Jeju Air is South Korea’s number one low-cost carrier and the second-largest airline in the country overall. While the airline operates a major hub at Jeju International Airport (CJU), it also maintains key operational hubs at Gimpo International Airport (GMP) and Incheon International Airport (ICN). It’s become my go-to for quick domestic Korean routes. The service is solid despite the lower fares, and it works particularly well for island hops.
Destinations
Jeju Air operates numerous routes within South Korea, including the world’s most frequently operated route between Gimpo and Jeju. International destinations span across Japan, China, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Guam, Saipan, and Laos.
Fares
Jeju Air offers four domestic fare types (previously known as FLY and FLYBAG, recently renamed to BASIC and STANDARD). BASIC includes 22 pounds of carry-on only. STANDARD adds free checked luggage (generally 33 pounds domestically; 50 pounds for Guam/Saipan routes). FLEX includes the same baggage as STANDARD plus additional benefits. BIZ LITE provides 22 pounds of carry-on with 66 pounds of checked baggage (or two 50-pound bags for Guam/Saipan), a premium seat, priority boarding and check-in.
Classes
Jeju Air offers both economy and Business Lite tickets. Economy is pretty standard unless you pay more for a seat with more space, like an exit row. Business Lite (called BIZ LITE) comes at a premium, but it’s still affordable.
Seats
The Business Lite seats have a pitch of 40-41 inches and are 21 inches wide. Economy seats have a pitch of 28-29 inches and are 16-17 inches wide.
Keep in mind that not all Jeju Air planes have a Business Lite cabin. The rest of the fleet is all-economy, with seats that are mostly the same. On a few planes, there are slightly larger seats near the front that you can book for a small fee when you buy your ticket.
Seat and baggage bundles
Low-cost airlines pile on fees quickly, so Jeju Air’s bundle options can save you money if you’re checking bags or adding comfort upgrades. I recommend booking these in advance.
The two bundle tiers are PLUS and PREMIUM PLUS. PLUS includes 22 pounds of carry-on baggage, 44 pounds of checked baggage, free economy seat selection, priority boarding and quick baggage claim. PREMIUM PLUS adds 66 pounds of checked baggage, free seat selection anywhere onboard, and a reserved check-in counter at airports where available, while keeping the same boarding and claim benefits.
Membership
While Jeju Air isn’t part of a major international alliance (though it was a founding member of the Value Alliance for low-cost carriers), it has its own loyalty program presented as J Members with J Point, and it’s free to join. You’ll collect points for flying and for using associated credit cards, and you can also buy extra points if you’re close to a reward. The points can be redeemed for flights, gifted to other members, or used for baggage, seat selection and even in-flight meals.
The program has a few tiers: VIP, GOLD, SILVER+ and SILVER. Depending on your level (which is based on accumulated points or boarding count), you can get priority boarding, additional baggage allowance and extra points accrual.
Check in and boarding pass policies
Check-in opens 24 hours before flights. Mobile boarding passes work for most routes, but China flights and certain other international destinations like some Busan departures and Guam/Saipan routes require printed passes from the airport check-in desk (you can still check in online first).
Certain passengers must check in at the desk regardless of destination, including dual nationality holders, passengers traveling with infants, unaccompanied minors and those with pets. Pregnant women traveling between 32-37 weeks require specific documentation but aren’t necessarily restricted from mobile check-in.
Change & cancellation policies
Check specific fare rules for your booking, as cancellation policies vary by fare type and market. After that, any changes (dates, destinations, passengers, times) will incur individual fees that add up quickly based on fare type and timing. Point booking changes and refunds are subject to standard fare rules.
Take note of this unique quirk: Jeju Air enacts even stricter change and cancellation rules during peak travel periods. I recommend avoiding the airline for leisure travel during these heavy travel periods when these very popular routes can be overwhelming and stressful enough even without the added rules and increased penalties and charges.
Additional baggage information
For frequent travelers with bulky gear, Jeju Air has a few annual fee-based baggage memberships. The Sports Membership lets you fly with one item of sports equipment up to 44 pounds for a year. There’s also a Golf Membership that provides an extra 55 pounds allowance for golf equipment plus related benefits. For cyclists, Jeju Air offers a Bicycle Carry Bag rental service with added bicycle baggage allowance benefits.
Special extra seat options
Jeju Air recommends an extra seat option for those who want to lie down. To do this, purchase the two seats next to you and you’ll have three seats (and the entire row) to yourself. The airline advertises this for both lying down, and for couples traveling together to have more space with an empty middle seat, with specific fees published by route category.
Entertainment
Jeju Air doesn’t offer traditional seatback entertainment systems, and Wi-Fi isn’t currently available on their flights. The airline does offer special “In-flight Fun Services” on select flights, including onboard magic shows by their Magic Team, caricatures by the Illustration Team, balloon art, and tarot readings, which they’re rolling out more frequently. For now, I recommend bringing your own entertainment preloaded on fully charged devices.
Meals in the sky
Jeju Air lets you preorder a meal if you so desire. Menus change by route, but you will often find Korean fare like bibimbap, dumplings and noodles on offer. There are typically also some sandwiches and salads on the menu. You can purchase these once onboard, but if you want to be guaranteed your selection I recommend booking and paying for these in advance. They do have beers and other alcohol, plus soft drinks, coffee and tea.
Pets on board
Small cats, dogs, and birds up to 20 pounds (combined weight of pet and carrier) are allowed to fly in the cabin on Jeju Air, and there’s even a pet meal option for these special guests. Adorably, four-legged passengers also get their own special Pet Pass that functions as a travel stamp program, making this one of my favorite airlines for flying with a small pet.
Partnerships
The airline isn’t part of the three major global alliances (Star Alliance, SkyTeam or Oneworld), though it was a founding member of the Value Alliance for low-cost carriers. It does offer codeshare bookings with some airlines. This means you can book flights across these airlines and know your connections will work seamlessly, even with delays or cancellations. Jeju codeshares with Jetstar, which in my experience is particularly great for travel in Southeast Asia.
Pay later
If you’re a registered member, you get the benefit of booking without paying right away. The airline will hold your flight for 24 or 72 hours for a small fee, locking in the current fare until you decide to purchase the ticket or let it go.
Promotions
As part of its brand, Jeju Air offers a lot of discounts and promotions across different industries. I’ve found these to be worthwhile and recommend looking into them. Current partner benefits include Klook sports activity discounts through the Sports Membership and The Shilla Duty Free and ride discounts through the Golf Membership, with various other promotions available on their events page.
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.
