About this flight
To visit Dubrovnik, the southernmost city of Croatia located along the Adriatic coast, I flew Economy Class on Turkish Airlines from Istanbul, Turkey to Dubrovnik.
Dubrovnik’s Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is said to have inspired the setting of the film Kiki’s Delivery Service. With its breathtaking scenery, the city is often called the “Pearl of the Adriatic.”
At Istanbul Atatürk International Airport, I spent some time in the Turkish Airlines lounge, which offered a variety of enjoyable experiences. I appreciated the unique Turkish architecture and interior design, which reflected the charm of Arabian culture, and indulged in Turkish cuisine, red wine, and traditional Turkish tea (çay).
Table of Contents
Atatürk Airport
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Arrival by Car
This is Atatürk International Airport in Istanbul.
I arrived at the airport by car from the city center.
Entrance to Departure Lobby
I’ve arrived at the entrance to the departure lobby.
Heavily armed security personnel, equipped with rifles, are stationed outside. Since airports are often targets of terrorism, it’s common to see guards like this overseas.
Self Check-in
This is the self check-in counter area.
Departure Lobby
This is the departure lobby of Istanbul Atatürk International Airport.
Ticket Counter
This is the Turkish Airlines ticket counter. People purchasing tickets are lining up here.
Check-in Counter
This is the Turkish Airlines check-in counter. Although I had an economy class ticket, as a Star Alliance Gold member, I was able to use the business class check-in counter.
Boarding Pass
This is my boarding pass.
Security Check Area
This is the security checkpoint.
Dining Area
After passing through security, there was a dining area on the way to the boarding gates. This shop offers bread, cakes, and soft drinks.
Lounge
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Turkish Airlines Lounge
This is the Turkish Airlines Lounge in Istanbul.
Glass Lockers
These are the lockers for storing hand luggage. They are made of glass.
Impressive Architecture
The interior of the Turkish Airlines lounge features a unique design. The interconnected domed spaces resemble large tents and leave a strong impression.
Single-Seater Relaxation Area
This is a cozy area with single-seat tables where guests can relax while enjoying their meals.
Soft Drink Station
This is the soft drink station. On the far left, you can also see a wine cart.
Live Cooking Station
This is the food corner serving Thai cuisine, where meals are cooked to order. There are other live kitchen stations offering Turkish food and more.
Connecting Staircase
This is a staircase in the center of the lounge. It’s uniquely designed, with a globe motif surrounding the landing area.
Ambience of Upper and Lower Floors
The view from the central staircase shows a contrast in atmosphere between the floors. The upper level is open and bright with natural light, while the lower floor feels more calm and moody.
Hard Liquor Station
This is the international hard liquor section.
- Italy – MARTINI
- USA – Jack Daniel
- Scotland – Jonny Walker
- Netherlands – SAFARI, etc.
Salads and Appetizers Station
This section offers various salads and side dishes, likely Turkish cuisine.
Kebab Station
This is a live kebab station where the chef serves you directly.
Drink Station
This station offers not only hard liquors but also red and white wines. The refrigerator on the right contains soft drinks and mineral water.
Cake Station
This is the homemade cake corner with a variety of cakes.
As Turkish cuisine is considered one of the world’s top three, it reflects a national passion for good food. It’s likely that locals enjoy sampling different cake flavors too.
Sweets Station
This section offers delicious handmade sweets.
- • Apple Strudel
- • Apricot Tart
My Meal
This is the meal I enjoyed.
- • Four types of Turkish appetizers
- • Salad
- • Soup
- • Red wine
Sofa Area
This is the lounge's sofa area. The facilities are spacious and comfortable, making it a great lounge.
The nine screens at the back seem to be showing various TV channels.
Turkish Tea Station
This is the Turkish tea (called “çay” in Turkey) station. Beside the large tea pot called “çaydanlık” are traditional Turkish tea glasses. In Turkey, tea is served in glasses rather than cups.
Kebabs
I enjoyed kebabs with red wine.
- • Lamb kebab and chicken kebab
Cheese
Cheese was served from a service cart by the staff. I received a prepared cheese plate.
Dining Area
This is the dining area during my meal at the lounge.
2nd Floor Seating Area
This is the seating area on the second floor.
The natural sunlight gives it a bright and airy atmosphere.
Turkish Tea (Çay)
This is the Turkish çay glass. It has a distinctive hourglass shape. In Turkey, tea is not served in teacups.
The deep red color indicates high-quality tea, and the use of glasses may be to appreciate the color.
Popcorn
This is the popcorn corner.
You can enjoy popcorn while watching the movie shown on the screen in the back.
Time to Head to the Gate
I thoroughly enjoyed the lounge. It's now time to head to the boarding gate.
Boarding
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Security Gate
To reach the boarding gate, we passed through this security checkpoint area again.
Asiana Airlines on the Apron
It looks like Asiana Airlines used to operate flights to Istanbul at that time.
Boarding Gate
This shows the boarding gate area during the check-in process.
Apron
This is an AtlasGlobal aircraft parked next to the apron before boarding.
AtlasGlobal was a Turkish airline that went bankrupt in 2020.
Time to Board
It's time to board the flight to Dubrovnik.
The aircraft is an Airbus A319.
Boarding Aircraft
Just before entering the cabin, I took a look at the aircraft from the top of the boarding stairs.
Onboard
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In-flight Service
This photo shows the in-flight service after takeoff.
In-flight Meal
Although it was only about a 1.5-hour flight, a meal was served on board.
- • Sandwich
- • Caprese (tomato and mozzarella cheese)
- • Cake
- • Red wine and water
Arrival Airport
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Baggage Claim
We arrived at Dubrovnik International Airport. This is the baggage claim area.
Arrival Board
This is the arrival board at Dubrovnik International Airport. It seems there aren't too many arriving or departing flights.
We arrived at 9:05 p.m., and the board also showed the flights arriving the next day.
Arrival Lobby
This is the arrival lobby after immigration. I took a shuttle bus into the city center.
Shuttle Bus Stop
Waiting for the shuttle bus.
Shuttle Bus
The shuttle bus to the city center has arrived. You can see the word “Dubrovnik” written on the side of the bus.
Finally made it!
