Find out what services and facilities are available at Istanbul Airport. Where are the best places to eat and shop?

The greatest concentration of services can be found in the area beyond security, where there is a huge central hall from which ‘piers’ with gates leading to the aircraft radiate outwards.

A major drawback of Istanbul Airport isthe lack of seatingand the fact that gate numbers are displayed relatively late (around 60–75 minutes before departure). This combination therefore forces passengers to sit in a restaurant.

Cheap hotels near Istanbul Airport

Airport lounges

At Istanbul Airport, you can use lounges with paid entry as well as lounges for passengers with premium tickets or loyalty status.

Choose a lounge depending on whether you are departing from the international or domestic terminal. All of the lounges listed below are located beyond security; the international ones are also beyond passport control.

I gain access to the lounges via Revolut Ultra. I explain how I use it and when it’s worth it in the article ‘Revolut Ultra and airport lounges’.

• 👉 Get Revolut with a bonus

Times are local and apply daily. Prices are per adult. For bank cards and Revolut, please check the specific lounge, length of stay and conditions for guests in your programme’s app. Online prices may differ from those at reception; the ticket itself may not guarantee a seat if the lounge is at full capacity.

💬 Have you visited any of the lounges? Please share your experiences in the comments below the article – thanks!

Paid entry and bank cards

iGA Lounge International (international)

• Location: International departures, mezzanine level above the main hall; turn left after passport control and take the escalator by the LC Waikiki shop
• Admission: Priority Pass, LoungeKey, DragonPass, paid admission or an invitation from a partner airline
• Open: 24/7
• Paid entry:
  • online at 57 eur for 2 hours;book via GetYourGuide
  • online at 100 eur for 6 hours – book via IGA
• Showers: yes

Revolve Lounge by YOTELAIR (international)

• Where: the YOTELAIR hotel in the transit area, on the upper floor above the duty-free shops; follow the YOTELAIR signs
• Admission: admission fee applies even without a hotel booking
• Open: 24/7
• Admission fee: book online at 66 eur for 4 hours via LoungePair
• Showers: yes, at an additional cost 20 eur payable on entry via LoungePair.

iGA Lounge Domestic (domestic)

• Location: domestic departures, near Gate G11
• Access: Priority Pass, LoungeKey, DragonPass, paid entry or invitation from a partner airline; maximum 2 hours via Priority Pass
• Open: 24/7
• Paid entry:
  • ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Book onlineat 54 eur for 2 hours;book via GetYourGuide
  • online at 2 600 try–book a 3-hour sessionvia IGA
• Showers: no

Airline lounges

Access depends on your travel class or loyalty status and on the airline you are flying with.

Turkish Airlines Business Lounge (international)

• Location: international departures, entrance opposite Gate E1
• Access: Turkish Airlines Business Class or other Star Alliance airlines; also Star Alliance First Class
• Open: 24/7
• Entrance fee: no
• Showers: yes

Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Lounge (international)

• Location: international departures, entrance opposite Gate C1
• Access: Miles&Smiles Elite / Elite Plus or Star Alliance Gold members travelling on Turkish Airlines or another Star Alliance airline
• Open: 24/7
• Paid entry: no
• Showers: yes

Turkish Airlines Domestic Business Lounge (domestic)

• Location: domestic terminal, accessible by lift opposite gates G6–G7; also a separate entrance from outside
• Entry: Turkish Airlines Business Class passengers or Miles&Smiles Elite Plus members travelling on a Turkish Airlines flight
• Open: 24/7
• Paid entry: no; paid entry applies to the adjacent Miles&Smiles section
• Showers: yes

Turkish Airlines Domestic Lounge Miles&Smiles (domestic)

• Location: domestic section, accessible by lift opposite gates G6–G7; also a separate entrance from outside
• Access: Miles&Smiles Classic Plus / Elite or Star Alliance Gold members travelling on Turkish Airlines; also selected eligible memberships and paid entry
• Open: 24/7
• Paid entry: 3 000 try for Turkish Airlines passengers with Miles&Smiles Classic membership; registration is free.
• Showers: yes; the airline states there is a wheelchair-accessible shower

Internet and Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is available free of charge, but you must register at one of the many kiosks located throughout the airport to access it.

At the kiosk, you’ll scan your passport and receive a unique password. When connecting to the Wi-Fi, you’ll need to enter both your passport number and the password. The Wi-Fi connection lasts for one hourand cannot be extended by registering again.

