Seoul Incheon Airport

Not Verified | The airport security women were very rude and aggressive. Patted down my wife and 18 month child for no reason after they got through the scanner no problem. Disgraceful overreaction is security. Nothing went off or alerted them. They scanned the pram then had to go over it again after no problem through the belt.

✅ Trip Verified | A very modern airport with very clean toilets and an ample amount of eateries. Wifi service is excellent and queuing times are good. Terminal seats are comfortable.

Not Verified | Terminal 1, arrival and departure on working days. Descriptions are rarely written in English (only every 2-3.) between them you just follow the crowd. Immigration is faster due to the fact that they don’t stamp anymore, you just get a arrival slip (I always liked the stamps). Nevertheless arrival time was about 11 am and the crowd on the immigration was ok, about 15 min. For customs, there are many ways through, just look on the left or the right side, never in the center! Due to many horror stories here I went back to the airport quiet early to have enough time. Arriving 7 am on Monday morning there were less people than expected. Security and immigration went very well, together about 20-25 min. So haven’t missed a fast/priority/business lane at all.

✅ Trip Verified | Staff were rude and not very knowledgeable. All the restaurants closed at 9:30. In an international airport. I couldn't believe it to be honest. I had 3 hours to wait for my flight with nowhere to grab dinner. Long lines at check in and security/customs.

❎ Not Verified | Very clean, very big, but also very soulless. Also a very long ride to/from Seoul suburbs where most hotels are. Arrival was quick, although no “fast lanes” exist here. Late evening departure showed the airport’s drawbacks: only one of four departure gates open after 8pm, 90% of (luxury brand) shops and restaurants closed already, few seating areas, and very average signing in English. Airports like Narita, Haneda, Chep Lap Kok, are definitely in another league, I would even say 2 classes above Incheon.

✅ Trip Verified | Signs of directions in English are not clear. No additional signs halfway along the journey and we’ll just have to try our luck. Realised most people who understand English ended down at gate 27 for tax refund instead of taking the escalator up to collect the tax refund. Collection of duty free product (from Shinsegae) was a nightmare. I’m able to locate the place but unable to find any escalator up to level 4 based on reading the instructions in English on the duty free collection pamphlet. Although staff are able to speak English, I had to ask 3 different people to get to the place correctly. Upon reaching the area I quickly approached Shinsegae counter with my slip but was pushed off by them to get a Q ticket. There’s no sign where to get the ticket and I was looking everywhere for some ticketing kiosk. Walked back and asked Shinsegae staff where to get the ticket and they just pointed to the collection point entrance. That’s all! So unhelpful. Obviously I know it is somewhere at the entrance. I just have to follow the huge crowd of Chinese tourists and queued at the counter of lotte duty free and pass my passport to a counter for scanning then this staff told me to get a Q ticket from the small little machine labeled 3 which is for Shinsegae after I asked him where exactly it is as I can’t find it. Collection of products was fast after getting the Q ticket. Zero waiting time, but the process and time taken was not worth it. I regretted getting the product in the end. No more collection of duty free products at Incheon Terminal 1 airport. Had no issue five years back here and I wondered what happened this time round. My flight was at 23.45hrs and I read that the check-in counter opens 3hrs before flight time which was at 20.45hrs. I was early and arrived before the check-in counter opened as I know I had things that I needed to do. There was a queue at immigration check point which was pretty manageable for that crowd. Guess I spent too much time collecting the duty free product. By then I’m so thirsty and was looking for a place to sit down for a drink only to realise most of the shops were closed or closing. I quickly walked towards the direction of my departing gate 23 hoping to just get a bottle of mineral water before I died of thirst. I saw a shop selling it and quickly got there to get it only to hear that they are closed. I asked her to help me please in my very limited Korean language then she agreed to sell me the bottle of mineral water for which I can only make the payment with a credit card. Whatever, I quickly took out my card for payment and was shocked that the other staff from the shop lowered down the gate shutter. Got back my card and water and they closed the shop completely with a number of helpless looking tourists wondering where else to get water at this hours when most of the shops are closed and there’s still a 1-2 hours before our flight. Well, we understand the shop is not 24hrs and you are closed/closing but at least direct us where else can we get some drinks at this hours instead of lowering the shutters and shouting at the customers.

Not Verified | Very long queue at departure boarding, and the worse thing is they close all other boarding gates except 1 after 9pm!! To me that is ridiculous if you are an international airport, staff are rude too - not helpful! Worse airport I have been to, bad efficiency - so far apart from Japan and even China is very much better!

✅ Trip Verified | I am amazed this is a 5 star airport. Huge lines at security and immigration. Maybe people review transit only. Slow and inefficient procedures. No priority lane. Overall I think Shanghai is faster, Changi is far superior.

Not Verified | The airport itself is beautiful, and if that’s what the rating would be based on Inchon would have a high rating. However what matters most to me is how well I can navigate with my family. There is good signage but the space at this airport is just not used properly. An example would be the rest areas upstairs are huge but one person pretty much takes away from 5 or 6 that could use the same space. Taco Bell doesn’t even substitute soft shell for hard shell in a meal (for the price it shouldn’t be a problem). There are charging stations but they are gobbled up immediately and so it’s either no charge or hope your stuff is cool while you sit several rows away from your $1000 device. Food area upstairs is also impossible at times to even find a place to sit or because of narrow rows to even walk with food. And my biggest frustration is the lack of common, at least I thought common, curtesy as no one moves aside to let you pass. It is not that anyone is rude it’s that no one is happy, glad, or excited about our experience here at this airport. We don’t dislike this airport it’s just that we don’t like it either.

✅ Trip Verified | The worst service at check-in counter for Singapore Airlines. Never had the most inefficient, impatient and rude service. Passengers are treated very poorly. Very disappointing experience