The top selling points of Asiana Airlines are its passenger experience, its partner network and its hub at the world-renowned Incheon International Airport (ICN) in Seoul, consistently voted one of the best by passengers.
The Asiana Airlines model
Asiana Airlines is a mid-sized international airline offering full-service flights across East Asia and beyond.
Onboard you’ll find pleasingly spacious seats, even in economy, and a decent business class. Most of its planes aren’t the newest (with the exception of the Airbus A350 and A321neo) and that means they might not have the latest amenities, but I think the tradeoff for more personal space is well worth it.
Asiana also has two subsidiary low-cost airlines, Air Busan and Air Seoul, which fly domestically and regionally.
Economy class seats
While most airlines now have 10 seats in every economy row aboard the Boeing 777, Asiana Airlines outfits these rows with just 9. That’s real extra comfort and space between you and your neighbours and I can definitely feel the difference myself.
Asiana also flies the Airbus A380, which is a popular plane among travellers thanks to its comfortable ride, wide cabins and the wide seats on board. Unfortunately, this airplane is being retired from the Asiana Airlines fleet, so if you have the chance to fly it before it's gone, then I certainly recommend it.
When booking on the double-decker A380 Superjumbo, I highly recommend choosing a seat on the top deck. The economy cabin on this upper level is outfitted with fewer seats (a 2 by 4 by 2 layout rather than the 3 by 4 by 3 downstairs) and window seat passengers have their own individual side locker that offers a large amount of extra space.
On the A350, Asiana offers an extra-legroom economy ticket called Economy Smartium. These are just normal economy seats, but they come with 4 inches of extra legroom and a slightly upgraded meal. You also get priority boarding with this ticket and can use the business lounge in Seoul.
I recommend saving your pennies and skipping Smartium, though. Surprisingly, I don’t find the lounge to be amazing, and both the standard economy food and seats are above average so you don’t need spring for more.
Business class seats
Asiana’s business class is comfortable and pleasingly consistent. On the long-haul planes (the A350, A380 and 777) there are full lie-flat beds in a staggered layout that are very similar across models. All of the business-class seats are decent, but some are much better than others because of the staggered layout.
For more privacy, choose one next to a window or, if you prefer an aisle seat, one in the centre section where the side table will still separate you from the aisle. This will give you some separation from the service cart and others walking up and down the aisle so you won’t be disturbed by plane activity, but you’ll still have direct access to the aisle.
If you’re travelling with a partner, definitely consider these same centre seats – E and F. Not only does the layout put the chairs next to each other, but the centre divider can be lowered to create a more shared experience. It doesn’t create a double bed, but it’s the next best thing, which I often call “cuddle class.”
The A380 also offers what used to be first class but is now called the Business Suite and is sold as a modest upgrade from business class. If you want to live a first-class lifestyle on a business-class budget, this is the seat for you. The suite itself is a little older than others, but it’s super-spacious and still a really swanky experience, especially if you’ve never flown international first class.
On the regional Airbus A330, you’ll find the older model of sloping sleeper seats. These recline to a full lie-flat position, but not parallel to the floor. Instead, you’ll be lying at an angle to the floor, with your feet lower than your head. I find them fine for a little snooze on a flight of a few hours, but they aren’t up to modern international business standard for long-haul.
Asiana’s short-haul planes – the A321 and the newer A321neo – offer business class seats common across the industry on this type of flight. They’re essentially the same large recliners you’ll find in the first class or business class of any short-haul on a full-service airline.
Asiana Airlines' primary airports
Most Asiana Airlines flights in Korea operate from Terminal 1 at Seoul’s Incheon International Airport, the country’s main airport for decades. It’s roughly 30 miles to the west of Seoul’s city centre, and there’s a really convenient train connecting the city to the airport.
I’ll usually try to spend at least a couple of days in Seoul as a layover if I’m connecting on Asiana Airlines. It’s such an incredible city with so much to see and do, and modern Seoul changes so fast that there’s always something new to check out.
Asiana’s terminal might be on the older side, but the airport wins awards for good reason: It’s spacious, airy and efficient, with tons of shops and delicious eateries. Bargains on Korean cosmetics abound, and my go-to for a snack is the iconic Paris Baguette. It’s hard to put a foot wrong for food at this airport, though.
It might sound strange for what is otherwise a great airport, but the Asiana Airlines lounges are nothing to write home about. There are three business lounges (a central one near Gate 26, an east lounge near Gate 11 and a west lounge near Gate 42) and one former first class lounge now called the Business Suite Lounge near Gate 11.
They’re all pretty similar, with modest selections for food and drinks. The food in the airport itself is much better, so I’ll usually eat there and then chill out in the lounge with some cold soft drinks while recharging my devices before the flight.
A few domestic and regional flights operate from the city’s older airport, Gimpo International Airport (GMP), which is actually closer to the city centre of Seoul. This is convenient for local hops, but you won’t find as many route options here, especially for longer distances.
Food and drinks
The food on Asiana Airlines is great, even in economy. I love Korean food so you’ll always catch me ordering the Korean selection rather than the Western choices. The latter can be a little generic, especially by comparison. I advise preordering your meal to ensure you get your first choice – I always do.
If you choose Korean, I recommend going for the bibimbap or ssambap rice bowl options. You mix these yourself and can add as little or as much of the gochujang spicy sauce as you like. If you’re a chili lover, ask for an extra tube of gochujang with your meal.
On longer flights, there is a second hot meal service. Again, I recommend choosing from the Korean menu, which will usually be something delicious like pork with kimchi and rice. You’ll always find snacks available in the galley, including instant noodle cups.
Inflight entertainment and Wi-Fi
Many of Asiana’s planes are aging – between 10 and 15 years old. They are still safe and comfortable of course, but they lack the kind of modern upgrades that you have probably come to expect. You won’t find fast USB charging ports or the newest inflight entertainment screens.
Most long-haul flights (and some short-haul flights) are equipped with older pre-HD entertainment screens. These are fine, and there’s a good selection of movies and TV shows, but I wouldn’t expect the kind of cinematic experience you get from an airline with the newest systems.
You should definitely come prepared with your own external power supply to recharge your devices. The ports are slow and often not powerful enough for modern devices. If the plane is an older one, it might not have USB connections at all, or will only offer type A connections. If you have a modern C connection, you’ll need an adapter.
Asiana’s A350s offer inflight Wi-Fi for a cost similar to other airlines that charge. Do make sure you set your mobile phone to flight mode once onboard, though – Asiana Airlines offers a roaming cellular network and if your roaming is turned on your phone might connect to it unknowingly. That can be a pricey oversight.
Airline partners and frequent flyer program
Asiana’s frequent flyer program is called Asiana Club and it is currently fully reciprocal with Star Alliance partners, including Air Canada and United Airlines. Star Alliance Silver and Gold members therefore get all their usual benefits when flying Asiana Airlines.
Asiana also partners with Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways and Air Astana, although in some cases only long-haul flights to and from Seoul are included in that arrangement. As the merger with Korean Air goes forward, you can expect Asiana to be folded into the airline’s SKYPASS loyalty program and the SkyTeam alliance instead of Star Alliance.
This KAYAK-commissioned article is presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the article are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others. Find more perspectives in our user reviews below.
