Promo Radar™
List of promotions, sales, and discounts as announced by airlines.
We are currently monitoring over 150 carriers, including Korean Air.
updated November 27, 2023
What is the best time to book Korean Air flights?
The best time to book international Korean Air flights is between 2 to 8 months before your travel date. The prime booking window (the most likely time to find the bargains) is 4–6 months before takeoff. For Korean Air domestic flights within Korea, making a reservation from 4 to 8 weeks in advance is recommended.
Why do prices fluctuate?
Airfare prices fluctuate due to demand, seasonal trends, and competition, causing numerous price drops and increases as your departure date approaches.Airlines such as Korean Air use sophisticated revenue management systems to adjust pricing for optimal seat sales. Generally, as seats are sold, prices tend to become more expensive.
Don’t book too early
Korean Air start selling their flights 9–12 months in advance. However, booking a ticket too early in that window can be an expensive mistake – the airline typically starts by setting prices at a relatively high level to capture early demand from those willing to pay more to secure their seats.
Prime Booking Window
For long-haul flights with Korean Air, the best time to book your ticket is around 4–6 months before departure. It is the “Prime Booking Window” – after some seats have already been sold, the airline starts dropping prices to stimulate demand. It may also offer promotions and sales (especially for flights departing from its hub in Gimpo International Airport GMP, Incheon International Airport ICN). This is the ideal time for bargain hunting.
Fly on weekdays
It makes a difference which day of the week you board the plane. Midweek travel (especially Tuesdays and Wednesdays) is less busy and likely cheaper than flying on weekends. The Korean airline charges higher prices for weekend travel due to the high demand from people going on short getaways or visiting family and friends.
Opt for early morning flights
Select a late night or early morning (1–5 am) flight to save on airfare. Korean Air often offers discounts on their first morning flight (up to 15-20%) simply because of lower demand – most people are not willing to go to the airport so early. Moreover, morning flights have fewer delays, and airport queues are usually shorter.
Peak seasons are expensive
Peak travel seasons are always expensive – due to higher base prices set by Korean Air for dates it expects to be popular. Avoid the high season during summer and major holidays, including holidays in the country you’re flying to.
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Why is Korean Air so cheap on ATC?
Korean Air can be extremely cheap when you seize opportunities such as ‘mistake fares‘, sudden price drops, sales and promotions or employ strategies like hidden city ticketing. Moreover, Korean Air flights associated with their main Korean hub airport — Gimpo International Airport GMP — are typically priced lower due to the benefits of economies of scale and streamlined operations.
Air Traveler Club has a team of experts who diligently monitor for price reductions, promotional offers (often not widely advertised), under-the-radar airline sales, and other potential savings on flights. In the case of Korean Air, we particularly focus on tracking prices for flights originating from their Seoul hub.
These valuable findings are then promptly relayed to our subscribers as exclusive SuperDeals.
Korean Air reviews 2023,A.I. summary
We let the A.I. analyze thousands of Korean Air reviews for an averaged, more accurate rating and opinion. Please note: this is an experimental feature.
Overall rating
| Baggage handling | ★★★★☆ |
|---|---|
| Seat comfort | ★★★★☆ |
| Food | ★★★★☆ |
| Entertainment | ★★★★☆ |
| Crew | ★★★★☆ |
| Customer support | ★★★★☆ |
Is Korean Air a good airline?
Passengers generally regard Korean Air favorably for its quality service. The airline’s booking and check-in processes are often described as seamless. Travelers appreciate the airline’s boarding efficiency and comfortable seats, which provide ample legroom. The cabins are praised for their cleanliness, comfort, and contemporary onboard entertainment.
Korean Air’s food and beverage quality is widely lauded, as are the crew’s enthusiasm and language skills. However, customer support can sometimes be a point of contention. Despite this, the overall value for money makes Korean Air a recommended choice for many travelers.
Strengths
- Cabin comfort and cleanliness: One of the highly lauded aspects of Korean Air is their exceptional cleanliness and comfort. Passengers consistently comment on the visibly well-maintained interiors, from the seating areas to the washrooms, creating a pleasing environment for travel.
