The Official Airport Assistance Network of the World Airports
The Official Airport Assistance Network of the World Airports
Istanbul Airport is not only a transport centre, it's a place in its own right. As one of the world's largest airport terminals in the world, it offers luxurious shopping, Turkish, international cuisine, high quality lounges, cultural display, children playground and wellness experience. No matter how short your layover in the airport is (just a quick airport visit) or how long the international layover is, there are a lot of things that you can do to ensure that you have a comfortable and memorable stay at the airport.
Istanbul Airport also has one of the world's richest culinary offer at the airport. More than 100 restaurants, cafes, bakeries, dessert stores and international chains offer the travellers a chance to experience the traditional Turkish cuisine, fine dining, or international chains.
One of the peculiar restaurants at the airport is Tadında Anadolu which is an homage to the regional Turkish cuisine and dishes that remind of each region of Türkiye. They can taste kebab, meze plate, grilled fish and meat, but they can experience the classic Turkish hospitality in modern settings too: Grilled fish with fresh salad, fresh salads, grilled meat with fresh salad, meze plate, and finally, kebab.
Besides the popular "iskender kebab" Bursa style dishes such as grilled meat, Turkish appetisers, soup, pide, rice dishes and Turkish dessert are served at HD İskender. It is one of the very popular places that travellers come to have a true Turkish meal prior to traveling.
It is a popular bakery in Turkey, selling freshly baked simit, börek, sandwiches, fresh juices, good quality coffee and pastries, and cakes, and has Turkish tea on offer. Breakfast, snack or a light meal is a great place to have during a layover.
Starbucks is also found in the terminal with a couple of coffee shops: Espresso, Specialty, Tea, Sandwiches, Salads, Pastries, Desserts and Grab and Go. These cafes feature comfortable seats, attractive business travelers-oriented power outlets, and suitable for transit passengers.
BTA has wide-ranging restaurants providing Turkish, Mediterranean, seafood, burgers, pizzas, vegetarian, fresh pasta, gourmet sandwiches, and international specialties are offered at these restaurants, which are operated by BTA. The 24/7 flight activity of Istanbul Airport finds its accommodation at various locations open 24 hours a day.
This will be accompanied by other international fast food chains like Burger King, Popeys, Arby, Caffes Nero, Cakes and Bakes and many more, providing familiar food that will be enjoyed by travellers of all nationalities.
Gozleme, kebabs, lahmacun, pide, baklava, kunefe, pistachio desserts, Turkish delight, freshly brewed Turkish coffee or traditional apple tea are all indispensable Turkish breakfast items to visit Istanbul airport. The airport eateries are just the beginning of or the end of a world-famous cuisine – that of Turkey.
Dining Tip: Lots of restaurants operate around the clock and the airport of Istanbul is one of the very few airports in the world to provide all-service restaurants to its passengers regardless of the time of their flight. The peak of the flight may be at popular Turkish restaurants – it's better to have extra time for meals before departure.
The Istanbul Airport boasts of some of the best airport lounges in the world with excellent comfort, gourmet cuisine, shower and personal relaxation zones, business centres and excellent hospitality. The airport has a variety of facilities for people to unwind before or after traveling, or during an extended layover, whether they are in Business Class, elite airline or part of a membership programme that allows them to access the airport's lounges.
One of Turkish Airlines's most significant facilities after the passport control process of the international airport is Turkish Airlines Business Lounge. Lounge is exclusively for Turkish Airlines Business Class passengers and other qualified Star Alliance members and provides freshly prepared Turkish and international cuisine, live cooking rooms, cutting edge drinks, Turkish desserts, shower suites, private relaxation rooms, business workstations, kids play area, library and runway views.
The members of the Miles&Smiles Elite and Star Alliance Gold program can use this lounge with a high-end interior, a large buffet dinner, Turkish coffee, complimentary drinks, cozy seating, work surfaces, showers, entertainment spaces and Wi-Fi (high speed internet). It is common in travelers with frequent long international flights as for tourists in particular.
