Istanbul Airport

Customer Reviews

5 star Skytrax Rating
Terminal Seating 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Terminal Signs 12345
Queuing Times 12345
Food Beverages 12345
Airport Staff 12345
Customer rating from 635 reviews
3/10
5 star Skytrax Rating
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2/10

Istanbul Airport customer review

(South Africa)

Transited this airport en route to Athens early this month where the number of passengers queuing at international transfers was simply overwhelming. Returned this week (1am) en route to Johannesburg where there were very few people going through security but the number of people in the International departure area was unbelievable. It appears that this airport simply cannot cope with the size if it's own airline fleet never mind all the other airlines that utilise Ataturk.
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
no
7/10

Istanbul Airport customer review

(Turkey)

I have read several reviews and I think they are not fair: 1) The airport is almost spotless according to its traffic load. 2) Security is double when compared to EU airports. 3) Facilities are more than double compared to EU airports. 4) Duty Free prices are uncomparable especially for Spirits and Tobacco. 5) Airside areas for public use excluding lounges are enormous. 6) Prices in public areas are high according to Turkey but lower than EU airports except for alcoholic drinks. 7) Queues are long and chaotic but staff are more efficient (we waited 30 minutes for 10 people in FRA). 8) Visa at the airport takes less than 1/2 hour which is not available anywhere else. 9) Few public seating spaces but traffic has grown more than twice in the last 20 years. 10) If you have Access to a lounge they are the best considering free offerings and IT infrastructure. So instead of complaining: 11) Get your visa online before arrival. 12) Prefer less crowded dates (except Monday morning and Friday evening) and times (05-07 22-00 for example). 13) Use on-line or kiosk check-in hand luggage to Baggage Drop-Off counters. 14) Read instructions on security carefully and eliminate all needs for staff to intervene. 15) Prepare your documents and passport beforehand and be ready for questions of the immigration officer. 16) Officers at pass control speak some English do not expect more than that. 17) Visa queue is the leftmost. On its right come foreigner pass control. Then starts Turkish citizen counters after which Fast Track the last and leftmost counter comes. 18) Do not forget Ataturk is the busiest airport in Europe ME Africa and West Asia in terms of no of flights and human traffic / m2 area! 19) Keep in mind that people coming from countries other than where there is a strict code regarding queues may not obey rules the way you do. Do not feel reluctant to warn them out loud and call officers if necessary.
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
yes
6/10

Istanbul Airport customer review

(Netherlands)

Used this airport two times over the last 7 weeks. Arriving is okay. Our luggage was quick on the belt and we were lucky that it was not too busy at the immigration desks. Leaving from this aiport is not so good. Too many flights are leaving from here so there are not enough seats for the passengers who are waiting for this flight. Staff working in the bars and restaurants are rude to customers and have a bad attitude.
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
no
na

Istanbul Airport customer review

(United Kingdom)

I use SABIHA GOKCHEN airport airport as I work in TUZLA nearby and pass through it 2 or 3 times per month from UK. Be warned the arrival immigration arrangements are a total shambles. I have plenty of experience of this facility and it's getting worse. By the month. I agree with previous reviewer - The queues are chaotic and the airport staff are disinterested and a total disgrace and they don't care. Things have got so chaotic in both ISTANBUL AIRPORTS that I have now resorted to flying via IZMIR.
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
no
7/10

Istanbul Airport customer review

(United Kingdom)

Made good use of TAV passport card. Exclusive security clearance at airport entrance (no one in line) golf cart buggy to a distant gate made transiting Istanbul a breeze. If you travel through Istanbul frequently this may make for a good investment. It makes life so much easier at a busy airport. Business lounge for Turkish Airlines. The best in the world. The airport it self was packed at peak travel time. If I didn't have the TAV card or the use of the lounge then my review would not have been as positive.
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
yes
1/10

Istanbul Airport customer review

(Germany)

One of the worst airports I've visited (and I do travel a lot). First impression is 'controlled chaos' but after a few minutes you realize that you should skip the word 'controlled'. Tons of people pushing from each side fast track for business class being much slower in terms of passport control than regular line (just one desk conducting passport control for all business class passengers). No A/C or working miserably especially in the domestic terminal area (I was flying Luxembourg - Istanbul - Izmir so I had to go from international to domestic). No gate number on the screens when it was stated 'boarding' it did not even started. When I've seen 'last call' I rushed being a bit stressed that I will miss the flight but the boarding was about to start. The staff are rather polite and if asked can give you directions but overall - a terrible experience. Avoid if possible.
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
no
na

Istanbul Airport customer review

(United Kingdom)

This is the worst Airport I have been toand considering I travel extensively for business that is a bold statement. I flew in at 18.30hrs and joined what was already a very long queue for immigration. It was hot and sticky in the building and with the amount of people in the queue it got hotter. Time dragged and the queue was very slow for non Nationals however that was not the worst of it because as subsequent flights arrived more people joined the queue but a lot of passengers started pushing in. I had been in the queue now for 1.5hrs and was in no mood. People were shouting I saw some women crying and in my opinion this situation was ignored by the airport staff. After 2hrs I got through immigration and off to the baggage reclaim. When I looked at the screen it was so late my flight had been removed. I went to the Pegasus office and asked where my checked luggage was? They began to see if the bag was not taken off the flight and had moved on to another airport but then a fellow passenger told me there was a lot of bags on the floor at the end of the first carousel. I had a look and there is was dumped on the floor! I could not leave quickly enough. The immigration queue leaving was not too bad but I did go to the airport particularly early 4hrs to ensure I got on my flight!
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
no
5/10

Istanbul Airport customer review

(United States)

My teenage son feels it is worth avoiding this airport I wouldn't go that far but its not a superb experience. When we flew (to FRA on THY June 2014) one had to go through full security before entering the terminal. There wasn't obviously anyone to help if a passenger were too frail to lift ones (not yet checked) bags onto a table above waist level for the x-ray. So we then assumed that IST just does security in a different order having cleared security we bought water for the flight (at reasonable prices) before passport control. Only after passport control can you see that there's a second identical security check and you have to discard that water. Still thirsty or hungry? The final set of shops and restaurants have the most outrageous prices you have ever encountered in any airport anywhere. So we had about $10 worth of Turkish lira left but could buy almost nothing with it. Why not exchange it for € or $ at the currency exchange? No they say the amount we had didn't meet their minimum! The roads to IST from Sultanahmet were fast and uncrowded at least at 6am. The ticketing check-in agents were unusually friendly and efficient; the passport control line was really long but moved quickly. Fairly crowded waiting at the gate (but there was decent seating) and then we were jam-packed standing onto a bus to get to the plane. But on-time departure and so again it was fine.
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness 12345
Airport Shopping 12345
no
2/10

Istanbul Airport customer review

(Denmark)

With queuing time from ½ to 1½ hour in immigration/passport control on both arrivals and departures it is surely an airport to avoid. Immigration officers are inefficient rude and not very service minded. Even if hundreds of people are waiting sometime only half the desks are manned. If you have a connecting domestic flight you are never sure if you have enough time.
Queuing Times 12345
Terminal Cleanliness N/A
Airport Shopping N/A
no
5/10

Istanbul Airport customer review

(Turkey)

Ataturk Airport is going downhill fast. Too many flights coming and going and the delays are increasing. Now passengers have to wait 40 minutes for their luggage.
Queuing Times N/A
Terminal Cleanliness N/A
Airport Shopping N/A
no