Review: Korean Air “Domestic KAL Lounge” Gimpo Airport

In late August, I had an opportunity to visit Korean Air domestic KAL Lounge at Gimpo Airport. This was one of the flights I flew along with Sam Chui while he visited Korea You can check his Youtube video for this journey here. Our flight was was from Gimpo to Jeju, a popular and one of the busiest airline routes in the world, and we were on our way for a quick day trip for airline spotting at Jeju International Airport.

Getting To Korean Air KAL Domestic Lounge Gimpo Airport

KAL Domestic Lounge at Gimpo Airport is located airside on the 4th floor of the airport. After clearing the security check, turn left and there is a stairway and elevator opposite Gate 11 that leads to the lounge.

Korean Air KAL Domestic Lounge Gimpo Airport Operational Hours

The lounge operates daily from 5:30 AM in the morning through 9 PM in the evening. But the lounge hours can be varied by the flight operating schedule sometimes.

Korean Air KAL Domestic Lounge Gimpo Airport Entry Requirements

Entry to KAL Domestic Lounge is strict for those who book Korean Air or Korean Air ticketed Jin Air flights. The exact regulation for Jin Air is not specified but I have seen Korean Air elites accessing the lounge when they booked Korean Air codeshared tickets.

Since there are no published lounge entry requirements for Jin Air, I will only explain based on Korean Air flights:

• Prestige Class Passengers
• Skypass Million Miler Club Members
• Skypass Morning Calm Premium Members
• SkyTeam Elite Plus Members with an international flight boarding pass for the same-day flight operated by SkyTeam carriers
• Skypass Morning Calm Members (Based on lounge capacity)

Korean Air KAL Domestic Lounge Gimpo Airport Layout and Seating

The KAL Domestic lounge overall looks very similar to Korean Air Prestige Lounges at Incheon International Airport. Although it is not as large as the international lounges, it features basic services for passengers and a good area to get some rest before the flight.

Since Korean Air domestic routes mostly operate with narrow bodies with 25 minutes to 55 minutes intervals, there are a lot of passengers visiting the lounge throughout the day. So the lounge is equipped with open-style seats such as lounge chairs and egg chairs on one side.

And along the other side, there were a couple of wingback chairs beside the small snack/drink section and armchairs throughout the center of the lounge.

AC power outlets and USB ports are offered on most of the seats but not all of them. Only the center seats with side tables had power outlets so if you need to charge your electronic devices, I would recommend choosing these seats.

Beside the entrance reception, there is an area with a cave-like design that has a long desk along the window facing the terminal gates. This area feels a little more cozy and private as the wall around separates it from the main area.

Korean Air KAL Domestic Lounge Gimpo Airport Dining

KAL Domestic Lounge does not offer a full meal buffet as the flight time on most of the routes are below 70 minutes. Instead, it offers a selection of snacks and pastries with drinks. Also, there is no alcoholic drink served in the domestic lounge. Only water, soft drinks, juices, tea, and coffee are served.

Korean Air KAL Domestic Lounge Gimpo Airport Restrooms

Restrooms are located on the right-hand corner of the lounge, just beside the VIP area. The restroom is not huge in size but design-wise, it was simple and was kept clean all the time. However, there are no shower rooms in the domestic KAL Lounge.

Summary

Late last August, I visited Korean Air’s KAL Domestic Lounge with Sam Chui on our way to Jeju with Jin Air. I rarely fly domestic flights within Korea and this was only my second visit to the KAL Lounge. While the lounge itself was simple, my overall view of this lounge is positive.

The lounge was great for a quick rest before the flight since South Korean domestic routes are mostly less than an hour flight. There are multiple consecutive flights from Gimpo Airport with short intervals and the lounge was pretty much packed all the time but it offered plenty of seating for everyone.

Dining-wise, there were only a couple of snacks and drinks offered but I can understand that having a buffet or bar on domestic lounges is a little uneconomical for the company given the number of passengers visiting the lounge.

I will be further reviewing our trip to Jeju on Jin Air and our ground experience at Jeju Airport soon. Stay tuned!