Seoul Gimpo Intl Airport (GMP) Flights & Flight Status

Gimpo International Airport (GMP) is Seoul’s primary domestic airport and one of two airports serving the nation’s capital, alongside Seoul Incheon International Airport (ICN). While Jeju International handles more domestic passengers overall (approximately 29 million versus Gimpo’s 23 million annually), Gimpo remains the crucial domestic gateway for the Seoul Capital Area. The airport serves as a major domestic hub for Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, with extensive daily flights from various low-cost carriers including Jeju Air, Jin Air, and T’way Air.

Here’s the inside scoop on navigating GMP, whether you’re hopping on a domestic flight or arriving from one of its select international routes.

How to get to and from GMP and Seoul?

For most travelers, the Airport Express Railway (AREX) is a convenient way to reach central Seoul from Gimpo Airport. The train connects directly to Seoul Station, where you can transfer to KTX high-speed trains, local Korail lines, and Seoul Subway Lines 1 and 4.

Unlike the more distant Incheon Airport, Gimpo is affordably accessible via rideshare using Uber or the local Kakao app. Journey time to central Seoul destinations like Myeongdong and Bukchon Hanok Village typically runs 30–40 minutes depending on traffic, with standard taxi fares generally ranging 22,000–30,000 Korean won. Deluxe or jumbo taxis may cost up to 40,000 won or more.

You can also take a Limousine Bus or a local city bus, but honestly, I’d skip it. If you’re on a budget, the train-to-subway combo is just as fast. And if you’re not worried about cost, a taxi or rideshare is better since you’ll be stuck in the same traffic anyway.

My rule of thumb? I only grab a taxi or rideshare if I’m traveling at a wild hour (really early or late) or wrestling with a giant suitcase. Also, check if your nearby hotel has a free airport shuttle—some hotels like the Mayfield or Lotte City Hotel offer complimentary shuttles, though you’ll usually need to call upon arrival for pickup.

Navigating security lines at Gimpo Airport

Gimpo Airport offers limited expedited security options compared to many Western airports. In my experience, the standard security screening is efficient and respectful enough that you won’t feel the absence of programs like TSA PreCheck.

While there aren’t special programs to buy your way to the front, you might still get access to a shorter line. Priority screening is available for travelers with physical disabilities, pregnant people, and those traveling with infants, along with their travel companions.

If you’re flying to one of Gimpo’s few international destinations like Tokyo-Haneda (HND), Osaka, Taipei-Songshan (TSA), Beijing, or Shanghai, you’ll go through a separate security line from domestic passengers in the International Terminal. After that, you’ll also need to clear passport control.

Flying to any other international spot? You’re almost certainly departing from Seoul’s other airport, Incheon (ICN). Don’t worry, I’ll cover how to get between GMP and ICN later.

Transfers at GMP

Gimpo Airport serves as South Korea’s main domestic connection hub for travelers visiting Seoul. If your travel plans don’t involve Seoul, I recommend booking nonstop flights between outlying Korean airports, even if connecting through GMP costs less.

The good news is that all domestic flights depart from the Domestic Terminal. So if you’re making a domestic-to-domestic connection, say from Jeju to Gimpo and then on to Daegu, you can usually just walk from your arrival gate to your departure gate.

It’s not always that simple, though. Depending on your airlines and terminal areas, you might need to go through an additional security check. Thankfully, it’s almost always a quick and painless process.

Now, if you’re connecting between an international and a domestic flight, things get a little trickier. You’ll need to transfer between the Domestic and International terminals, which are connected by free shuttle buses. A taxi is an option if you’re in a rush, but the free shuttle buses are usually just fine.

Connecting from a domestic to an international flight means going through security and passport control. Coming from an international flight to a domestic one means clearing immigration and customs, changing terminals, and then going through security again. Immigration processing times vary considerably depending on when you arrive.

I always give myself at least an hour for domestic connections and double that for anything involving an international leg. South Korea’s airports are models of efficiency, but you just never know when a delay might pop up.

Transiting between ICN and GMP

The Airport Express (AREX) train connects Gimpo Airport with Incheon Airport, making inter-airport transfers straightforward. This connection is common given Gimpo’s limited international flights compared to Incheon.

You could take a bus, taxi, or rideshare, but I usually advise against it. All of them are at the mercy of Seoul’s traffic, which is the last thing you need when you’ve got a flight to catch.

Just like connecting within Gimpo, a domestic-to-international transfer between GMP and ICN requires another security check and passport control. Factor in the transit time between airports, and you’ll want to allow several hours for this kind of connection to be safe.

If you’re arriving internationally at ICN and connecting to a domestic flight, you’ll most likely transfer to GMP. The exception is a few “feeder” flights Korean Air runs from Incheon to places like Busan (PUS) and Daegu (TAE), but those are only bookable with an international ticket, so you’ll know well in advance.

Airline lounges and alternatives at GMP

Various lounge options exist at Gimpo, depending upon whether you’re flying domestically or internationally. However, these options are not as extensive as what you find at Incheon Airport, which decreases the value proposition of arriving more than an hour or two before your flight.

If you’re flying domestically, you have two choices: the Korean Air KAL Lounge and the Asiana Lounge. Access to the Asiana Lounge is available to Asiana Business Class passengers and Star Alliance Gold members departing on same-day flights. The KAL Lounge welcomes Korean Air Prestige Class passengers and SkyTeam Elite Plus members, though the latter generally only receive access when connecting to or from an international flight.

For international flights to places like Tokyo or Shanghai, you can use the Sky Hub Lounge in the International Terminal near Gate 35. It’s accessible to anyone with a Priority Pass membership, with other access options varying by airline agreements.

Frankly, I never get to Gimpo really early for a domestic flight. Boarding times are typically 30 minutes before departure, and Koreans treat these flights almost like taking a bus. As a result, the domestic lounges aren’t very impressive, and neither is domestic business class, in my opinion.

Luggage storage at GMP

Gimpo has a luggage storage facility, though in my opinion it has limited utility. That’s because most travelers who arrive at this airport are ultimately headed into the city, although this is not the case. The luggage facility is located on the first floor and costs anywhere between 5,000-20,000 won per bag, per day for storage.

A more useful service might be T-Luggage, located at Gimpo International Airport Station on B1. If you’re arriving at GMP but flying out of ICN later, you can use it to “forward” your bags to the other airport. The service offers same-day delivery if you drop off your items by the morning deadline, which beats hauling your luggage across Seoul yourself.