Cheap flights to Seoul in 2023/24 
from US, Canada, Australia, Europe, and Asia

Use Korean budget airlines

It can be time-consuming and uncomfortable to travel on buses or trains in South Korea. Opt for domestic air travel instead, as it is usually cheap, easy, and convenient.

Most domestic flight routes from Seoul are reasonably priced and short. For example, to go from Seoul to Busan in the southern part of the country takes about 1 hour on a non-stop flight, at the cost of around 70,000 Korean won (~50 USD or ~75 AUD).

The cheapest flights can be found on Korean budget airlines – Jin Air, Jeju Air, Air Busan, Eastar Jet, and T’way Air. Most of these budget airlines fly out from Seoul using Gimpo International Airport GMP, and some depart from Incheon International Airport ICN.

The cheapest time to fly to Seoul

South Korea’s weather makes it a year-round travel destination, but you should be aware of the 4 very different seasons. Winters from late November to early March are seriously cold (with temperatures reaching below freezing at times) – especially in the northern area of the country, where Seoul is located. However, travelers who are willing to endure the weather can reap financial benefits: November to March is the cheapest time to fly to Seoul as with fewer tourists visiting the city, airlines tend to offer discounted airfares.

The Korean summer is rather hot and humid and is accompanied by a few sometimes quite dangerous typhoons. Spring and autumn are the most pleasant seasons – days are cool, rain-free, and sunny. Most tourists visit Seoul from April to May and from September to October – these peak months are also by far the most expensive to fly, so it’s wise to book the flights well in advance.

AREX is the cheapest airport transport

The Airport Railroad (AREX) Express Train is a quick and convenient way to travel between Seoul Station and Incheon International Airport.

It takes only 43 minutes to travel nonstop from Terminal 1, and 51 minutes from Terminal 2 to Seoul Station, located right in the heart of the capital. The ticket cost 9,500 won (~7 USD) for adults and 7,500 won (~5.50 USD) for children.

Know your time zone

When checking flights and airport transfer times, ensure you know the local time zones. The departure/arrival times on your plane ticket and boarding pass are based on the time zone of the departure/arrival airport – this also applies to the connecting (layover) airports.

South Korea has only one time zone – Korea Standard Time (KST), which is UTC+9. As a result, clocks in Seoul are 9 hours ahead of London and 14 hours ahead of New York. KST does not have an associated daylight saving time.

There is no Uber nor Grab in Seoul

Uber launched in Seoul in 2013, however, due to regulations and the taxi industry’s resistance, it was forced to leave in 2019. Grab never entered the market.

However, getting around in Seoul is pretty convenient thanks to Kakao T which works similarly to Uber or Grab. It lets you call a taxi through the app and automatically pays the fare when your ride ends with the payment information you provide in the app. Only registered drivers with a special taxi license can offer a ride, according to local law.

Download the Kakao T app for Android or iOS before arriving in Seoul.

Long waiting times when calling the helpline?

Social media is usually a faster way to reach the airline when a problem arises. Use Twitter or Facebook Messenger to contact the airline customer service and get a response and solution within minutes (see detailed guides for Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, and others).

When it comes to Twitter there’s one more trick to get in touch with the airline faster: mention the airline in a tweet about your issue (add “@airline_handle”, for example: “@KoreanAir_KE”). The social media team will often notice it immediately, ask you for a direct message, and respond privately.

Avoid currency exchange kiosks at airports

Airports are infamous for making an exuberant amount of money from their currency exchanges due to the extremely high margins, and Seoul airports are no exception. Airport kiosks usually charge higher fees which are sometimes hidden within the poorer exchange rates they offer – their business is based on charging extra for being a convenient, last-minute option.

Plan ahead and exchange some money for the Korean won at home.

Duty-free rules

South Korea is serious about the duty-free concession. There is a limit for bringing in certain items. Alcoholic beverages for personal consumption – such as wine, spirits or beer – cannot exceed 1 bottle (maximum 1 liter) per person aged 19 and over, and you can carry only 200 cigarettes. The total market value of all other articles must be under $800. Anything above those limits must be declared at the Seoul airport.

How to book SuperDeals?

At the Air Traveler Club, our go-to solution for finding cheap airfares to Seoul is Google Flights. Every time we send SuperDeals to our 110,000 members (see some examples), we include links to Google Flights so that each deal can be booked immediately.

Google Flights then showcases various options for booking the deal: you can almost always book directly with the airline (by cutting out the middleman) or – alternatively – with an OTA that offers the same flight at a similar price. Once you have chosen your booking option, you will be redirected to the external website where you can finalize your ticket purchase.

One of Google Flights’ standout features is a color-coded bar that appears underneath the booking options. It provides a visual representation of the price in comparison to the typical fare (for the same route, class, and airline) – indicating whether it is lower, average, or higher.

If the marker falls within the green zone (“price is low”) don’t hesitate to secure this deal as it is significantly – 40% to 80% – cheaper than average and unlikely to drop further.

For more details on how to book deals on Google Flights, check out this video:

If you are not Air Traveler Club subscriber yet, you’re missing out on SuperDeals (we often send deals to Seoul). Signup now to start saving 40–80% on flights. It’s free!

Last-minute flights to Seoul. The real cost of convenience.

Last-minute flights are often touted as a great way to save money, but the reality is far from it. Booking last-minute flights to Seoul almost always never works out. The convenience of being able to book a flight on the fly is a dangerous game of chance, and you will most likely end up paying significantly higher than booking in advance.