- Food and beverage quality: The airline is recognized for providing a variety of meals catering to different dietary preferences and cultural tastes, making the in-flight dining experience a culinary journey. Passengers consistently appreciate the quality and diversity of the food served, mentioning it as a highlight of their flight experience.
- Crew enthusiasm and language skills: Passengers frequently acknowledge the warm, friendly service they receive from the flight attendants, noting their eagerness to assist and make the journey more pleasant. Furthermore, the crew’s proficiency in multiple languages, crucial for an airline with a diverse passenger base, is often praised and adds to the overall positive flight experience.
Weaknesses
- Customer support: Some passengers report difficulties communicating effectively with customer service representatives and resolving issues promptly and satisfactorily. Whether related to booking changes, baggage claims, or other matters, these service shortcomings can lead to a negative perception of the airline.
- Transfer service assistance: Some passengers have found the process challenging, with issues arising due to efficiency or communication problems, particularly at busy connecting airports.
- Inconsistency in Wi-Fi access: Although Korean Air provides onboard Wi-Fi on certain flights, passengers have noted that the service can be inconsistent or unavailable.
Passenger's experience
Is Korean Air a budget airline?
No, Korean Air is not a budget airline but a traditional, full-service carrier. It is one of the largest airlines in Korea, a member of the Star Alliance, and it offers a broad spectrum of services that distinguish it from budget airlines. These include free checked baggage, complimentary meals and beverages (even in Economy), on-board amenities (blankets, pillows, sometimes noise-cancelling headphones) on long-haul flights, and a wide range of in-flight entertainment.
Furthermore, Korean Air provides multiple travel classes, such as Economy, Business, First — each with varying levels of comfort, space, and amenities. In contrast, budget airlines typically offer only Economy class with minimal benefits.
What can I expect when flying with Korean Air?
You can expect a blend of comfort and efficient service.
The airline is well-regarded for its on-time departure and arrivals, an important consideration for travelers with precise schedules. You’re likely to be impressed by the range of meal choices, featuring both Western and traditional Korean options.
In-flight cleanliness is another area where Korean Air excels, from the cabin area to the washrooms. While some passengers have reported issues with customer service, it is generally appreciated that the cabin crew members are multi-lingual and committed to providing quality service.
What are the seating options?
There are several seating options available. In the First Class Kosmo Suites, you’ll find exceptional comfort and privacy with spacious seats that transform into fully flat beds. The Prestige (Business) Class is renowned for its comfort and privacy, offering fully lie-flat seats arranged for easy aisle access.
Economy Class, conversely, provides a comfortable seating arrangement with ergonomically designed seats and adjustable headrests, making long-haul travel relatively comfortable.
Is Korean Air economy comfortable?
Korean Air’s Economy Class is appreciated for its relative comfort, especially for long-haul flights. The airline ensures passengers’ comfort by providing ergonomic seats that offer a fair amount of legroom. Additionally, seats are equipped with adjustable headrests and personal entertainment screens.
Moreover, the cabin crew’s attentive service further enhances the comfort of your travel experience in the Economy Class.
How to get an extra legroom seat on Korean Air plane?
Securing an extra legroom seat on a Korean Air plane requires some planning and flexibility, but you can easily score one of these seats by familiarizing yourself with the cabin layout and checking in for your flight early. You may also consider paying for an upgrade to a seat with ample legroom and enhanced comfort.
As the location of the extra legroom seats varies depending on the aircraft, we recommend visiting the SeatGuru website. By simply entering your Korean Air flight number, you can access a detailed seat map specific to your flight. Hover over individual seats to identify those with ample legroom. They are often found in exit rows, bulkhead rows (the first row in each cabin section), or other designated areas that offer additional legroom.