The kiosks are located only in the area beyond security; you won’t find them in the airport’s public areas.

You can also officially log in to the Wi-Fi using an SMS code. However, the message is only sent to Turkish mobile numbers.

You can, however, pay for Wi-Fi via a kiosk for an unlimited period at 370 try.

Stay online whilst travelling around Turkey. Get a Turkish data eSIM quickly and easily atairalo.com.

Shops and supermarkets

There are no standard supermarkets or mini-markets selling food at Istanbul Airport.

In the public area, you’ll find only a few shops selling souvenirs or SIM cards from local mobile network operators.

The transit area, however, serves as a large, luxury shopping centre. In addition to other souvenir shops, once you’ve passed through security, you’ll find boutiques of renowned fashion brands, as well as shops selling jewellery, watches and cosmetics.

Most of the shops remain open 24 hours a day. A list of all shopping options can be found on the airport’s website:istairport.com/stores.

There are alsopharmacieslocated in the public area on both the arrivals and departures floors. The pharmacies are open 24/7.

Restaurants and cafés

In the transit area beyond security, you’ll find a huge variety of refreshments of all kinds. You can eat at luxury restaurants, small cafés or well-known fast-food outlets.

The vast majority of restaurants are open 24/7.

Many restaurants also have a public area where you can eat at chains such as Burger King, Popeyes, Sbarro or Simit Sarayi. The restaurants in the public area are also mostly open 24/7.

You can find a list of all dining options on the airport’s website:istairport.com/restaurants.

Luggage storage

You can store your luggage in self-service lockers, which are located in two areas of the public zone:

• Near Exit 13 (arrivals level)
• To the right of Entrance 1 (departures level)

The charge for 24 hours’ storage ranges from 90 try to 300 try, depending on the size of your luggage. Payment can be made in cash or by card.

There is also a luggage storage facility inside the transit area, which is ideal if you have a long lay-over and don’t want to have to carry your hand luggage around whilst shopping.

Fees range from 90 try to 370 try for full-day storage, depending on the size of your luggage.

It is not possible to store your luggage in this facility after arrival, leave the transit area and head into town. In this case, please use the luggage storage facilities in the public area of the airport.

Showers

IGA Showers are located in the transit area of the international terminal. The charge is 15 eur + 3 eur for a towel/shampoo if you do not have your own.

The showers are open 24 hours a day and can be found on the ground floor near the IGA lounge.

You can find detailed information here:igapass.com/en/iga-shower.

ATMs and currency exchange bureaux

The currency exchange bureaux at Istanbul Airport are operated by Global Exchange, which offers unfavourable exchange rates.

It is better to use the branches of mainstream Turkish banks located in the public area of the arrivals terminal. QNB Finansbank and Ziraat Bankasi, for example, offer good exchange rates.

In the transit area and in many places in the public area, there are cash machines bearing the Turkish lira symbol and the inscription ‘"ATM" ’. These cash machines have very poor withdrawal terms, with high fees and unfavourable exchange rates.

It is better to use the ATMs of mainstream Turkish banks, which are located at the counters of these banks in the public area of the arrivals hall. After exiting the international arrivals area, these ATMs are situated approximately 50 metres to the left.

Drinking water

Drinking water dispensers, from which you can drink for free or fill your own bottle, can be found at the following locations:

• public area, arrivals
  • at doors 3 and 6
  • at the baggage reclaim area
• International transit area
  • near the IGA Lounge
  • at the start of Pier A (near the currency exchange)
  • at the start of B Pier
  • at the start of D-Pier (to the right of the escalators)
  • at the start of F-Pier (near the PRM)
• Domestic transit area
  • opposite Departure Gate G2
• Arrivals, transit area – near the Turkish Airlines transfer desk

Both cold and hot water are available.

Outdoor terrace

If you have a long lay-over, you might find thenon-smoking outdoor terrace near the B gates useful.

Smoking lounges

After security, you’ll find a total of 13 ventilated smoking areas. There are 10 smoking rooms in the international terminal, whilst the domestic section has 3 smoking cubicles.

Charging electronic devices

Public sockets for charging mobile phones or laptops are located next to the seats in the departure hall (the public area near the check-in counters) and at all departure gates in the transit area.

Pram hire

After passing through security in both the international and domestic sections, pushchairs provided by the airport are available to borrow free of charge for any length of time.

Prams can be collected and returned at one of the many locations throughout the terminal.