The IGA Lounge is open to passengers flying with Participating Airlines, Priority Pass and DragonPass members as well as premium credit card holders and lounge access purchased credit card holders. The visitors are provided with Turkish and International cuisines, good beverages, shower, sleeping pods, child playground facilities, prayer and work space resting areas. The IGA Lounge is in the top ten of the independent airport lounges in Europe.
The domestic departure area also has a premium lounge in which passengers can enjoy themselves while travelling within TURKIye. Snack bars, Wi-Fi and business facilities as well as a comfortable area to sit when waiting to depart a domestic flight are features of these lounges.
As soon as the airport is accessible, Airport Assist will be able to book access to the airport lounge to eligible travellers. You are waiting to take a long-haul flight or are doing your transit, access to a lounge is what will change your experience at the airport as you relax, have a meal, take a shower and enjoy high-quality hospitality.
Impressive exhibitions of Turkish history, art, architecture and cultural heritage will be seen all over the terminal by travellers. The following is a selection of the best exhibits and helps you to visit the country without leaving home!
Relaxing lounge spaces, calm waiting bays, family spaces, children play areas, prayer rooms and fitness areas allow passengers to use their layover time to get ready for the next flight.
Istanbul Airport's high ceilinged, light-flooded terminal is characterized by many innovative Turkish design elements and lengthy concourses, and is an award-winning facility. Wrapping around one of the world's largest airport projects is a short walk from the terminal, with a great view.
Most of the duty free stores are in the international departures concourse beyond the passport and security screening. It covers tens of thousands of square metres, and is among the world's largest shopping complexes of the airport. Also, it has other specialty shops and travel shops located in other parts of the terminal, many of which are open 24 hours a day to keep pace with the 24-hour international flight schedule of the Istanbul Airport.
Stylish perfumes, great cosmetics, skin care products, watches, jewelry, designer clothing, handbags, sunglasses, electronics, high quality spirits, Turkish wines, chocolate, confectionery, cigar and tobacco products will be available for purchase by the travellers, who will be offered the opportunity to shop a special selection of these items. The airport is also the home of Turkish specialties such as Turkish delight, baklava, pistachios, saffron, spices, Turkish coffee, high quality teas, olive oil, ceramics, handmade fabrics, leather products and handmade souvenirs.
Istanbul Airport offers one of the highest selection of luxury stores in Europe such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada, Dior, Chanel, Hermes, Burberry, Bvlgari, Cartier, Rolex, Omega, Longines, Swarovski, Montblanc, Ray-Ban, TUMI, Samsonite, Apple Premium Resellers, Jo Malone, Tom Ford Beauty, and many other brands. The local stores sell Turkish carpets, Iznik ceramics, hand-made jewellery, a fine olive oil, confectionery and traditional gifts.
Unifree Duty Free (UCDF) operates the largest duty-free in the world at its retail space of Istanbul Airport. Special editions, turkey gourmet editions, quality gift wrapping and seasonal editions are sold at a few stores. Foreign and local luxury brands and Turkish products will be offered together to the travellers.
Traveller Tip: When purchasing Turkish delight, high quality baklava, spices, olive oil or Turkish coffee, you will have to wait until you get to the international departures area. The airport offers one of the best collections of gourmet packages beautifully packed serving the needs of the international traveller and as a gift.
A direct connection (M11 GayrettepeIstanbul Airport Metro Line) to the growing metro network in the city. It is easily accessible to the center of Istanbul by metro; transfers with the other metro and other transportation systems to other important areas is possible in Istanbul.
The comfortable luxury airport buses of Havaist offer their passengers transportation between the airport with Taksim square, Sultanahmet, Kadikoy, Beşiktaas, Aksaray and Bakirkoys, and other places in Istanbul. It's a bus that can be used to carry luggage, with air conditioning and on-board Wi-Fi, and operates regularly throughout the day and at night.
There is 24-hour availability of official-yellow, turquoise and black airport taxis outside the arrivals level. The travelers can easily reach a popular tourist destination like Levent, Taksim, Galata, Beşiktaş, the Asian side of Istanbul or Sultanahmet. There are regulated fares in licensed airport taxis, which provide safe and reliable transportation.
Airport Assist can arrange luxury chauffeur driven transportation to the private/private sector, business, Vip and family. Luxury sedans, executive SUVs, Mercedes-Benz vans and minibuses provide direct transport all over Istanbul to hotels, cruise terminals, conference centres, and tourist attractions.
