Which airlines use which terminal
Your terminal is decided by your airline, and it is printed on your booking and your boarding pass. Check there first — airlines do move between terminals, and older guides are often wrong. The airport keeps its own list of every airline and its terminal if you want to confirm.
Airlines listed for Terminal 2
| Code | Airline | Country |
|---|---|---|
| KE | Korean Air (대한항공) | Korea |
| OZ | Asiana Airlines (아시아나항공) | Korea |
| BX | Air Busan (에어부산) | Korea |
| RS | Air Seoul (에어서울) | Korea |
| LJ | Jin Air (진에어) | Korea |
| DL | Delta Air Lines | United States |
| AF | Air France | France |
| KL | KLM Royal Dutch Airlines | Netherlands |
| AM | Aeroméxico | Mexico |
| GA | Garuda Indonesia | Indonesia |
| CI | China Airlines (中華航空) | Taiwan |
| MF | Xiamen Air (샤먼항공) | China |
| SK | SAS Scandinavian Airlines | Denmark |
| VS | Virgin Atlantic | United Kingdom |
If you fly Asiana, Air Busan or Air Seoul, you are at Terminal 2. For years they flew from Terminal 1, and many guides and forum posts still say so. They moved, and now sit with Korean Air. If you booked one of them on the strength of an older guide, go by the boarding pass, not the guide.
Airlines listed for Terminal 1
Terminal 1 serves many other airlines. Check the current directory for your flight; examples include:
- The other Korean budget airlines — Jeju Air (7C), T'way Air (TW),
Eastar Jet (ZE), Air Premia (YP), Aero K (RF) and Parata Air (WE).
- Other international airlines — United, American,
Air Canada, Lufthansa, Swiss, Finnair, Turkish, Singapore Airlines, Thai, Cathay Pacific, EVA Air, Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways, Ethiopian.
- Almost every regional and budget airline — Vietnam Airlines, VietJet,
Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines, AirAsia X, Thai AirAsia, Scoot, Jetstar, Peach, ZIPAIR, Air Japan, HK Express, Air Macau, and the Chinese airlines (Air China, China Eastern, China Southern, Spring, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Sichuan, Juneyao and others).
For a flight from Tokyo, check whether your booking names Gimpo or Incheon. The operating flight and airport code matter more than a general statement about the airline.
Flying home, or meeting someone? Getting between the terminals
The two terminals are separate buildings with a road journey of about 15 km between them, each with its own train station and bus stands. You cannot walk between them. There are two ways across, and both are easy — but neither is instant.
The free shuttle bus is the usual way. It runs in both directions: Airport Shuttle 03 (공항 03번) from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1 and Airport Shuttle 04 (공항 04번) from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2.
| Terminal 2 → Terminal 1 | Terminal 1 → Terminal 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Bus | Airport Shuttle 03 (공항 03번) | Airport Shuttle 04 (공항 04번) |
| Board at | Terminal 2, 3F, outside Gate 7 | Terminal 1, 3F, outside Gate 8 |
| How often | every 7–20 min | every 10–20 min |
| Runs | 04:30 – 23:35 | 04:30 – 23:20 |
| Fare | free | free |
The ride itself is about 20 minutes. Add the wait for the bus, the walk to the stand and the walk back into the other terminal, and it is closer to 40.
The AREX train (the Airport Railroad from Incheon airport into Seoul) also links the two terminals, and it is quicker and more predictable: six minutes between the two stations, for about ₩1,200 on a transit card. It runs later than the shuttle. At both terminals the station is one level down, under the transport centre — follow the signs for 공항철도 / AREX. The airport's own page on moving between the terminals covers both options.
Allow a full hour
Going to the wrong terminal can cost you a flight. Allow a full hour to move between them, and more if you have bags to check in again or if it is after 22:00, when the shuttle thins out and then stops. For a flight connection, follow your airline’s transfer instructions. The public terminal shuttle is outside security; an airside connection may follow a different route. Confirm whether you must collect baggage and check in again.
If you use a wheelchair, the shuttle bus office will send a free lift-equipped vehicle — call 032-741-3217 (05:00–24:00) and book ahead.
Terminal 2 is further from Seoul
Terminal 2 sits beyond Terminal 1 on the same railway, so every trip into Seoul is a little longer from there — six minutes more on the train, about twenty more on the bus.
| from Terminal 1 | from Terminal 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| AREX Express to Seoul Station | 43 min | 51 min |
| AREX all-stop to Seoul Station | 60 min | 66 min |
| Last AREX Express | 22:48 | 22:40 |
| Last AREX all-stop reaching Seoul Station | 23:38 | 23:32 |
Journey times are AREX's own.
Inside the terminals
Both terminals have departures, arrivals and transport areas, but the routes and facilities differ:
- The third floor serves departures. Check-in and the public terminal-shuttle stops are here: outside Gate 8 at Terminal 1 and Gate 7 at Terminal 2.
- Follow the arrival signs from the aircraft to immigration and baggage reclaim. The route depends on your gate and terminal.
- The first floor contains the public arrivals hall. People can meet you here, and taxis are outside. At
Terminal 1 the Seoul buses leave from outside exits 3–7 on this floor.
- Follow signs to the transport centre and basement rail station for AREX at either terminal. At Terminal 2
the Seoul buses leave from stands 11–35 down here, not from the kerb.
What is the same at both
Both terminals have an AREX station, a full set of bus stands, taxi ranks with separate lines for Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi, a 24-hour Darakhyu capsule hotel in the transport centre, a 24-hour Spa on Air in the basement, and the same immigration and customs. Check the facilities and transport stops for your actual terminal; do not assume every service is available in both.
One thing to know for the flight home: Terminal 1 has a separate concourse (탑승동) reached by an underground train, used by many foreign airlines. If your gate number is in the 100s, allow extra time to get there.
