You’ve just arrived in Terminal 2. Check the green signage for terminal 2 transfers. Ok, we’re back. Now, imagine getting unlimited draft beer–poured just for you. Spicy ramen soup and Jeju water are just a few counters over. Is this a microbrewery? No, it’s Korean Air’s Prestige Incheon lounge. Best of all? It’s free.

FREE?! Yes, FREE for you and a partner. Where? Make your way to the Louis Vuitton store—it’s across from there.

Who This Guide is For

• Passengers on Korean Air
• SkyTeam Elite Members
• Delta Gold & Delta Platinum (or equivalent)
• International travelers with a same-day boarding pass on SkyTeam airlines

If you’re currently deplaning, making your way through security, or an overzealous awards traveler pre-planning your Bali trip using only rewards, then this guide is for you.

You Just Landed at Incheon International Airport

You’re here at Incheon airport probably for several reasons. But, if I had to guess it would be  because of two situations. One, you purchased airfare via Delta Airlines, Korean Air, or SkyTeam partner. And two, you’re routing through Southeast Asia or you’re going to Guam. 

Yes–Guam! One of the few U.S. territories where it’s cheaper to route internationally, rather than regionally. 

You’ve just made your way through transfer security and have entered the puzzle that’s Incheon’s Terminal 2.

And I get it, it can be a nightmare. You are trying to understand a rather unfamiliar language—while baggage carts playing Beethoven’s Für Elise whizz by as you try to find the “Where am I?” sign. 

But once you realize it’s an open layout that only goes in one direction on the main “street” called Airstar Avenue, finding the lounge becomes a lot easier.

Make Your Way to the Louis Vuitton Store

There are two lounges. I picked the KAL Prestige Lounge West that’s across from the Louis Vuitton store. How’s that for a landmark?

Whether you have a short or long layover, deciding to come to the lounge depends on your mood. If you just want a quick meal, then I recommend heading to the CJ “Gourmet Food” court that’s just across the way.

I picked KAL Lounge Prestige West because my flight back to Seattle on Delta left out of Terminal 2, Gate 249. That made this location perfect as a Delta Platinum medallion.

Korean Air Lounge Locations and Access

The Details

• West Lounge: 4th floor near Gate 249, opposite Louis Vuitton 
• Hours: 7 days a week, 04:00-00:00
• Access: Prestige Class, SkyTeam Elite Plus members (Delta Gold, Platinum, and Diamond) who can bring 1 additional passenger on a SkyTeam flight

At first, I wasn’t sure of the KAL policy for an additional guest. After all, my previous experience was at Delta’s LAX lounge on the way to Auckland, New Zealand. Yet, for Air France, it was free for a plus one.

At this lounge, none of that mattered. You hand over your boarding pass and passport. From there, they pull up your info on their screens and will instantly recognize your status tier. 

Everything was good so with the flick of their hand–we were good to enter. 

Cool!

Gear Used

Korean Air Lounge Amenities

What You Will Find

You will find good food, satisfying beer, and comfortable rooms—all in a rather open-office concept. However, if you position yourself closest to the window (facing Louis Vuitton), you will have your own kind of space—a compartment—the type that you’d get on an overnight European train. 

When you enter the lounge, there are several areas that greet you: a main area whose chairs are built around the viewing range of the TV, a long work-style counter with chairs that you can’t plant your feet on the floor, and the buffet area.

The main open seating area faces a central TV. It seemed rather reminiscent of a colosseum—with the TV being the main event. In my case, the South Korean president was in the process of impeachment—so all eyes were fixed on the screen.

That left the armchairs near the window facing Louis Vuitton (on the far right side of the open area layout). I recommend these because they are more private than other areas while allowing you to be aware of your surroundings.

Similarly, there’s also seating to the far right of the room. But the way the seats are arranged, it feels like you are on a passenger Amtrak train instead of in an airport lounge—with very little privacy, and you’re just staring straight forward in the direction of Louis Vuitton—and nothing else. No thanks!

The lounge to be very busy or not busy at all. That all depends on your flight arrival and layover time. If you have over ten hours, like me, then you will have a chance to see—like the tide—how the lounge swells with passengers and then subsides.

I realized just how drastically the lounge could fill when I awakened from my deep slumber.

Food

The right side of the room has the main prized possession in the whole lounge: the buffet.

Actually, I should say buffet and bar. Weirdly, it seems that the buffet is sponsored or provided by Grand Hyatt. I later found out that the Grand Hyatt at Incheon is owned by Korean Airlines. 

Also what? All that…ramyun by the boatload? That means I don’t have to wait to get them back home and drive 40 minutes to H-Mart.

I can imagine myself just now getting a bag of Nongshim ramyun—getting the chili packet out and sprinkling it with the dry noodles, smashing the bag, turning it into thick-style Korean cheetos, and thinking the following as I eat the snack:

Imagine getting all the mainstream cultural elements of South Korea at once. It’s a great way for KAL to introduce or reinforce Korean culture to both newcomers and return guests alike, while offering some familiarity to locals.

But seriously. Just think about it. Imagine you just finished the latest K-Drama on Netflix and now you’re in South Korea. What would you want to try? Well, for starters, I’d try the Nongshim Shin Black—the spicy one. You can’t have it not be spicy.

