Incheon International Airport

Phase 1

In Phase 1, the airport had a capacity of 30 million passengers annually, and a cargo capacity of 2,700,000 tonnes annually.^[14] In this phase, a passenger terminal with a floor space of 496,000 square metres (5,338,900 sq ft), two parallel runways, a control tower, an administrative building, a transportation centre (the Integrated Transportation Centre, designed by Terry Farrell and Partners and Samoo Architects & Engineers), an integrated operations centre, three cargo terminals, international business centre, and a government office building were constructed.^[15]

Phase 2

Phase 2 construction began in 2002 and was originally expected to be completed in December 2008. However, in an attempt to have the airport ready for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which took place in August 2008, the schedule was modified, and Phase 2 construction was completed on 20 June 2008. During this construction phase, a third parallel 4,000-metre-long (13,123 ft 4 in) runway and a 13-hectare (32.1-acre) cargo terminal area was added. A 16.5-hectare (40.8-acre) concourse connected to the main passenger building via two parallel 870-metre-long (2,854 ft 4 in) underground passageways were added, with a Mitsubishi Crystal Mover shuttle train APM shuttling passengers between the concourse and the main terminal.^[16]

Phase 3

The South Korean government invested ₩4 trillion until 2017 to expand Incheon International Airport. The second passenger terminal was constructed in the northern field of the airport, and its existing cargo terminal and other infrastructures were expanded. The terminals are connected by the underground "Starline" train. Also, a Landside Connecting system (Bus shuttle) is used for airport employees and departing passengers who don't come to the right terminal. After completion, Incheon International Airport can handle 62 million passengers and 5,800,000 tonnes (5,708,398 long tons; 6,393,406 short tons) of cargo a year, up from the previous capacity of 44 million passengers and 4,500,000 tonnes (4,428,929 long tons; 4,960,401 short tons). Construction began in 2011 and was completed in 2017. The terminal opened on 18 January 2018. Incheon's expansion also includes adding more aprons to park planes and extending a railway line to the city center of Seoul about 70 kilometres (43 mi) away from the airport. The airport also signed an agreement to build a resort called "Inspire" which includes 6-star hotels, theme parks, and a casino.^[17]

Phase 4

Between 2017 and 2024, a fourth construction phase at the airport was taking place. There was an expansion of Terminal 2, the building of a fourth runway and additional apron and car parking facilities.^[18] Following completion of the works, it is expected that the hourly flight capacity of the airport will increase from 90 to 107.^[19] The 4th runway opened first on 17 June 2017 and phase 4 construction fully completed later on 3 December 2024.^[20]

There are long-term plans for a fifth runway and a third terminal to handle low-cost carriers.^[21]

Terminal 1

Terminal 1 (measuring 496,000 square metres (5,338,900 sq ft)) is the largest airport terminal by area in South Korea. Terminal 1 was designed by Curtis W. Fentress, FAIA, RIBA of Fentress Architects. It is 1,060 metres (3,480 ft) long, 149 metres (489 ft) wide, and 33 metres (108 ft) high. Its construction cost was 5.632 trillion South Korean Won.^[22] The terminal has 47 boarding ports (all of which can accommodate the Airbus A380), 50 customs inspection ports, 2 biological quarantine counters, 6 stationary and 14 portable passenger quarantine counters, 120 arrival passport inspection counters, 8 arrival security ports, 28 departure security ports, 252 check-in counters, and 120 departure passport inspection counters. In 2015, an automatic check-in counter lane was introduced, which people travelling via Korean Air, Asiana Airlines and China Southern Airlines can use. Instead of having airport staff at the counter, there is a machine where travellers input their flight information, scan their passports, receive their flight tickets and lastly, load the luggage onto the conveyor. This system was planned to be introduced in Terminal 2, but in May 2015, Incheon Airport used one of the counter islands for the unmanned luggage handling system.^[23]

In December 2023, a Oneworld-branded and operated lounge opened in Incheon Airport Terminal 1 to serve passengers flying on seven of the alliance's 16 member carriers who serve the airport: Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways, and SriLankan Airlines.^[24] It is the first in a series of planned lounges under development by the alliance.^[25]

• 
  Exterior view at Terminal 1
• 
  Interior view at Terminal 1
• 
  Arrivals
• 
  Bus stops

