With Korean Air, this short hop from Seoul to Beijing was a breeze. I had a great time onboard; the plane was spotless, the crew was overly attentive, the meal was delicious, and the on-time performance made it a solid option. Plus, the experience at Seoul Incheon was smooth and efficient. Here are all the details.

Route ICN-PEK
Flight KE859
Cabin Economy Class
Equipment Boeing 737 MAX 8
Aircraft HL8350
Flight Time Approx. 2h 45m

How I Booked This Flight

I booked this trip using 15000 SAS EuroBonus points and ~600 SEK in taxes. It was a really convenient price compared to the revenue tickets, which were over USD 300. I used AwardFares to quickly find availability for the dates I wanted, but I couldn’t find seats in Business Class. This was the 11th flight of my EuroBonus Millionaire trip.

Map

Check-In

My flight to Beijing was the first one of the day, so I had to be at the airport very early. I also didn’t know that airport at all, so I wanted to have plenty of time to go through the check-in, security, and passport control. I checked out at the Ibis Styles Ambassador Incheon Hotel and took the shuttle bus that took me to Terminal 2 in 5 minutes. I was there at 5 am sharp, and none of the check-in desks were open. The airport terminal is massive and stunning. It was also extremely quiet.

I noticed a Korean Air Premium Check-In area, but it only worked for SkyTeam Elite Plus members, so I couldn’t take advantage of that. Instead, I had to go to Concourse D and wait in line. After waiting for 10 minutes, the agents quickly directed us to different desks and even separated us if we had Elite status. As I had SkyTeam Elite status, I could go to a different priority queue.

The check-in agent was very kind and, after checking my passport, gave me my boarding pass in less than 5 minutes. Then, I went through security and passport control, which took about 20 minutes.

Korean Air 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Review from Seoul to Beijing Korean Air 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Review from Seoul to Beijing Korean Air 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Review from Seoul to Beijing

Boarding

I didn’t have access to KAL’s lounge. Instead, I tried using my Visa Airport Companion, but the earliest lounge opened at 6:30 am, almost boarding time. Instead, I walked around the massive terminal, looking for a good snack. I saw a food court with many options but wasn’t looking for a full meal then. Instead, I found a Starbucks and grabbed a coffee and a pastry.

Korean Air 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Review from Seoul to Beijing Korean Air 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Review from Seoul to Beijing

Then, I headed to my gate. The plane was already being prepared. The boarding process started on time, and again, thanks to my SkyTeam Elite status, I could use the SkyPriority lane. I was among the first ones to board.

Korean Air 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Review from Seoul to Beijing Korean Air 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Review from Seoul to Beijing

Cabin & Seat

As I walked into the plane, a friendly crew member took me to my seat 42A. It’s funny how that’s row 12, but with a different convention: in Asia, they usually skip several rows. The cabin was a standard 3-3 layout, but the seats were slim and thin compared to other planes, which are acceptable for short flights but uncomfortable for longer legs.

The cabin looked fresh and nice. There was soothing background music, and the lights were on but dimmed, so they weren’t too bright, which was good for that time.

Korean Air 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Review from Seoul to Beijing Korean Air 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Review from Seoul to Beijing Korean Air 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Review from Seoul to Beijing Korean Air 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Review from Seoul to Beijing

The legroom is decent for a two-hour flight. The tray table is solid and sturdy, so it gives enough room for a computer, although you have to be careful if the front passenger reclines the seat. The seat has a USB-A outlet, and there are instructions on how to connect to the onboard Wi-Fi. There’s no IFE, but there’s a streaming service you can access for free.

Korean Air 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Review from Seoul to Beijing Korean Air 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Review from Seoul to Beijing Korean Air 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Review from Seoul to Beijing Korean Air 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Review from Seoul to Beijing

Taxi & Takeoff

The safety video was playing while the crew checked the entire cabin. They also handed out invitation forms to enter China. Luckily, I was able to fill that out before we took off because the flight was quite bumpy afterwards.

Korean Air 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Review from Seoul to Beijing Korean Air 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Review from Seoul to Beijing Korean Air 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Review from Seoul to Beijing Korean Air 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Review from Seoul to Beijing

That morning was insanely cold in Seoul, with a beautiful winter sky and sunrise. The pilot announced that we were going to take off 10-15 minutes past schedule, given our slot and taxi time. Once we reached the runway, the takeoff was smooth and beautiful. Seoul seemed quiet then, and we got to cruising altitude, passing by many clouds.

Korean Air 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Review from Seoul to Beijing Korean Air 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Review from Seoul to Beijing Korean Air 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Review from Seoul to Beijing Korean Air 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Review from Seoul to Beijing

Meal (Hot Breakfast)

Roughly 20 minutes after takeoff, the crew started serving breakfast. The options were beef or chicken, I went for the first one. The dish came with a side salad, fruit, bread, and coffee or tea. It was delicious, probably one of the best meals I’ve ever tried in Economy Class, especially for such a short flight.

Korean Air 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Review from Seoul to Beijing Korean Air 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Review from Seoul to Beijing Korean Air 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Review from Seoul to Beijing

Approach & Landing

The flight was uneventful, although a bit windy and bumpy. I didn’t use the lavatories and just stared out the window for a while. It’s a short hop. I got some work done for about one hour. We landed on time, and I had my full focus on going through passport control. It was my first time in China, and I was slightly worried. I had a connecting flight with China Eastern.

Korean Air 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Review from Seoul to Beijing Korean Air 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Review from Seoul to Beijing Korean Air 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Review from Seoul to Beijing

We arrived at an old terminal in PEK, and luckily we didn’t have to use a bus.

Korean Air 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Review from Seoul to Beijing Korean Air 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Review from Seoul to Beijing Korean Air 737 MAX 8 Economy Class Review from Seoul to Beijing

Video Review

Summary

I had a great experience with Korean Air. The experience at ICN was a breeze: a stunning terminal, quick and efficient check-in, security, and passport control. I struggled with lounge options, but there were lots of alternatives to buy food from. Unlike what I had thought of, the crew was overly attentive and extremely friendly. The plane was spotless and fresh, the seats comfortable, and the boarding process smooth. The meal was a big surprise, tasty and filling. Departure and landing were on time. Overall, they provided excellent service, and I wouldn’t hesitate to fly with them again.