That was the warm-up meal. Remember, you have a 10 hr+ layover. Next?

That Cass draft beer has been catching your eye. A 6-hour flight from Bali left you a little dehydrated? A cold Cass could cool that down. Wait? It comes with a mug? Even better! It’s like being at a Hofbräuhaus in Munich. Or like the Korean dramas–the actors always sit around and drink Korean beer at a shop like G25. Better yet like the dramas they sit around and drink some Korean beer. Now you get to do the same whether it’s Cass or Terra on behalf of your award or ticket status.

But you know what goes better with that Cass beer? Bibimbap. I love bibimbap, yukgaejang, and jajangmyun. But when I saw that you have to make it yourself, I just froze—metal chopsticks in hand. Oh yeah, you get real chopsticks, not those cheap wooden ones, FYI.

An older Korean man noticed I needed some help. Where’s the egg? Where are the other condiments? Ok, so this was a little different than what I was used to, and I still had some cravings. But he said, “Hey, start here.” I replied, “Ok.”

Then I paused, turned, and said, “Can I just follow you? I’m just gonna copy exactly what you do.”

And so I did. And I would end up visiting that Bibimbap buffet several times to get my fix.

Relax & Clean

There are showers (where you have to sign up), there’s a quiet area, and a lot of seating in the main open seating area—where the chairs come equipped with USB chargers.

But after being there for 10+ hours, I’ve seen it be super quiet (which people associate with the KAL Prestige East lounge) and also very busy with more seats filled next to me.

I could post up in the large chairs facing the Louis Vuitton store and charge all my devices. Given that I had some work to finish, I even took out my full Berlyx AX travel router and StarVPN to create my own wireless ecosystem. And guess what? That internet was fast.

The lounge views aren’t great. You’re either facing a bright Louis Vuitton store (which apparently has its own lounge), looking down at passengers on Airstar Avenue, or accidentally engaging in a staring contest with people in those weird Amtrak-style seats.

Remember I said that seating was weird? At least here you’re normal—they’re the ones staring at you. They are the weird ones.  

Comparing Korean Air Lounges to Other SkyTeam Options

So does it compare to Delta’s LAX—where you can easily see airplanes come and go, or the newly launched Delta International Lounge in Boston‘s Terminal E? The short answer is no. The longer answer is it depends. Where else can you get Korean snacks and fill up on all things Korean? Nowhere!

At least the lounge has food and was even a good area to pass out. The one thing this excelled over Air France’s CDG lounge in Terminal 2E was the frequency and quality of the cleanliness. There was an additional focus on cleanliness when the workers would walk by with their push carts every few minutes and ask if they could pick up your rubbish.

KAL Prestige Lounge (West)

Tips, Tricks, and Logistics

• Best seats: Head directly to window-facing armchairs for the most privacy
• Food timing: The buffet is regularly refreshed, but selection is best during peak meal times
• Shower access: Sign up immediately upon arrival if you plan to shower
• Working setup: The lounge Wi-Fi is fast, but bringing a VPN is recommended for secure connections
• Quiet areas: For napping, look for the designated relaxation areas away from the TV and buffet

Trip Soundtrack

Because every adventure needs a soundtrack, each of my trips comes with a theme song. And for this trip's anthem? Well, it's...

Jung Il Woo - A Person Like You (Flower Boy Ramyun Shop OST)

Conclusion: Korean Snacks to Enhance Your Layover

If you’re a SkyTeam traveler with a layover at Incheon, the Korean Air Prestige Lounge offers enough comfort, food, and amenities to make your connection enjoyable. While not the most luxurious lounge in the SkyTeam alliance, it provides a brief taste of Korea and a comfortable place to nap before your next flight. 

I had just arrived from my two-week trip in Bali, flying Economy with a 10+ hour layover. All I wanted was to feel relaxed. And by the end of my stay, I did.

Given that Korean Air recently updated its aircraft livery and launched new TV adverts, they should probably upgrade some elements of the lounge. The lounge is missing art, missing vibrancy. Right now, it just exudes clinical. For starters, please add more privacy areas. These dividers can be used to split the different regions of the lounge. The lounge is missing art, missing vibrancy. 

Air France and Delta lounges use a slatted wood design that adds subtle boundaries while making you still feel part of the lounge community. I’d also change the fluorescent lighting or dim the bulbs—right now it feels like I’m in a South Korean doctor drama about to get surgery. Delta lounges have a certain colored hue that complements wood dividers and creates a more mood-setting ambiance. Additionally, you would gain a lot more space if the main entrance were trimmed down.

Korean Air is currently fielding major lounge renovations through 2025-2026. So, if you’re reading this and traveling in late 2025 or beyond, you might experience a completely refreshed lounge. 

Nevertheless, the lounge currently offers a decent selection of drinks and all-you-can-eat ramyun and beer on draft. I would definitely visit again on my next SkyTeam layover. But now, I’m curious to see what other SkyTeam lounges look like in Asia. 

For now, as a former medical student, the KAL Prestige Lounge feels like I’m back in anatomy lab dissection, with the cadaver on the table. Only this time, it’s ramyun.