Car rental companies that are international and Turkish, having counters in the arrivals area are Avis, Hertz, Europcar, Enterprise, Budget, Sixt, Garenta, Circular Car Hire and WindyCar. Car hire is a convenient option to travellers who intend to visit Istanbul and other parts of Turkiye on their own.
The arrivals and departures areas have a number of banks and currency exchange offices, as well as the machine to change from one currency to another. The main international credit cards are accepted all over the airport, but it's convenient to have Turkish Lira in case you arrive at a local place or are able to purchase smaller items.
Tourist SIM cards are offered by the main carriers of Turkey (Turkcell, Vodafone Turkiye and Turk Telekom) at the airport when you arrive in Turkey. Tourist packages include hefty data plans, local calls and international communications that are best suited for tourists.
The airport has free Wi-Fi all over the airport. From waiting to board aircrafts, AirLight passengers can easily send messages, access e-mails, surf websites, work remotely and enjoy entertainment.
In the terminal is a medical clinic, hospitals, pharmacies, emergency response teams, first-aid stations and Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs). Medical assistance is made available in an opportune manner, if necessary.
Porters are available for travellers to get their luggage packed, large bags carried, bag storage facilities, lost and found luggage services and luggage delivery services. Airport Assist also offers one-to-one service for all passengers with sports equipment, musical instruments, luxury suitcases (more than one) etc.
The Istanbul Airport is entirely accessible and provides chiropodists, lifts, accessible toilets, tactile guidance, facilities for the family, special passenger support and hearing aid support system as well. Airport Assist works in partnership with the airport staff to provide personalised service to the lower mobility passengers without any problems.
Located directly in the middle of the airport complex, YOTEL Istanbul Airport will offer airside and landside rooms for passengers with early flights, late arrivals and passengers who have long layovers. The hotel has the most modern rooms, meeting areas, restaurants and direct access to the airport terminal making it one of the most convenient airport hotels in Europe.
The ideal amount of time you can spend in the Istanbul airport is 3 hours. Get lost in the big duty-free shopping zone, taste the Turkish delights, high-quality baklava, pistachios and Turkish coffee and enjoy the premium lounges of the airport. There's nothing wrong with spending a few hours in the airport either, as it's well laid out, has some amazing architecture and a whole lot of restaurants to choose from.
If you get into Türkiye due to your nationality, there will be a 5-6 hour layover to admire the center of the city by the metro M11 or taxi. Explore the district of the Sultanahmet, go outside the great Mosque of the Blue Hagiasophia and then stroll around the neighbourhood and its squares to taste the real Turkish cuisine and return to the airport. Arrive at least three hours prior to your departure to an international destination because of the size of the airport.
Travellers will be able to spend a fulfilling half day sightseeing in Istanbul for eight hours or more. Head to the Grand Bazaar, Spice Bazaar, Galata Tower or the old Sultanahmet district or the waterfront of the Bosphorus. For those wanting to enjoy the Bosphorus, traditional Turkish breakfast establishments are the best places to go; for the shoppers, there are markets for handmade carpets, ceramics, spices, jewellery and Turkish sweets. If you make a personal transfer with Airport Assist, a sightseeing time will occur in addition to the timely transfer to/from the airport.
Airport Assist offers quality airport services in Istanbul Airport to the departure & arrival passengers, also connecting passengers. From business, to tourism, pilgrimage, luxury holiday or transit, our experienced team will be able to offer you Meet and Greet, Fast Track Help, VIP Concierge, Lounge, Baggage, Family Support and Personal Transit. Whether you are boarding an aircraft or exiting the terminal, Airport Assist can make it a seamless, efficient and stress-free experience for you, even if you're walking from a terminal to terminal, boarding gate to boarding gate, or the airport to your hotel.
Pro Tip: You enter into one of the largest passenger terminals in the world and some of the gates you pass in and out of are up to 20-30 minutes. Booking Airport Assist involves Meet and Get, Fast Track and Lounge Access (where available) and Buggy Service (where available) to make it easy to navigate the airport and make the most of the time before you board the plane.
