South Korea is open to international tourism
South Korea is open to all travelers, quarantine-free. However, all travelers are required to take a PCR test within 24 hours of arrival and isolate in their accommodation until they receive a negative test result. Quarantine may be required for passengers who test positive.
Visa-free and visa-waiver programs are temporarily suspended and replaced by the K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization) system. You can check your visa requirement based on the nationality of your passport.
Transiting Korea is possible if the connecting flight is within 24 hours and you remain in the transit area of the airport.
Round-trip flights to South Korea 40% – 80% off with Air Traveler Club™
Hand-picked hacker fares from Air Traveler Club.
Rare deals to the Asia Pacific you will not find anywhere else. Free to sign up.
Fly for half price (or less!)
Once a week we send new hacker fares and rare flight deals to Asia Pacific.
Join over 110,000 travelers and save up to 80% on your next airline ticket — it’s free!
Visit Air Traveler Club to learn more
Early access
Air Traveler Club+ is launching soon.
Join the waitlist to claim your 50% discount!
Tips, tricks & hacks
for flying to South Korea
Know your time zone
South Korea has only one time zone - Korea Standard Time (KST), which is UTC+9. As a result, clocks in South Korea are 9 hours ahead of London and 14 hours ahead of New York. KST does not have an associated daylight saving time.
When checking flights and airport transfer times, ensure you know the local time zones. The departure time on your plane ticket is always listed based on the time zone of the departure airport. We suggest resetting your watch during the flight – it will help your brain adjust to the new time zone and to deal with jet lag.
Duty-free rules
South Korea is serious about the duty-free concession. There is a limit for bringing in certain items. As of October 2022, 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 airport.
Airports in South Korea
South Korea has 28 airports including 8 international airports – Incheon International Airport ICN and Gimpo International Airport GMP in Seoul, Jeju International Airport CJU in Jeju, Gimhae International Airport PUS in Busan, Daegu International Airport Tae in Daegu, Cheongju International Airport CJJ in Cheongju, Muan International Airport MWX in Gwangju, and Yangyang International Airport YNY in Gangneung.
As in any country, airports with the largest volume of flights are located near major cities – about 10 to 20 kilometers from the city center – with public transport and airport shuttle service available. These are hubs for major Korean airlines, with large passenger terminals, first class lounges, shops, and restaurants.
Seoul (ICN) from
Jeju (CJU) from
Busan (PUS) from
Flights from Russia to South Korea (airports nearby Moscow)
- Check flight schedules and ticket prices in October 2022 for flights to South Korea from nearby airports in your area.
- Once in South Korea, there are frequent flights between the major cities via local carriers such as Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, Jin Air, Jeju Air, Air Busan, Eastar Jet, T'way Air, Aero K, Air Seoul, and Fly Gangwon.
- Popular destinations near South Korea can be easily reached with regional low-cost airlines by the likes of AirAsia, Bamboo Airways, Cebu Pacific, Flynas, Oman Air, Peach Aviation, Scoot, Saudia, Tigerair Taiwan, VietJet Air, and Zipair.
Here are some examples of the real-time economy class airfares from Russia to South Korea in October 2022. All prices are for one-way flights.
40% — 80% off your next flight
Be ready to book your ticket when the perfect deal lands in your inbox
Early access
Massive collections of discounted flights to Asia Pacific.
Join the waitlist to claim your 50% discount!
Tips, tricks & hacks
(continued)
Use Korean budget airlines
It can be time-consuming and uncomfortable traveling on buses or trains in South Korea. Opt for domestic air travel instead, as it is usually cheap, easy, and convenient.
Most flight routes around South Korea 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.
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.
Stopover options for traveling to South Korea
Direct flights to South Korea can be expensive. So if you’re looking at a long-haul trip with at least one connection, rather than simply transiting an airport, why not take an opportunity and plan a longer stopover? It won’t only break up your journey but will become a legitimate part of your vacation.
When booking flight tickets, many airlines include a stopover en route to your final destination. Those flights are usually cheaper than non-stop flights, and they can be a great way of seeing more than one place on your trip. You can often add it at no additional cost, just by looking for multi-city flights with longer layovers.
Check flight prices and other details for these great stopover options when traveling to South Korea:
Flights to South Korea fromUnited States and Canada
- Most flying routes from North America to South Korea are over the Pacific, even if the departure airport is on the east coast. Travel times for these routes vary between 14 - 20 hours depending on the point of departure, length of layover, etc.
