Asiana Airlines is a full-service international carrier that’s part of the Star Alliance network, offering connections throughout East Asia and beyond from Seoul’s Incheon International Airport (ICN). The airline’s top selling points are its passenger experience, partner network and that well-known hub, which passengers consistently vote as one of the best airports globally. If you’re looking for a reliable, comfortable way to get to or connect through East Asia, Asiana is a name you should know.
The Asiana Airlines model
Asiana Airlines is a medium-sized international full-service airline offering connections around East Asia and beyond. The airline also operates two subsidiary low-cost carriers, Air Busan and Air Seoul, for domestic and regional flights.
Onboard you’ll find pleasingly spacious seats, even in economy, and a decent business class. Most planes aren’t the newest (except the Airbus A350 and A321neo), which means they might not have the latest tech, but I think the tradeoff for more personal space is well worth it.
Economy class seats
Asiana Airlines provides generous seat spacing in its Boeing 777 economy cabin. That’s real extra comfort and space between you and your neighbors, and I can definitely feel the difference myself.
Asiana also flies the Airbus A380, popular for its comfortable ride and wide cabins, which remains in active service with the airline. If you get the chance to fly it, I certainly recommend it.
I recommend choosing a seat on the A380’s top deck. The upper economy cabin has Duo Seats at the windows (2 seats together) with fewer seats overall than downstairs, and window seat passengers get their own individual side locker with a large amount of extra space.
On the A350, Asiana offers Economy Smartium, an extra-legroom ticket with 4 inches more space, priority boarding (Zone 1), priority baggage and business lounge access at Incheon for long-haul flights to the U.S., Europe and Australia. I recommend saving your pennies and skipping it, though.
Surprisingly, I don’t find the lounge impressive, and both the standard economy food and seats are above average so you don’t need to spring for more. The base product is already good enough.
Business class seats
Asiana’s business class is comfortable and pleasingly consistent across long-haul planes (the A350, A380 and 777), with full lie-flat beds in a staggered layout. All seats are decent, but some are much better than others because of this configuration.
For more privacy, choose a window seat or a center section aisle seat where the side table separates you from the aisle. This gives you separation from the service cart and foot traffic so you won’t be disturbed, while maintaining direct aisle access.
If you’re traveling with a partner, definitely consider the center seats E and F. The layout puts the chairs next to each other and the center divider can be lowered to create a more shared experience. It doesn’t create a double bed, but it’s the next best thing, which I often call “cuddle class.”
The A380 also has what used to be first class, now called the Business Suite. It’s sold as a modest upgrade from business, so if you want to live a first-class lifestyle on a business-class budget, this is the seat for you. The suite is a little dated, but it’s spacious and still a swanky experience.
On the regional Airbus A330, you’ll find older, sloping sleeper seats. They recline flat, but at an angle, so your feet are lower than your head. They’re fine for a nap on a shorter flight, but they don’t meet modern standards for long-haul business class.
Asiana’s short-haul planes, the A321 and the newer A321neo, have standard business class recliners. They’re pretty much what you’d find in domestic first class on a US airline, and they get the job done.
Food and drinks
The food on Asiana Airlines is great, even in economy. I love Korean food so you’ll always catch me ordering the Korean selection rather than the Western choices, which can be a little generic by comparison. I advise preordering your meal to ensure you get your first choice – I always do.
If you choose Korean, go for the bibimbap or ssambap rice bowl options. You mix these yourself and can add as much gochujang spicy sauce as you like. If you’re a chili lover, ask for an extra tube with your meal.
On longer flights, there’s a second hot meal. Again, I’d stick with the Korean menu, which is usually something delicious like pork with kimchi and rice. You can also find snacks like instant noodle cups in the galley if you get hungry.
Inflight entertainment and Wi-Fi
Many of Asiana’s planes aren’t the newest models. They’re still safe and comfortable, but they lack modern upgrades like fast USB charging ports or the newest entertainment screens. You should definitely come prepared with your own external power supply.
Long-haul flights have entertainment screens with a good selection of movies and TV shows, but I wouldn’t expect a cinematic experience. Power ports may not be powerful enough for all modern devices, and USB connections may vary by aircraft, so bring an adapter if you have a modern C connection.
Asiana’s A350s offer inflight Wi-Fi for a fee, similar to other airlines. Just make sure you put your phone in flight mode. Asiana has a roaming cellular network onboard (AeroMobile on A350 aircraft, excluding USA flights), and if your roaming is on, you could get a nasty surprise on your next phone bill.
Asiana Airlines’ primary airports
Asiana flights in Korea operate from Terminal 1 at Seoul’s Incheon International Airport, roughly 37 miles west of the city center with a convenient Airport Railroad Express (AREX) train connection. I’ll usually try to spend at least a couple of days in Seoul as a layover when connecting on Asiana. It’s such an incredible city with so much to see and do, and modern Seoul changes so fast that there’s always something new to check out.
Asiana’s terminal might be older, but the airport wins awards for good reason. It’s spacious, airy and efficient, with tons of shops and delicious eateries. Bargains on Korean cosmetics abound, and my go-to snack is the iconic Paris Baguette. It’s hard to put a foot wrong for food at this airport.
It might sound strange, but the Asiana lounges are nothing to write home about. There are three business lounges (Central near Gate 26, East near Gate 11, and West near Gate 42) and one Business Suite Lounge near Gate 11. They’re all pretty similar, with just okay food and drink selections. I usually eat in the main terminal and then head to the lounge to charge my devices.
A few domestic and regional flights use the city’s older airport, Gimpo International (GMP), which is closer to downtown Seoul. It handles domestic routes and regional international “shuttle” flights to major East Asian cities including Tokyo, Osaka, Beijing, Shanghai, and Taipei.
Airline partners and frequent flyer program
Asiana’s frequent flyer program is called Asiana Club, and it’s part of the Star Alliance network. That means Star Alliance Silver and Gold members get their usual perks when flying with Asiana.
Silver members receive Priority Reservations Waitlist and Priority Airport Standby, while Gold members additionally get Priority Check-in, Priority Baggage Handling, Airport Lounge Access, Priority Boarding, Extra Baggage Allowance, and Gold Track priority security access.
Asiana also partners with Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, and Air Astana. Asiana has published a Mileage Integration Guide outlining the future migration to Korean Air’s SKYPASS program and eventual move to the SkyTeam alliance following the merger, subject to final approvals.
For now, it’s business as usual with Asiana Club and Star Alliance benefits remaining in effect until the integration takes place.
This KAYAK-commissioned article is presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the article are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others. Find more perspectives in our user reviews below.
