Incheon Intl Airport (ICN) Flights & Flight Status

Seoul Incheon International Airport (ICN) is South Korea’s busiest airport and the primary international gateway to the country. It’s also a popular transit point, as the hub of Asiana Airlines and Korean Air, which both use ICN to connect Asia with Australia, Europe and North America. Traveling via Incheon Airport is efficient and intuitive, though I will be providing some insider tips to make your trip even easier and more enjoyable.

How to get to and from ICN and Seoul

For most travelers, train and bus are the most realistic ways between Incheon Airport and Central Seoul. The long distance from ICN to the city center means that taxis and rideshare options like Uber are generally too expensive to be practical.

I personally prefer to ride the Airport Railroad Express, shortened to “AREX.” These speedy trains depart frequently from both of the airport’s terminals and, if you choose an “Express” service, take just 40 minutes to reach Seoul Station. Here, you can transfer to Lines 1 and 4 of the Seoul Subway, plus Korail Trains to nearby destinations and high-speed KTX trains to ones farther away.

Another option is to ride one of the Limousine Bus services, the most recognizable option for which is the KAL Limousine operated by Korean Air. In one way, these buses are very convenient, as they travel to destinations in Seoul beyond Seoul Station, including the popular Myeongdong commercial area. On the other hand, I usually avoid them because they take 80 minutes even without traffic.

Traffic adds to the reasons I find taxis and rideshare to be impractical for traveling to and from ICN. Although door-to-door transport is nice, I personally don’t think it justifies paying several times more than riding a bus (which usually takes the same amount of time), and certainly not the much quicker train.

Leaving central Seoul for Incheon Airport, make note of which terminal your flight departs from, as each terminal has its own bus and train stop several miles from the other. Asiana Airlines and its Star Alliance partners (such as United, ANA and Thai) use Terminal 1, while Korean Air, Delta and the rest of Skyteam use Terminal 2. If in doubt, consult your airline’s website or mobile app.

You’ll also want to keep in mind that the city has two airports. If you’re flying to North America, Europe or Australia, you’ll almost certainly be using Incheon. However, if you’re flying domestically or on select international routes (such as to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport), you’re likely departing from Gimpo Airport (GMP). This is an older, smaller airport closer to the city center. Importantly, options for reaching it are totally different from those for ICN.

Navigating security lines at ICN

Security lines at Incheon Airport can be long on account of how busy the airport is, though like most queues in Korea, they move quickly. I usually like to give myself at least an hour to make it through the entire process from check-in, to security, to passport control.

ICN doesn’t have any program comparable to TSA Precheck and doesn’t offer expedited screening for passengers in first or business class. However, pregnant passengers and those with small children or with disabilities can access priority queues, along with their family members. You’re also entitled to use these if you hold an APEC Business Travel Card, though this privilege generally only applies to the individual cardholder.

Conveniently, foreigner travelers from several countries (including the US) can use automated immigration kiosks at Incheon Airport, provided they have biometric passports with at least six months of validity. As an American, this has saved me a ton of time, especially when arriving at ICN.

Airline lounges at ICN

Incheon Airport is home to several lounges, which cater both to passengers traveling in first and business class, as well as elite frequent flyers and those who hold lounge credentials, such as Priority Pass. These lounges are generally excellent, and worth arriving at the airport a bit early to enjoy!

In Terminal 1, the majority of lounges are ones operated by Asiana. Not surprisingly, you can access these lounges if you’re traveling in first or business class on Asiana or other Star Alliance airlines, or if you hold Star Alliance Gold status.

These lounges are also accessible to Priority Pass cardholders, however, which is pretty rare for airline-branded lounges in my experience. Do note that if the lounges are over capacity, staff may temporarily deny Priority Pass members entry.

The Korean Air lounges in Terminal 2 have stricter entry rules, and are only available to passengers traveling in premium classes on Korean Air and Skyteam partners like Delta, as well as Skyteam elites. However, third-party lounges such as Matina and SkyHub lounge (which also operate locations in Terminal 1) are open to Priority Pass members

Traditional Korean cultural experiences at ICN

One of my favorite things about Incheon Airport is how it allows you to experience Korean culture, even if you won’t have the opportunity to enter South Korea.

Two Traditional Korean Culture Experience Centers, located in the main part of Terminal 1 as well as the Terminal 1 midfield concourse, allow passengers to make traditional Korean crafts and practice Taekwondo in augmented reality (AR).

These experiences are completely free of charge, though they do require a certain amount of time. Staff will ask to see your boarding pass, which will let them know whether you can complete a given activity without fear of missing your flight. If you’re on a tight connection, you can still have a look around the center, which also hosts photo and video exhibitions.

If you’re transiting Terminal 2, you have two options. If you have a long layover, you can ride a shuttle train to Terminal 1 and visit the Traditional Korean Culture Experience Center. Otherwise, you can visit Terminal 2’s own K-Culture Zone. This is a smaller space, but is still a nice respite from the travel grind, especially if you don’t have lounge access. It’s also free of charge to enjoy.

Domestic lounges

Only two domestic flights operate from Incheon Airport: Korean Air services to Busan and Daegu, which are only available to international transit passengers. As a result, there are no “domestic” lounges. Premium passengers on these flights can use Korean Air lounges within the main part of Terminal 2.

Luggage storage at ICN

Luggage storage is available in both of ICN’s terminals, with multiple kiosks on both the Arrival and Departure levels of each. I find this service most useful if I’m entering Korea, but won’t be spending the night in a hotel. It’s nice to be able to leave my “big” bags in a safe place while I head to Seoul or the DMZ for a day trip.

If you are spending at least one night in Seoul (or elsewhere in Korea), but don’t want to lug your bags on the train or bus, another convenient option is luggage delivery. While not as ubiquitous as it is in Japan, this service is well-advertised within the airport terminal. It’s a lifesaver if you’re traveling with small kids and don’t have many extra hands, or if you or someone you’re traveling with has a disability.

Transfers at ICN

As I mentioned earlier in this article, domestic-to-international and international-to-domestic transfers at ICN are limited to just two routes. Specifically, passengers flying Korean Air internationally can connect to or from special flights to Busan (PUS) and Daegu (TAE). Airline staff will instruct you as to how to complete the transfer process.

International-to-international transfers are much more common. Ideally, you will be flying either the same airline, or at least within the same alliance. For example, flying Korean Air from Thailand or Japan, then connecting onward to a Korean Air or Delta flight to the US. This will allow you to stay within the same terminal, which means you’ll just need to clear security before proceeding to your onward gate.

If you need to change terminals, for example if you arrive on Korean Air but leave on Asiana or United, things get more complicated. If you aren’t collecting or checking luggage, you’ll need to proceed through a security check, then ride a shuttle train to the other terminal. If you don’t yet have your boarding pass, make sure to visit the transit desk to pick it up.

If you do need to collect luggage, you will need to clear immigration control to do so. You’ll then need to clear customs and, after re-checking your bags on your other carrier, proceed through security and outbound passport control. This whole procedure will add 1-2 hours to your total transit time, so make sure to leave plenty of “padding” between your arriving and departing flights.