Reader Question: Lounge Access In Istanbul When Arriving On Turkish Airlines And Departing On Ethiopian?

A LoyaltyLobby reader sent us a question about a long transit in Istanbul when arriving on Turkish Airlines and departing on Ethiopian, and what lounge, if any, can they access during the 7-hour transit?

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You can access Star Alliance’s page for lounge access & rules here.

Reader Question:

It’s so hard to figure out accessibility to lounges.  We booked flights by transfering points through the Chase portal via United Airlines at the end of February.  Our first leg departs from ATL to IST on business class on Turkish Airlines.

We have a 7 hour layover for the next leg from IST to ADD that’s also business class but on Ethiopian Air.

Our final leg from ADD to SEZ is economy (Ethiopian).   However, my understanding of access to lounges depends solely on the departing ticket and not the arrival?

Are we eligible to access any lounges based on our tickets and flight class?  We no longer have any cards that offer lounge status.

We’re particularly interested in lounge access at IST with the exceptional long layover.  If there are any lounges – is there an additional cost?  I’ve read that certain lounges have taken advantage of naive fliers.

Lounge access is usually based on either the class of travel or elite status with the airline or alliance in question.

Here’s the relevant part of the Star Alliance lounge access rules:

International Business Class Customers

As an International Business Class Customer you have access to any Star Alliance member carrier’s owned Business Class lounge at the airport where your flight departs, if the following conditions are met:

You present a boarding pass in International Business Class on a Star Alliance member airline operated flight

Your flight departs on the same day of your visit or latest by 05:00 AM the next morning

The lounge shows the Star Alliance Gold logo at the entrance

You are not entitled to bring any guests.

The reader can access the Turkish Airlines lounge at the Istanbul Airport if the above conditions are met. Turkish Airlines and Ethipian are both Star Alliance members.

The reader is correct that the entry is based on the departing ticket, although some airlines also have arrival lounges.

I was trying to figure out when the reader’s Turkish Airlines flight arrives in Istanbul. Ethiopian Airlines has a daily flight between IST and ADD, but the departure times vary widely.

There is no current Turkish Airlines flight ATL-IST, so I don’t know what US gateway the reader will use.

Looking at the Ethiopian Airlines flights IST-ADD, and when the reader states that they have a 7-hour transit in Istanbul, I cannot imagine any scenario in which they wouldn’t be allowed access to the Turkish Airlines lounge.

Conclusion

Airlines often encourage travelers to use their designated lounges at various airports, but you should familiarize yourself with lounge access rules, as they usually allow you to access better ones.

The reader should present themselves at the Turkish Airlines lounge at the Istanbul Airport with their Ethiopian Airlines business class boarding pass.

I hope that the reader has a fantastic time in the Seychelles! I just canceled my February reservation at the Waldorf Astoria there, as I couldn’t get flying to Seychelles to fit my calendar at this time.

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