it is just a couple of minutes' walk from the terminals.
Istanbul Airport Left Luggage
Istanbul airport luggage storage is handled by a company in the arrivals hall, where a left-luggage facility (tel: +21 6 588 8802) is available.
Car parking
Istanbul airport car parking is quite good. A four-storey car park adjacent to the terminal has capacity for over 4,000 vehicles.
The airport is accessible through the coastal road, D-100 international road and the Trans-European Motorway (TEM).
Istanbul Airport Bars and Restaurants
There are only two main sit-down eateries in the departure section of Istanbul Airport, plus a 'fast food' hall with Burger King and the like.
Istanbul airport
Brewmark Pub
Open: 0700-2300 Airside, right after security, before the fast food hall.Previously known as the Irish Bar at Istanbul Airport, the Irish tat has been taken off the walls of this classic airport boozer, and the beer changed to more European tastes, but that's about it.
There is Efes, Heineken and Carlsberg on draft. The bar can also rustle up some classic pub grub, including meat pies and pasta.
The Greenport
Open: 24 hours Airside, After Passport Control, Opposite of Duty FreeThe Greenport is a classic snack bar and minor restaurant, but it has the joy of one of the best wine selections at Istanbul Airport (although this isn't saying much).
There is some quite comfortable seating, however the food selection isn't pretty basic with salads, pasta dishes, and a couple of Turkish specialities hidden away.
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Istanbul airport
IST: Istanbul Airport Guide - Terminal map, airport guide, lounges, bars, restaurants & reviews with images
Airport review with maps by loungeindex
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Loungeindex
rating:
6 out of 10
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| Istanbul Airport Code: IST | |||
| ICAO Code: | LTFM | Timezone: | UTC+3 (DST+5) |
| Elevation: | 325 ft (99 m) | Runways: | 4 |
| Latitude: | 41.275 | Longitude: | 28.752 |