During my exotic journey to Bangkok via Paris, I flew Thai Airways’ Boeing 787 business class from Bangkok (BKK) to Milan (MXP). Prior to my flight, I had the chance to check out several of the Star Alliance lounge options in Bangkok, and in this installment, I’d like to review the Turkish Airlines Lounge (I’ll also review the Thai Airways Lounge and EVA Air Lounge).
I’d say the Turkish Airlines Lounge Bangkok is fine, though I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit it. Turkish Airlines is pretty consistent with its outstation lounges when it comes to design and the level of food and drinks available, and this lounge is no exception.
It’s ultimately a perfectly fine place to pass some time, but it pales in comparison to the Turkish Airlines Lounge Istanbul. That being said, with this lounge no longer being open to Priority Pass members, it’s quite the oasis of calm, especially compared to the nearby Thai Airways Lounge.
Turkish Airlines Lounge Bangkok location
The Turkish Airlines Lounge Bangkok is located in International Concourse D, on level three, right near gate D8. Below is a map that gives you a sense of the terminal layout, and relative location of the various lounges.
Bangkok Airport has a layout whereby this part of the terminal basically consists of two connected “crosses,” so it can potentially be quite a distance between areas of the terminal. Lots of international airlines depart from the area near this lounge, so it should be conveniently located for many.
Turkish Airlines Lounge Bangkok hours
The Turkish Airlines Lounge Bangkok is open 24/7, given that the airport has traffic just about all hours of the day and night. This is notable, since the Thai Airways Lounge is only open 21 hours per day, so Turkish has longer hours than Thai has at its own hub.
Turkish Airlines Lounge Bangkok entry requirements
The Turkish Airlines Lounge Bangkok is a standard Star Alliance lounge, meaning you can visit this lounge if you’re flying business or first class on any Star Alliance airline, or if you’re a Star Alliance Gold member. Business class passengers aren’t allowed to bring guests, while Star Alliance Gold members can bring one guest.
Unfortunately this lounge is no longer open to Priority Pass, and that’s seemingly because the airport operator has a bit of a scheme to maximize its profitability associated with lounge access, and that included banning many lounges from belonging to Priority Pass.
I think it’s worth emphasizing the extent to which the public at large doesn’t understand reciprocal lounge access rules. For example, this lounge has virtually identical access requirements to the nearby Thai Airways Lounge, yet when the Turkish Airlines Lounge had one guest in it, the Thai Airways Lounge barely had an empty seat.
Turkish Airlines Lounge Bangkok seating & layout
The Turkish Airlines Lounge Bangkok primarily consists of one huge room, which is broken up into a few different areas with some pillars. When you enter the lounge and turn left, you’ll first see an area with rows of cream colored leather chairs facing one another, along with some black leather chairs along the wall.
Then in the center of the lounge, there’s an area with a bunch of darker dining tables that each have two chairs (though tables are pushed together, so could seat up to four people).
There’s also a bar area with high-top seating, as well as another section in the back right with a few more clusters of seats.
There are a few small rooms off the main room of the lounge. This includes a conference room, a business center with a couple of computers, and a dark room with some chairs and ottomans, intended for relaxing.
That’s the extent of the lounge. As you can tell, it’s perfectly functional, but nothing to get excited about. On the plus side, it was nice and quiet during my visit. One thing worth mentioning is that the terminal in Bangkok gets humid, but this lounge has pretty good air conditioning, so that alone made it worth sitting here.
Turkish Airlines Lounge Bangkok food & drinks
The food and drink selection at the Turkish Airlines Lounge Bangkok isn’t about to win any awards, but was decent enough, especially when you consider how quiet the lounge was during my visit.
In terms of drinks, there was a selection of soft drinks, water, juice, coffee, and tea. Alcoholic drinks were available at the bar, but there wasn’t any obvious signage in terms of the options available.
Cold options included a salad bar, cereal, finger sandwiches, and sweets.
There were also several hot options, including chicken soup, sausage and ham, cherry tomatoes and other veggies, and fried rice.
Personally I typically stay clear of food in lounges in situations like this (when I think the food has been sitting out for hours and hours).
There was also an option kitchen, but it wasn’t staffed during the hours I was there. I assume the selection gets a bit better when the lounge is busy.
Turkish Airlines Lounge Bangkok bathrooms & showers
The Turkish Airlines Lounge Bangkok bathrooms are inside the entrance to the lounge and to the left, at the very end of the hall. They were spotless when I visited, and the men’s room had a few sinks, stalls, and urinals.
The lounge also has a couple of shower suites, but I didn’t use them during my visit.
Turkish Airlines Lounge Bangkok massages
Perhaps the most exciting thing about the Turkish Airlines Lounge Bangkok is that it offers complimentary 15-minute massages. These are available over select hours, and anyone with access to the lounge can request one of these on a first come, first served basis.
Bottom line
The Turkish Airlines Lounge Bangkok is a perfectly fine but unmemorable Star Alliance lounge. Turkish Airlines is consistent with its lounge design and offering, and this location is very similar to other outstation lounges.
In terms of food & drinks, I’d say this lounge isn’t much to get excited about. However, the major benefit is how quiet this lounge is, especially with it no longer being open to Priority Pass. So if you’re looking for somewhere quiet and would otherwise visit the Thai Airways Lounge, check out the Turkish Airlines Lounge instead.
What do you make of the Turkish Airlines Lounge Bangkok?