Having flown out of Seoul/Incheon with Korean Air first class and economy class most of the time, I did not have a chance for me to experience its Prestige Class product. Actually, it was my first international flight on Prestige Class since Korean Air and select Skyteam members relocated to Incheon Airport Terminal 2.
Prior to that, I have flown on Prestige Class a couple of times on a domestic route but it was always too short for a complete experience.
Due to a work meeting at the airport, my day began with arriving at Incheon airport whooping 12 hours early before departure. Thankfully, Korean Air counters accept super early check-in if your flight departs on the same day regardless of departure time. For example, you are able to drop off your bags and get a boarding pass for your flight early morning even if you depart late in the evening.
Korean Air Prestige Class Check-In:
At Incheon Airport Terminal 2, there is a separate zone(Zone A), which is allocated exclusively for Korean Air’s First and Prestige Class customers as well as Skyteam Elite Plus members traveling on Korean Air.
The premium check-in area was pretty crowded as flights to the US are primarily scheduled in the morning.
Getting to Korean Air Prestige Class Lounge:
There are currently two Prestige Class lounges, one on each wing. However, due to the pandemic, the East Wing lounge is still operational, but I think it will reopen in the coming weeks. (Update: As of July 1, the Prestige Class Lounge in East Wing will reopen as well.)
Getting to the lounge is pretty straightforward. Once you clear the security and immigration, the west wing lounge is located on the right side between gates 248 and 249 while the east wing lounge is on the left side near gate 253.
The west wing is the section where a few other premium lounges are gathered together. Korean Air’s First Class lounge and Miler Club lounge are both located side by side. The lounges at the west wing tend to overcrowd due to the short walking distance after exiting immigration.
Korean Air Prestige Class Lounge Operational Hours:
Below you can check out Korean Air’s Prestige Class lounge operating hours. They both do not operate 24 hours and if you have to stay overnight at the airport, I would recommend using the “Walkerhill” transit hotel near gate 251.
| KAL Prestige Class Lounge | West Wing: Near Gate 249 East Wing: Near Gate 253 | West Wing: 04:00 ~ 24:00 East Wing: 06:00 ~ 22:00 |
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Korean Air Prestige Class Lounge Entry Requirements:
There are a few ways to enter the Prestige Class lounge. You can take a look below at the entry requirements.
- First Class passenger
- SKYPASS Million Miler Club member plus one guest traveling with SkyTeam airline
- Prestige Class passenger
- SKYPASS Morning Calm Premium Club member plus one guest traveling with SkyTeam airline
- SkyTeam Elite Plus Members plus one guest traveling with SkyTeam airline
- SKYPASS Morning Calm member (Entitle to access up to 4 times during the membership period)
- Partnership cardholders
- SkyTeam member airlines’ Business Class passengers departing out of Terminal 2.
Generally, customers using the Prestige lounge are either Prestige Class passengers without a tier or SkyTeam Elite Plus members. As First Class and Miler Club lounges are now in operation, passengers holding first class tickets and those who are SKYPASS MC Premium Club holders traveling on Prestige Class will be using these lounges.
Korean Air Prestige Class Lounge Layout and Seating:
The Prestige Class lounge is really modern and spacious where it can accommodate up to 400 passengers. The lounge is divided into a few different sections with different seats. You can choose from a solo, communal, semi-private pods, banquette, refectory dining tables and from also workstations, a relaxation room, family rooms, and a TV room.
Once, you enter the reception, you can find lockers to store your belongings. Universal power outlets are available in between every seat while some seats also feature both power sockets and a USB port to reduce the inconvenience of charging your electronic devices.
Korean Air Prestige Class Lounge Dining:
Since I was at the lounge from early morning till evening, I was able to experience from breakfast to dinner. Korean Air’s Prestige Class lounge buffet is catered by Grand Hyatt Incheon as the hotel is owned by Korea Air Group. You can enjoy high-quality food and beverages prepared by chefs at Grand Hyatt Incheon’s kitchen.
From fresh salads to mains to desserts, the meals taste the same as you have at the hotel and are restocked by the staff round the clock. Cup noodles and refreshments are also available for snacks.
Korean Air Prestige Class Lounge Bar:
There is a separate bar by the corner of the dining area. A wide range of spirits, and wines are arranged on the bar shelves and beers are from the dispensers which can be requested by the staff members. Mixed nuts and snacks are served as well. Bar menus were common brands that you can find at hotel lounges.
Korean Air Prestige Class Lounge Restroom and Shower Facilities:
Restrooms and showers are located beside the TV room but they both have a separate entry. There are six shower rooms with a separate shower and toilet. Standard amenities such as towels and hairdryers are provided inside the showers while toothbrushes and shaving kits are available on the table beside the entrance.
There is no time limit for using the showers but during peak hours, due to the limited number, it will be a manner to have a quick shower as the queue can reach pretty long and it takes time for staff to clean.
Summary:
Finally, I was able to visit the Prestige Class lounge. I had an opportunity in the past to briefly check out the lounge but this time I had the full experience of the lounge. Overall, spending almost 12 hours at the lounge was comfortable and satisfying.
The buffet was delicious and not boring. The lounge was kept clean and neat throughout the operation time even though there were a lot of guests.
With the opening of the East-Wing lounge and third-party lounges at Incheon International Airport, I believe the capacity will disperse between them so hopefully, the capacity will not lean on one lounge in the future. On my next trip, I will try to review the East-Wing Lounge as there are some differences for sure between the West-Wing.