The common perception may be that airlines decrease ticket prices to fill empty seats as the departure date approaches. However, the truth is that airfares depend on demand. Based on years of research and current customer data, the airlines know what people are willing to pay for specific flights and dates. They are also well aware that people are willing to pay a premium for flights they need to take immediately. To make the most money, the airline will sell its cheapest fares first and then increase the prices right before the flight to take advantage of business travelers and others who are willing to pay the premium price for late booking.

Occasionally, airlines can put some seats on sale to fill the remaining seats, but these are for unusual times and unpopular places. Popular destinations and dates around peak travel times tend to sell out quickly.

Planning ahead is key to securing a good deal on your flight. Last-minute flight deals are hard to come by, so as soon as you have a tentative travel timeline, book your flight. The earlier you book, the more likely you are to save money. If you are looking for a good deal, the best time to book your flight to Seoul is around 60-90 days before the departure date.

Fly now, pay later

Book Now Pay Later (BNPL) plans for flights have become a popular trend in the travel industry, allowing travelers to book flights and pay in installments. Among the airlines that offer this option are American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Qantas, Turkish Airlines, and United Airlines. They partner with external financial companies to offer their loan services on the checkout page.

The BNPL plans come with varying terms and fees. Some may be interest-free but have fees for late-payments and require forced autoplay on your bank account, while others may have high annual percentage rates (up to 30-40% APR).

When considering BNPL financing for your flight to Seoul, it’s crucial to carefully evaluate the pros and cons, and thoroughly review the terms and conditions.

Proof of onward travel – a simple hack

Travelers who go on long trips often don’t have a set itinerary and fly on one-way tickets. The problem? For many APAC countries, proof of onward travel is a legal requirement. If you arrive at the airport without an onward ticket (from South Korea to another country), you’ll either be forced to buy one online or forbidden from boarding the plane altogether.

The cheapest solution? Renting an onward ticket! Use the websites such as OneWayFly or OnwardTicket to get a flight reservation for a limited amount of time (usually 2 to 14 days). They work by actually booking you on a real flight out of South Korea and giving you a confirmable flight reservation with a PNR (Passenger Name Record) under your name. After the time limit, your spot on the flight is automatically canceled. Such “temporary tickets” tend to cost anywhere from $10 to $20.

Lost luggage prevention: Essential tips

Every year, airlines handle millions of bags, and a small percentage of these bags never make it to their final destinations. Globally, airlines mishandle around 0.7% of bags checked in, which translates to seven bags out of every 1,000. Losing the luggage on your trip to Seoul can be a frustrating and stressful experience, but there are steps you can take to minimize the risk of this happening to you.

1. Use GPS-Trackers. A luggage tracking device such as Apple AirTag or Samsung Galaxy SmartTag comes with a smartphone app and is an excellent way to locate your bag if it goes missing.

   

2. Label your luggage with your name, address, phone number and the name of your destination airport in Seoul. Put these details inside the case as well.
3. Remove old tags. Tags are printed with a barcode for identification and tracking, so the old tags from previous flights can confuse baggage handlers and conveyor belt scanners.
4. Avoid tight layovers. Give yourself and your luggage time to get aboard the next plane by picking a flight to Seoul with a longer layover.
5. Don’t overstuff your suitcase. Heavy bags are more likely to get damaged and stuck on the belts, causing the bag to be misdirected.
6. Make your bag stand out. After arrival at Seoul airport, most people just want to grab their luggage and get out of the airport as soon as possible. In their haste, a case of mistaken identity can sometimes occur.
7. Take a picture of your bag and the contents, and keep it on your phone. This can be helpful if you need to make a claim for lost or damaged items.
8. Use a TSA-approved luggage lock. This will secure your bags and will help deter theft.
9. Keep your valuables in your hand luggage. The airline liability is notoriously low (around €1,000 in most cases) and it usually doesn’t reflect the actual value of the baggage content.
10. Consider purchasing travel insurance. It can act as a safety net as it can often cover the full value of your luggage. Travel insurance may also reimburse you for any emergency purchases you need to make while you wait.

Hidden-city ticketing hack

Hidden-city ticketing is a less-known money-saving tactic where you buy a plane ticket with a layover, with the intention to get off at the layover rather than the final destination. For example, a flight from New York to Tokyo might be $600, but a similar flight from New York to Singapore with a layover in Tokyo might be only $350. Choosing the latter and ending the trip in Tokyo would save you $250.

It seems counterintuitive that a fare from A to C via B could possibly be cheaper than a simple fare on a shorter route from A to B. However, airlines use dynamic, computer-driven price models calculated with little human intervention, and such deals happen quite often.

Booking a hidden city ticket isn’t as easy as booking a standard itinerary. There are some things to be aware of: (1) don’t check baggage — bring only hand luggage that can fit under the seat or an overhead compartment; a large checked bag will end up in the final destination C; (2) don’t use it for return flights — airlines often void any subsequent tickets if any segment of the first ticket is missed; (3) Do not overuse this tactic with the same airline — hidden-city ticketing is legal but airlines don’t like it and may try to punish you; (4) Don’t associate your frequent flyer account — the airline might invalidate any miles you’ve accrued with them.

How to find hidden-city tickets? The easiest way is to use Skiplagged website, which was designed for unearthing hidden-city deals — give them a try for your flight to Seoul.