Due to their desirable features, the preferred seats are in high demand. They are often limited in number and typically incur additional fees. Seats with extra legroom located in front and exit rows ("hot seats") are priced higher. However, for medium– and long–haul flights, the additional cost of $10-$50 may be worth the increased comfort. Hot seats typically provide at least 36 inches of legroom (4-6 inches more than standard economy seats), wider seat pitch, and may also have adjustable footrests and recline further back.
Paying for an extra legroom seat is usually a more affordable option than upgrading to a Premium Economy.
What is the baggage allowance?
The baggage allowance policy of Korean Air is influenced by the destination and class of travel. Generally, Economy Class passengers are permitted to check two bags, each weighing up to 23 kg.
For those flying in First and Prestige Class, the allowance increases to three bags, weighing up to 32 kg. As for cabin baggage, Economy Class passengers can bring one piece not exceeding 10 kg, while First and Prestige Class passengers can bring two pieces, each not exceeding 10 kg.
Does Korean Air have Wi-Fi?
Yes, Korean Air offers Wi-Fi on select long-haul flights. However, availability varies depending on the aircraft type and route, so confirming this detail for your specific flight is advisable before travel. Though it’s a paid service, the convenience of staying connected during your flight might make it a worthwhile investment.
Does Korean Air have refundable tickets?
Korean Air does offer refundable tickets, but the conditions vary based on the fare type. Certain tickets allow full or partial refunds, but penalties may apply depending on the time of cancellation. Therefore, it’s crucial to familiarize yourself with the specific refund terms and conditions associated with your ticket at the time of purchase.
How do I obtain my Korean Air boarding pass?
Korean Air boarding pass is a travel document that contains crucial information about your flight, confirms your seat and allows you to board the plane. It includes the passenger’s name, flight number, boarding time, boarding zone, gate number, seat number, and other essential flight details. The Korean Air boarding pass can be in paper or electronic format. The boarding pass is issued during check-in — online on the airline's website (usually available 24 hours before the flight), its mobile app (mobile boarding pass) or at the airport. You can print your boarding pass at home or use a mobile app to store the digital boarding pass on your smartphone. Alternatively, you can check in at the airport, where the airline's representative will issue the boarding pass for you.
How to check Korean Air flight status?
If you have the flight number at hand, you can conveniently check the Korean Air flight status on the airline’s website. Visit the flight status page to get the reliable information regarding the scheduled and actual departure and arrival times.
There are several online platforms where you can check the status of Korean Air flight: FlightRadar24, FlightStats, or FlightAware. They offer comprehensive information about any flight (regardless of the airline) – including real-time flight tracking.
Alternatively, input your flight number directly into Google's search bar. Drawing data from diverse sources (including the airlines themselves), Google will provide you with all the crucial flight information right on the search results page.
Korean Air shortcuts
Essential links to Korean Air official website.
Korean Air flight booking
Search Korean Air flights and book your Economy, Business, First class ticket online.
Online check-in
How to check-in and receive your Korean Air boarding pass?
Korean Air baggage policy
Learn about checked and hand luggage regulations on Korean Air flights.
Flexible tickets
Want to change your flight? Korean Air flexible booking offer and policies.
Refunds and cancellations
Guidelines on returning a Korean Air ticket and getting your money back.
Korean Air help & support
Get in touch with the airline: customer service numbers, call centers, offices, and more.
Why are Korean Air flights so expensive in 2023?
Airfares soared in 2023. Korean Air flights are more expensive now due to rising demand, limited supply, inflation, fuel prices, closed airspace, and increased operational costs.
One key factor within your control is the timing of your booking. To save money on travel, it’s wise to plan ahead – the best time to book international flights with Korean Air is between 2 to 8 months before your departure date.
The primary elements that impact the cost of flights:
- Rising demand With more people traveling in the post-pandemic era, airlines have no incentive to lower prices. Instead, they capitalize on spiked demand and raise prices to make up for lost revenue during the period of 2020-2022.
- Limited supply In 2023 Korean Air is still operating at reduced capacity after the pandemic. Staffing shortages of pilots, plane crew, and airport workers lead to flight cancellations and delays, affecting the supply even more. With fewer flights, the Korean carrier charges more for the plane tickets that are available.