Midfield Concourse

The passenger concourse was completed at the end of May 2008. It is connected to Terminal 1 by two parallel 870-metre-long (2,850 ft) underground passageways equipped with IATs (Intra Airport Transit). It has 32 gates and six lounges.^[26]

Terminal 2

A new passenger terminal, designed by Gensler, opened on 18 January 2018, and Korean Air, Air France, Delta Air Lines, and KLM flights were relocated from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2. Other SkyTeam members such as Aeroflot, Aeroméxico, China Airlines, Garuda Indonesia, and XiamenAir started serving Terminal 2 on 28 October 2018. From 1 July 2023, Jin Air, the low-cost subsidiary of Korean Air, started operating at Terminal 2.^[27] And the rest of the SkyTeam members, such as China Eastern Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, and Vietnam Airlines will be relocated to Terminal 2 later in the future.^[28] From 29 July 2025, Air Busan started operations at Terminal 2, followed by Air Seoul (from 9 September 2025) and Asiana Airlines (from 14 January 2026) relocated to Terminal 2 as well due to the merger with Korean Air. From 13 September 2025, Scandinavian Airlines started an inaugural flight to Incheon, using Terminal 2. From March 2026, Virgin Atlantic will start flying into Incheon using Terminal 2 as well.^{[citation needed]}

The airport area also has a golf course, spa,^[29] private sleeping rooms, an ice skating rink, a casino, indoor gardens, a video game center and the Museum of Korean Culture.^[30]

• 
  F ticket check-in
• 
  Waiting / arrivals
• 
  Departure & ticketing
• 
  Departure & ticketing
• 
  Terminal 2 check-in area
• 
  Transit lobby of Terminal 2
• 
  Boarding gates

Passenger

Cargo

Public transport

Rail

The Airport Railroad Express (AREX and styled as A'REX) has two stations located in both the Transport Centre adjacent to the Terminal 1 building (Incheon International Airport Terminal 1 station) and is in the basement of Terminal 2 (Incheon International Airport Terminal 2 station). It provides service to Gimpo International Airport and Seoul. Many of the stations along the line provide connections to Incheon Subway, Seoul Metropolitan Subway, and Incheon Airport Maglev.^{[citation needed]}

For departing passengers, Seoul Station City Airport Terminal offers in-town early check-in service and has related immigration services before arriving at the airport. Seoul Station City Airport Terminal is the only available place in Seoul where in-town check-in service is provided. That is since CALT closed its in-town check-in operation at Gangnam in 2023.^[145]

The Korea Train eXpress (KTX) operated at the same station as AREX but used a different platform. It operated 20 times per day from the airport; twelve times on the Gyeongbu Line, twice on the Gyeonjeon Line, four times on the Honam Line, and twice on the Jeolla Line. The service started in 2014 but was suspended in March 2018 due to low ridership.^[146] The suspension became permanent in September 2018 as the line was officially closed.^[147][148]

The Incheon Airport Maglev opened on 3 February 2016 and closed on 1 September 2023.^[149] The first phase was to be 6.1 km long, spread over six stations (but eight stations were built, spanning more than 8 km), taking riders from the airport toward the southwest of the island where a water park is located. Phase 2 was to be 9.7 km long, extending the line to the northwest of the island. Phase 3 would have added 37.4 km, transforming the line into a circle.^{[150][151][152]} After converting the tracks from Maglev to orbital tram tracks,^[153] service is expected to resume from March 2024.^[154]

Car

The airport provides a short-term parking lot for 4,000 cars and a long-term parking lot for 6,000 cars. Shuttle services connect the long-term parking lot to the passenger terminal and the cargo terminal. Car rental is located near the long-term parking lot. A link to the mainland is provided by the toll Yeongjong Bridge and an expressway. A second expressway on the Incheon Bridge also connects the island to central Incheon.^{[citation needed]}

Roads

It is connected to the Incheon Bridge and the 2nd Gyeongin Expressway. Airport limousine buses, which have been operating since the day Incheon International Airport opened, and many visitors in private cars use this road. When the 3rd Yeonyukgyo Bridge opens in 2025, a general road connecting to the Gyeongin Expressway, Incheon Airport will be accessible by two-wheeled vehicles and on foot.^{[citation needed]}

Top destinations

^4As a general rule, Hong Kong is strictly separated from Macau because of historical reasons. However, the distance between the two cities is very short and also economical, cultural exchanges are so active. Thus, this table ties together for convenience.

Annual traffic