Lounges at Sabiha Gökçen: which one to choose in Istanbul
Travellers flying from Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen find lounges split between the domestic and international terminals, with a very different offer between the two zones. The choice depends on the type of flight, the airline and how much time is left before boarding: one lounge built for real rest, others more about the buffet or the lounge card.
The starting point is the flight's terminal. Anyone flying a domestic route has two options at the Domestic Terminal: the brand-new Plaza Premium Lounge Anadolu, on the mezzanine right after security control, and the Turkish Airlines lounge housed in the VIP Terminal, a building separate from the main one. Anyone flying abroad instead chooses among the options of the International Terminal, more numerous and more varied.
Domestic departures side, mezzanine level, after security control
Opens in 2026 as the Plaza Premium group's new domestic departures lounge, with a buffet of Turkish and international cuisine and a children's play area.
Hours
Open 24 hours
Entry with Priority Pass (maximum stay 2 hours), LoungeKey, DragonPass and American Express card. Paid access via LoungePair, $44 for 3 hours; children under 2 go free.
Hot food
Bar
Children's area
IndependentInternational · International flightsPriority Pass
Kepler Club
After passport control, turning left; escalator on the right up to the mezzanine level
A tech-driven rest lounge concept with private pods equipped with a personal tablet and an autonomous delivery robot; showers are included with towels and toiletries, and every guest has a personal locker.
Hours
Open 24 hours
Requires an international flight departing from Turkey. Paid access via LoungePair, $31 for 3 hours; Pegasus passengers get a 15% discount by showing their boarding pass. Children under 7 are not allowed access to the sleeping pods, but family rooms are available on request.
Showers
Rest area
IndependentInternational · International flightsPriority Pass
Plaza Premium Lounge Marmara
International departures level, in the area dedicated to the Plaza Premium group
Serves international and transit passengers of the Plaza Premium group, with a separate play area for children and premium alcoholic drinks available at extra cost.
Hours
Open 24 hours
Entry with Priority Pass (maximum stay 2 hours), LoungeKey, DragonPass and American Express card. Paid access via LoungePair, $44 for 3 hours; children under 2 go free.
Hot food
Bar
Children's area
AirlineDomestic · Domestic flights
Turkish Airlines Lounge
VIP Terminal, a separate building a few hundred metres from the main terminal
Unlike the international lounge, the décor here doesn't follow the typical flagship-lounge style: wooden floors, a large round red sofa in the centre and red LED strips on the floor.
Split into two areas: a larger one for Star Alliance Gold, Elite and Classic Plus members, and a smaller one reserved for Business passengers and Elite Plus members.
Showers
Hot food
Children's area
AirlineInternational · International flights
Turkish Airlines Lounge
International departures level, first floor, signposted right after passport control
The restroom has two showers; the lounge offers a live cooking station for börek, a cold buffet with salads and two types of soup, plus house wine and beer. The author of a 2026 review calls it 'hardly comparable' to the airport's large flagship lounge in Istanbul.
Turkish Airlines Business passengers, Miles&Smiles Elite and Elite Plus members, Star Alliance Gold members (including in economy class, even on other Star Alliance carriers) and Corporate Club members, with a flight departing the same day from Sabiha Gökçen.
Showers
Hot food
Bar
IndependentInternational · International flightsPriority PassTemporarily closed
Plaza Premium Bosphorus Lounge
International departures level, near gate 205
Temporarily closed since June 2026 for renovation work; it was the second Plaza Premium group lounge in international departures, with a separate children's play area and a bar with paid drinks.
Entry with Priority Pass (maximum stay 2 hours), LoungeKey, DragonPass and American Express card.
Bar
Children's area
No lounges match this filter.
With Priority Pass, LoungeKey, DragonPass or an American Express card, entry to the Plaza Premium group's lounges is almost automatic: the Lounge Anadolu at the Domestic Terminal and the Lounge Marmara at the International Terminal both offer a buffet of Turkish and international cuisine and a space dedicated to children. The group's third lounge, the Plaza Premium Bosphorus Lounge, is instead closed for renovation work and is not among the available options for now.
Anyone with a long layover who really wants to rest finds in the Kepler Club the airport's most distinctive option: private pods with a personal tablet, a robot that brings orders to the table, and showers complete with towels and toiletries. Access requires an international flight departing from Turkey, and younger children aren't allowed into the sleeping pods, although family rooms can be arranged on request.
Anyone flying with Turkish Airlines, or holding a status that qualifies, finds a dedicated lounge in each terminal. The one at the International Terminal is reserved for Business passengers, Miles&Smiles Elite and Elite Plus members, Star Alliance Gold members even when travelling with another alliance carrier, and Corporate Club members, with a cold buffet, soups and a station where börek are prepared on the spot. The one at the Domestic Terminal, in the VIP Terminal, is split into two areas according to passenger status and stands out for a décor different from flagship lounges, with a large red sofa and LED lights on the floor.
The simplest choice still comes down to your ticket: those flying with the flag carrier look first at the Turkish Airlines lounge in their terminal, those with a lounge card aim for the Plaza Premium group's lounges, present at both the Domestic and International Terminals. For those who just need to rest during a long international layover, the Kepler Club remains the option built specifically for that, with a concept unlike any other lounge at Sabiha Gökçen. Either way, it's worth always checking the status of your preferred lounge, since one of the Plaza Premium group's options is currently out of use for renovation.
Istanbul loungeSabiha GökçenPlaza PremiumTurkish Airlines loungePriority Pass Istanbul
