Review: Turkish Airlines Lounge New York (JFK)

Crowded and warm, the Turkish Airlines lounge at New York JFK would not be my first lounge choice among hte many options in Terminal 1, but it certianly beats the depressing public areas.

Turkish Airlines Lounge New York Review (JFK)

Ahead of my Royal Air Maroc flight, I checked out several lounges in JFK Terminal 1

Hours + Access + Location

This lounge is located between gates 2 and 3 (turn right after security) and open from 9:00 am to 12:10 am daily. It is both part of the Priority Pass network and a Star Alliance Gold lounge.

Priority Pass members can access this lounge (with guests depending upon the type of Priority Pass membership you have) as can Star Alliance business and first class travelers departing from JFK and Star Alliance Gold passengers traveling in any class of service.

If you enter via Priority Pass, permitted a maximum stay of three hours. Children under 2 years are admitted free.

Seating

This lounge appeared packed at 2:30 pm…it was quite difficult to find a seat. The lounge is not all that large to begin with and I think it attracted many Proirty Pass members because the nearby Air France Lounge stops taking Priority Pass at 2:00 pm.

However, there was seating in the business center and also on a long couch adjacent to the reception desk at the entrance that was not crowded.

By the time I left, however, those areas were filled too…and there was even a wait to get into the lounge.

Food + Drink

Everyone seemed to be hungry in the lounge, with vultures hovering over the buffet waiting for it to be replenished (I was glad I had eaten in the Soho Lounge).

Food selection included soups, chicken gyro, rice, vegetables, pasta with tomato sauce, and salads including green and eggplant. There was hummus and yogurt with cucumbers as well. It did not look bad…it’s just there was really a lot of demand for it!

This is a dry lounge. No alcohol is available. Soft drinks, water, coffee, tea, and juice are available.

Restrooms + Showers

Restrooms are available inside the lounge, but no showers.

CONCLUSION

Of all the Turkish Airlines lounges I have been to around the world, this one was the worst, though perhaps had I visited it shortly after opening when it was mostly empty, my assessment would have been different.

The food looked decent, but with so many people and so few plugs, it was not a comfortable experience. Those who like alcoholic beverages should be aware this is a dry lounge.