# Business Class flights to Seoul

Korean Air Prestige Suites, Asiana Business Smartium, Delta One Suite, United Polaris, major US-to-Seoul routes ranked by cabin and fare band.

Canonical: https://www.businessclasstravel.us/business-class-to-seoul
Publisher: BusinessClassTravel.us (ARC/IATA-partner Business Class consolidator)

## Key facts

- Airports: ICN (South Korea)
- Best-value gateway: LAX → Seoul Incheon (ICN), typically $3,400 – $5,700 round-trip (contracted consolidator fare)
- Top Business Class carriers: Korean Air Prestige Suites, Asiana Business Smartium, United Polaris, Asiana
- Typical savings: 30-60% below the airline's published Business Class fare for the same seat

## US gateway routes (round-trip Business Class, contracted fares)

| Route | Best carriers | Typical fare | Flight time |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAX → Seoul Incheon (ICN) | Korean Air Prestige Suites, Asiana Business Smartium | $3,400 – $5,700 round-trip | ~13h westbound · ~11h eastbound |
| SFO → Seoul Incheon (ICN) | Korean Air Prestige Suites, Asiana Business Smartium, United Polaris | $3,400 – $5,800 round-trip | ~12.5h westbound · ~11h eastbound |
| JFK → Seoul Incheon (ICN) | Korean Air Prestige Suites, Asiana | $3,800 – $6,300 round-trip | ~14h westbound · ~14h eastbound |
| EWR → Seoul Incheon (ICN) | Korean Air (non-stop from nearby JFK; no EWR service), United Polaris (1-stop via SFO) | $3,800 – $6,300 round-trip | ~14h westbound · ~14h eastbound |
| ATL → Seoul Incheon (ICN) | Delta One Suite, Korean Air | $3,600 – $6,000 round-trip | ~14.5h westbound · ~14h eastbound |
| DTW → Seoul Incheon (ICN) | Delta One Suite | $3,500 – $5,900 round-trip | ~13.5h westbound · ~13h eastbound |
| SEA → Seoul Incheon (ICN) | Korean Air Prestige Suites 2.0, Delta One Suite | $3,200 – $5,500 round-trip | ~11.5h westbound · ~10h eastbound |
| IAD → Seoul Incheon (ICN) | Korean Air 777-300ER, United Polaris (1-stop via SFO) | $3,500 – $5,900 round-trip | ~14h westbound · ~13.5h eastbound |
| ORD → Seoul Incheon (ICN) | Korean Air, United Polaris (1-stop via SFO) | $3,500 – $5,900 round-trip | ~13.5h westbound · ~13h eastbound |
| LAS → Seoul (Korean Air non-stop) | Korean Air 777 | $3,500 – $5,800 round-trip | ~13.5h westbound · ~11h eastbound |

## When to fly

| Season | Months | Pricing note |
|---|---|---|
| Peak (Chuseok, cherry blossom) | Late Mar – early Apr (sakura), Sep – Oct (Chuseok) | Cherry blossom and Korean Thanksgiving (Chuseok) push fares up 25-40%. |
| Shoulder | May – Jun, Sep – early Oct | Best weather for Seoul. Fares sit mid-band; awards available. |
| Off-peak | Jan – mid-Mar, Nov – early Dec | Cheapest Business Class to Seoul. Cold but K-pop and shopping districts are at their best. |

## How to book

1. **Choose Korean Air or Asiana for premium cabin**: Korean Air Prestige Suites is the top cabin choice, competitive with ANA The Room and Singapore 2017 Business. Prestige Suites 2.0 (787-10 and refitted 777-300ERs) has sliding doors, but they stay open in flight pending regulatory approval; the original Prestige Suites (747-8I, 787-9, many 777-300ERs) has no door. Asiana Business Smartium (staggered 1-2-1 on the A350 and A380) is competitive until Asiana merges into Korean Air on December 17, 2026.
2. **Compare Delta One Suite for US-carrier loyalty**: Delta flies non-stop to Seoul from Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis, Seattle and Salt Lake City, with the Delta One Suite (closing door, 1-2-1 lie-flat) on its A350 and A330-900neo aircraft. Strong cabin product for US Delta loyalists who want to keep SkyMiles earning and Delta SkyClub benefits.
3. **Avoid sakura week and Chuseok**: Cherry blossom peaks late March – early April. Korean Thanksgiving (Chuseok, typically September or October) is a 5-day holiday, Seoul empties but inbound diaspora traffic surges. Both windows push Business fares 25-40% above typical bands.
4. **Stack Korean Air SKYPASS or partner miles**: Korean Air SKYPASS Prestige awards between the US and Korea run 62,500 miles one-way off-peak and 92,500 peak, plus taxes. SKYPASS has no major US bank transfer partner (Chase Ultimate Rewards left in 2018). Delta SkyMiles, Flying Blue and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club can book Korean Air; Aeroplan cannot. Aeroplan and United can book Asiana only for travel through December 16, 2026, when Asiana leaves Star Alliance.
5. **Lock the fare with a written quote**: Verify aircraft: Prestige Suites 2.0 is only on the 787-10 and refitted 777-300ERs, while the A380 and some older 777s still fly the older Prestige Sleeper. Asiana Business Smartium is on the A350 and A380.

## Frequently asked questions

### How much does Business Class to Seoul cost?

Published Business Class on US-Seoul routes typically runs $5,500 – $8,500 round-trip in peak, $4,500 – $6,500 off-peak. Through a contracted consolidator, LAX-ICN Business round-trip is regularly $3,400 – $4,200 in shoulder season.

### Is Korean Air or Asiana better to Seoul?

Korean Air Prestige Suites edges Asiana Business Smartium on cabin product, led by the newer Prestige Suites 2.0 with sliding doors (kept open in flight pending regulatory approval) and a 23.8-inch screen. Asiana on the A350 is competitive and often $300-500 cheaper. For frequent flyers: Korean has the deeper US route network; Asiana keeps Star Alliance benefits only until December 16, 2026 and merges into Korean Air on December 17, 2026.

### How long is a Business Class flight from the US to Seoul?

LAX/SFO → ICN: ~12.5-13h westbound, ~11h eastbound. SEA → ICN: ~11.5h westbound. JFK/EWR → ICN: ~14h westbound (the eastbound is just as long because polar route, no significant jet stream help). ATL/DTW/IAD: ~13.5-14h westbound.

### Can I use miles for Business Class to Seoul?

Yes. Korean Air SKYPASS Prestige awards from the US run 62,500 miles one-way off-peak and 92,500 peak (Chase Ultimate Rewards stopped transferring in 2018). Virgin Atlantic Flying Club books Korean Air from 85,000 points one-way from the West Coast. Aeroplan books Star Alliance flights to Seoul (such as United and Air Canada) from ~75,000-90,000 miles but cannot book Korean Air. Delta SkyMiles for Delta-operated flights starts at ~90,000 miles. Saver availability is best 6-11 months ahead.

### When is the cheapest time to fly Business Class to Seoul?

January through mid-March and November through early December are the cheapest. Avoid cherry blossom (late March – early April), Chuseok (September or October), and Lunar New Year (typically late January – mid February).

### Should I add a stopover in Tokyo or Hong Kong en route to Seoul?

On Star Alliance redemptions via Aeroplan, a stopover in Tokyo or Hong Kong adds 5,000 points to a one-way award. For cash fares, adding a stopover usually costs $200-500 extra, worth it if you wanted to visit those cities anyway.