Istanbul Airport Meet and Greet Service Guide 2026

Istanbul Airport (IST) handles more than 80 million passengers a year, and even seasoned travellers can be overwhelmed by its size on a tight connection or after a long-haul flight. The Istanbul Airport Meet and Greet service was created exactly for this — a personal greeter waits for you at the jet bridge, passport hall, or curbside and walks you through the terminal in a calm, fast, structured way.

As an official provider for IST passenger services, AssistME has been operating Meet and Greet at Istanbul Airport since the terminal opened in 2019. The 2026 service catalogue covers three core scenarios: arrivals, departures, and transit. This guide explains how each one works, what is included, and how to choose the right Istanbul Airport Meet and Greet service for your trip.

What Is the Istanbul Airport Meet and Greet Service?

Meet and Greet is a personal escort service: a uniformed representative meets you at the aircraft door on arrival, or at the terminal entrance on departure. They help with luggage, escort you through fast-track passport control, security, and customs, and stay with you until you reach your car, hotel transfer, or onward boarding gate. It is the difference between standing in a queue for forty minutes and walking through the airport in fifteen.

Arrival, Departure, and Transit Packages Explained

The Istanbul Airport Arrival Meet and Greet service starts the moment your aircraft door opens. Your greeter walks you through the gate area, fast-track immigration, baggage reclaim with porter support, and on to your driver outside customs.

The Istanbul Airport Departure Meet and Greet service is the mirror image: you are met at the curbside, taken to the check-in desk or the dedicated business-class line where applicable, escorted through priority security, and walked to the gate.

The Istanbul Airport Transit Meet and Greet service, also called gate-to-gate, is the most operationally complex. Your greeter knows the terminal layout and gets you from one gate to another even on a tight sixty-minute connection, including passport stamps where required.

How to Book Your Meet and Greet at IST

Bookings are made online and require at least twenty-four hours notice. Short-notice requests under twenty-four hours are accepted operationally where possible but carry a surcharge. You will need your flight number, full passenger name, number of pieces of luggage, and any onward transfer requirement.

Confirmation arrives in writing within minutes, with the greeter name and meeting-point details sent before service time. The same Istanbul Airport Meet and Greet service contact handles amendments if your flight changes.

Pricing and What Is Included in 2026

Standard Meet and Greet at IST starts at €250 per passenger for arrival and €290 for departure in 2026, including fast-track lanes, porter service for up to four pieces of luggage, and end-to-end escort. Children under six are not charged on most packages. Transit pricing is calculated from arrival and departure components together since the greeter stays with you across both legs.

When You Should Upgrade to VIP or C-VIP

For travellers who want to bypass the main terminal entirely, the Istanbul Airport VIP service at the C-VIP terminal is a separate private facility with its own security, dedicated suites, and apron transfer in a Mercedes Maybach. Pricing starts at €1,320 per passenger and is the right choice for high-profile guests, families wanting full privacy, or anyone with a serious aversion to crowds.

The Istanbul Airport Meet and Greet service works for almost every traveller. The C-VIP terminal sits above it for the very top end. Most clients choose Meet and Greet first and step up only when their trip profile genuinely requires the private terminal.