- For long-haul flights choosing a reputable airline is crucial. Comfortable seats, inflight entertainment, food and drinks, and just the general atmosphere of the flight can make a big difference to the trip. For flights from the United States or Canada to South Korea, we recommend legacy carriers such as Air Canada, American Airlines, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Delta Air Lines, Etihad Airways, Emirates, EVA Air, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and United Airlines.
- There are no direct flights from the United States or Canada to South Korea. However, most main hubs in SE Asia have direct flights to South Korea, as do some larger airports in the Middle East – your journey will have at least one stop.There are plenty of direct flights from the US/Canada to South Korea via Hawaiian Airlines, Aerolineas Argentinas, Aeromexico, Asiana Airlines, Korean Air, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines. The flying time is between 11 and 14 hours. Ticket prices start at $500 one-way for the shortest route from Honolulu to Seoul.
- When flying to South Korea you have plenty of convenient layover or stopover options. Flights with one or more stops depart from most major North American airports, including Atlanta
ATL, DallasDFW, DenverDEN, ChicagoORD, Los AngelesLAX, Las VegasDFW, MiamiMIA, SeattleSEA, HoustonIAH, New YorkJFK, and San FranciscoSFOin the United States and TorontoYYZ, VancouverYVR, CalgaryLAS, and MontrealYULin Canada. Your chosen airline will most likely dictate which airport you transit through – among the best stopovers are Beijing, Hawaii, Manila, Shanghai, Taipei, and Tokyo.
Fly half-price from US/Canada to South Korea
Get heavily discounted airfares right to your email.
Early access
Business Class seats at an Economy price.
Join the waitlist to claim your 50% discount!
Tips, tricks & hacks
(continued)
Consider stopovers: see extra destinations for free
Layovers are the perfect opportunity to visit an additional destination. Some airlines offer significant discounts and travel perks for passengers to break up their trips: free luxury hotel stays, complimentary domestic flights or exclusive rates for activities. If you're prone to extremely severe jet lag, the extended stopover would help minimize its adverse effects.
Start checking for layover deals with government-owned airlines (looking to attract tourists to give the country economic benefits), such as Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and Malaysia Airlines. A side benefit of a stopover is that it makes you less likely to miss your connection. Such in-direct routes are usually much cheaper than direct flights too!
Take advantage of loyalty programs
Choose an airline that suits you the best, then stick to it. By becoming a 'regular', you will be able to use its loyalty program and earn "miles" (or points) – not only for flying but also for everyday expenses (if your card is affiliated with an airline).
Points earned this way often add up over time and are extremely helpful in flying at reduced fares. Airlines offer not only ticket discounts for their frequent flyers, but also special travel perks such as cabin class upgrades, increased checked baggage allowance, or access to their airport lounges so you can relax during long layovers.
If you often fly with Emirates, opt for Skywards, with Qantas – for Qantas Frequent Flyer, with Singapore Airlines – for KrisFlyer, etc.
Airlines of South Korea
Airlines in South Korea range from high-end carriers to no-frills budget airlines:
Korean Air is South Korea’s flag carrier, certified by Skytrax as a 5-star airline. It has high ratings in multiple areas, including legroom, cleanliness, in-flight entertainment, and customer service. It offers free meals and a luggage allowance of 23 kg. Its SKYPASS Club loyalty program has such benefits as lounge access, extra baggage allowance, priority baggage handling, and exclusive hotline service.
Jin Air, a subsidiary of Korean Air, is a low-cost carrier with a generous baggage allowance of 15-23 kg.
Asiana Airlines is a great choice for long-distance, full-service journeys. Being South Korea’s second-largest major airline, it flies to more than 60 international destinations in 24 countries throughout Asia, Europe, North America, and Oceania.
When traveling domestically in South Korea, you may be flying with other, smaller local airlines, such as Jeju Air, Air Busan, Eastar Jet, T’way Air, Aero K, Air Seoul, Air Premia, Fly Gangwon, and Hi Air. They usually don’t have any free baggage allowance and only free snacks and drinks instead of full meals onboard.
Flights to South Korea from Europe
- There are no direct flights from Europe to South Korea. Direct flights from Europe to South Korea are about 9.5-12 hours long. Only some of the largest European hubs have a nonstop connection to South Korea - among them are Amsterdam, Barcelona, Frankfurt, Helsinki, Istanbul, London, Milan, Munich, Paris, Vienna, and Warsaw. Those flights arrive at Seoul Incheon airport and are operated by Air France, Asiana Airlines, Finnair, KLM, LOT, Korean Air, Lufthansa, and Turkish Airlines.