- Inflation Inflation has a significant impact on flight prices, as it directly increases the cost of fuel and labor for airlines. This can be particularly true for Korean Air that operates in countries with high inflation rates.
- Jet fuel costs Fuel is a significant airline cost, influenced by crude oil prices, geopolitical tensions, and supply chain disruptions. To cope with rising fuel prices, the airline may pass it on to travelers in the form of a fuel surcharge added to the ticket price.
- Closed airspace Avoiding airspace due to war, political conflicts, extreme weather, or natural disasters make airline tickets more expensive. Korean Air may be forced to take longer routes to reach the destination airport – which means higher fuel and labor costs.
- Korean Air operating costs The costs of labor, aircraft maintenance, aircraft leasing or purchasing expenses, marketing, etc. significantly increased in 2023. As Korean Air aims to remain profitable, it must factor in these operating costs when setting ticket prices.
- Will flight prices go down in 2023?Historical trends suggest that airfare prices will fluctuate based on the factors described above. As long as the demand for travel is up, so is airfare. After tough years the Korean Air is in no position to offer discounts for passengers and will likely try to maximize profits in 2023.
Korean Air price history charts
and price-drop alerts
Understanding past airfare trends for your chosen Korean Air flight route can help you forecast future prices and identify ideal booking times.
Google Flights is one of the best tools that provide access to price history — it tracks airfare fluctuations, predicts price changes based on historical data, and helps to pinpoint optimal booking times. In addition to viewing price history charts, you can set up price alerts for Korean Air flights via email — and catch price drops as they happen.
While the tracking tools provide valuable insights on Korean Air price history, they cannot guarantee future prices. They are also usually restricted to one particular route. For regular updates on price drops and deals across various popular destinations (holiday ideas!), consider Air Traveler Club — it’s free to join.
Korean Air tips
How to ensure smooth transit between Korean Air connecting flights
Before your trip, research your connecting airport. Familiarize yourself with its layout, terminals, amenities, and the location of your connecting gate. This will save you time and stress during your layover. Every airport has a minimum connection time — make sure your layover is longer than this minimum time.
Additionally:
- You may need to move between terminals if you have a connecting flight with a different airline or separate point-to-point tickets with Korean Air. Each flight may require individual check-in procedures and an additional pass through security. As your luggage may not be automatically transferred to your final destination, you’ll need to retrieve your bags and check them in again for your subsequent flight.
- When flights are booked on separate tickets, Korean Air is not responsible if you miss your connection due to a delay with the first flight. Allow plenty of buffer time between flights to account for any potential delays.
- Gate assignments can change. Regularly check the flight information boards to ensure you’re in the right place.
- If your airport connection is tight (1-hour layover or less), pick a set near the front of the plane. It can shave 5–10 minutes off your deplaning time, especially on larger planes. Consider purchasing “hot seats” if available on your plane — they cost extra, but it may be worth it.
- When flying domestically, try not to book the last flight out of your connecting airport. In case of a cancellation, the airline will put you on its next flight, but it will require an overnight stay and arrival a day later.
- Flights can be delayed or canceled. Have a backup plan in case you miss your connecting flight. Know your rights and the Korean Air policy on missed connections.
Booking group flights with Korean Air
Flights are cheaper when purchased in bulk rather than as individual tickets. Booking group flights with Korean Air can be a cost-effective option for a school trip, family reunion, or corporate group traveling to a conference.
To qualify for the special group rate, the group must usually have at least 10 passengers. Discounts depend on the group size and travel dates and typically range from 5% to 20% off the regular airfare.
Korean Air website typically limits automatic group bookings to 9 passengers. This limit reflects the complexity of managing larger groups, which require personalized service and more time to coordinate. To get the price quote for your group, you’ll need to contact the airline directly.
A travel agent may be better if you want more personalized service. Travel agents may have access to discounted group rates for Korean Air and can help with logistics and scheduling.