- To break the trip and stretch your legs, consider transit through popular Asian airport hubs, extending your total journey time by 1–3 hours. A 1-day stopover in Bangkok, Beijing, Colombo, Delhi, Dubai, Goa, Kathmandu, Kuala Lumpur, Maldives, Phuket, Singapore, and Shanghai will be a great option to reduce your jet lag at the final destination and do some extra sightseeing.
- The best chance for a cheaper flight is when you are flexible about the departure point. Especially look for larger cities with airports that serve as hubs for multiple airlines: London
LHRand ManchesterMANin the United Kingdom; FrankfurtFRA, MunichMUCand BerlinBERin Germany; ParisCDGand NiceNCEin France; MunichMUCand BerlinBERin Germany; AmsterdamAMSin the Netherlands; MadridMADin Spain; StockholmARNin Sweden; ZurichZRHin Switzerland; BrusselsBRUin Belgium; OsloOSLin Norway; WarsawWAWin Poland; and DublinDUBin Ireland.
Early access
The most lucrative airline promotions.
Join the waitlist to claim your 50% discount!
Tips, tricks & hacks
(continued)
Watch for a good sale
One of the most convenient ways to ensure cheap flight tickets is to be abreast of the promotions, discounts and sales offered by various airlines.
To get a great bargain, be sure to track the airlines' online activity over several weeks. Keep checking their websites, subscribe to their newsletter and follow them on social media (set notifications for their posts that contain keywords such as “discount”, “promotion”, “ticket sales”, etc.).
Easier way: visit Promo Radar and sign up for weekly email alerts about the best ongoing promotions from all popular airlines.
Two+ flights on a single ticket
Fly on a single ticket if your itinerary involves two or more flights with the same airline. Typically, any connecting itinerary booked as a single ticket conforms with whatever connecting times apply. At big hub airports, the airlines try to ensure that their flight gates are close to each other. Also, a single ticket usually allows for checking baggage from origin to destination, including transfers.
Air Traveler Club.How to book a superdeal to South Korea?
Every superdeal you receive from Air Traveler Club includes a link you can use to book a flight. It always directs you to the website that offers the lowest price. Sometimes it’s an airline website; in other cases, Google Flights or a similar flight booking platform.
This video explains how to use Google Flights to book a plane ticket.
Flights from Asia
- Asia is probably the best continent for short-haul and mid-haul flying. The sheer scale of this most populous region on Earth is reflected in the type of aircraft operating many short-haul flights: intra-Asia flyers benefit from comfortable, wide-bodied aircraft by the likes of Boeing 777, 787 or Airbus A350, A330, and A380.
- When flying within Asia, you’ll often use regional airlines. The budget carriers offer tens of weekly flights to South Korea with relatively comfortable flight experience and the cheapest fares – check the prices from AirAsia, Bamboo Airways, Cebu Pacific, Flynas, Oman Air, Peach Aviation, Scoot, Saudia, Tigerair Taiwan, VietJet Air, and Zipair.
- For more comfort and top-notch customer service, consider flying with recognized full-service airlines such as ANA, Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Etihad Airways, Emirates, EVA Air, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, and Singapore Airlines.
- Mentioned airlines operate direct or 1-stop flights from primary Asian hubs such as Bangkok
BKKin Thailand, SingaporeSIN, BaliDPSin Indonesia, Hong KongHKG, SeoulICNin South Korea, TokyoHNDin Japan, DubaiDXBin UAE, Kuala LumpurKULin Malaysia, HanoiHANand Ho Chi Minh CitySGNin Vietnam, Phnom PenhPNHin Cambodia, DelhiDELin India, BeijingPEKin China, TaipeiTPEin Taiwan, ManilaMNLin the Philippines), DohaDOHin Qatar, IstanbulISTin Turkey, and others.
Flight prices can vary considerably. Here are some real-time examples:
Early access
Air Traveler Club+ is launching soon.
Join the waitlist to claim your 50% discount!
Tips, tricks & hacks
(continued)
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 Asian countries, proof of onward travel is a legal requirement. If you arrive at the airport without an onward ticket, 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 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.
Best times to contact airline’s call center
Call center wait times may be frustratingly long. And only a handful of airlines offer a call-back service. To decrease lengthy periods on hold, try to call the airline during off-peak times in the middle of the week – Tuesday to Thursday. Savvy travelers suggest that the best time to call is early in the morning: from 4 am to 7 am (call center time zone) for 24/7 hotlines or right after the call center opens. Also, late hours on weekends can increase the chance for your call to be answered promptly.
Promo Radar™All airlines, all promotions, one place
Before booking a flight, check if any of these promotions applies to you: