Does Korean Air economy class include food?

Yes, on my long-haul Korean Air flight, a full dinner and breakfast service were offered, along with midflight snacks and beverages.

What are the best economy seats on Korean Air?

The best seats vary by aircraft, but bulkhead and exit-row seats typically offer the most legroom, and Front Zone seats offer quicker disembarkation.

How big are economy seats on Korean Air?

Economy class seats on Korean Air vary by aircraft but typically have a seat width of 17 to 18 inches and a seat pitch of 32 to 34 inches. Full details by aircraft and class are available here.

What is the selection fee for Korean Air economy seats?

Long-haul flights in classes Y, B, M, S, H, E, K, L, U, Q, G, and X allow seat selection at no extra charge. T class from Korea is 50,000 South Korean won (about $38), CA$50 when departing from Canada, and $50 when departing from other countries (per segment). Full fee details are available here.

What To Expect in Korean Air Economy Class on a Long-Haul Flight [2026 Review]

Updated: October 29, 2026, 8:00am CDT

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Table of Contents

Booking Korean Air Economy Class
Departing London Heathrow Airport
On Board Korean Air’s Boeing 777-300ER
Arrival at Seoul Incheon International Airport
Final Thoughts

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The author was a guest of Korean Air. All opinions are the author’s own, and Korean Air had no input in any part of this review.

Korean Air, the flag carrier of South Korea, is in the midst of a transformation. It’s in the final stages of acquiring Asiana Airlines, a merger years in the making that should be complete in December 2026. And in 2025, it unveiled new branding and a new livery — a refreshed metallic blue that is being rolled out fleetwide.

I’d never flown Korean Air before and was excited to experience everything the airline had to offer as I traveled from London Heathrow to Seoul Incheon. My September 2026 long-haul flight, which was around 12 1/2 hours overnight, was in economy class on a Boeing 777-300ER. Flights from West Coast U.S. gateways — such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle — typically depart at midday or near midnight and have similar durations.

This review covers how to book Korean Air with miles and what I encountered on my flight, from the at-seat experience to a flavorful bibimbap.

Booking Korean Air Economy Class

Korean Air flights can be booked using Korean Air SKYPASS miles or through a SkyTeam alliance partner such as Delta SkyMiles or Air France-KLM Flying Blue.

SKYPASS economy awards for one-way flights between the U.S. and Korea are fixed at 35,000 miles in off-peak season and 52,500 miles in peak season. Unfortunately, Korean Air does not have any U.S. transfer partners. Dynamic awards with SkyTeam partners likely cost more miles.

Hot Tip:

One of the easiest ways to earn SKYPASS miles is with a co-branded credit card issued by U.S. Bank: SKYPASS Select Visa Signature^® Card, SKYPASS Visa Signature^® Card, or SKYPASS Visa^® Business Card.

Departing London Heathrow Airport

Korean Air departs from Terminal 4 at London Heathrow Airport (LHR). I visited the new Air France Lounge near gate 6B, which Upgraded Points recently reviewed, ahead of my flight. Access to this SkyTeam lounge is granted to Air France La Première ticket holders, business class ticket holders flying any SkyTeam airline (such as Korean Air), and SkyTeam Elite Plus status holders.

The lounge is sleek and contemporary, with a fantastic dining program. Make sure to check for openings at the complimentary Clarins spa when you arrive!

Air France Lounge London Heathrow LHR bar and seating — Air France Lounge at LHR. Image Credit: Daniel Ross

Preboarding for the flight began at gate 11a about 30 minutes before departure. I appreciated that earbuds were distributed on the jet bridge before boarding, so passengers could listen to the inflight entertainment as soon as they sat down.

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Gate 11 at LHR.

On Board Korean Air’s Boeing 777-300ER

This configuration of Korean Air’s 777-300ER had first class, Prestige class (business), and economy class. Economy was separated into 2 cabins divided by a galley and lavatories. I was seated in row 32 in the forward economy cabin. Both cabins had identical fabric seats with horizontal stripes of purple and blue. The forward cabin had adjustable blue headrests, and the rear cabin had the same in berry. Economy seats have a pitch of 33 to 34 inches and are 18.1 inches wide.

Korean Air B777 300 LHR ICN economy top view

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Economy cabin.

At the seat were a pair of slippers, a bottle of water, a wrapped blanket, and a pillow.

Korean Air B777 300 LHR ICN economy seat amenities

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Amenities at the seat.

This flight was operated by a nearly 14-year-old Boeing 777-300ER, and its age was most apparent in the inflight entertainment (IFE). The monitor tilted for optimal viewing angles, and there was a separate remote below it, if needed. Headphones plugged into the armrest. Power-wise, a USB-A port was in the seatback, and AC power was below and between the seats.

Available entertainment was limited, with no search functionality, and there was no Wi-Fi on the flight. Korean Air hopes to have Starlink installed fleetwide by the end of 2027.

Korean Air B777 300 LHR ICN economy IFE screen

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Seatback.

The tray table below the IFE screen could operate in a half or full mode. There was also a cup holder that could drop down from the seatback. The literature pouch had a Morning Calm magazine and a duty-free shopping guide.

Korean Air B777 300 LHR ICN economy tray table half

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Half tray table.

Food and Beverages

Dinner choices were bibimbap, chicken goulash with corn puree, and tortellini with tomato olive sauce. There was turbulence during the service, so hot beverages and water for soup were unavailable. The meals were served with metal cutlery.

I enjoyed the first of many bibimbap meals during my trip to Korea. I added the warm rice to the base of vegetables and beef, doused everything with gochujang (chili paste) and sesame oil, and gobbled it up. The spicy pickled cucumbers and chocolate cake were also tasty. After distributing meals, flight attendants walked up and down the aisles offering top-ups of red and white wine.

Korean Air B777 300 LHR ICN economy bibimbop

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Bibimbap meal.

Though the flight was scheduled to arrive in Seoul around 4:15 p.m., the second meal was a breakfast service (in theory, timed to London breakfast). The choices were scrambled eggs with spinach, chicken sausage, and a hash brown, or a continental breakfast with a croissant and muffin.

I chose the egg breakfast, which also featured fresh fruit, a yogurt, and an apple danish.

Korean Air B777 300 LHR ICN economy breakfast eggs

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Breakfast meal.

Between meal services, carts in the rear of the aircraft offered self-serve beverages, sandwiches, cookies, and chips. I love it when airlines offer this kind of service, as I find helping myself at my own speed much more friendly than hitting a call button.

Korean Air B777 300 LHR ICN economy snack cart 1

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Snack and beverage cart.

Lavatory

The lavatories were standard, with a changing table area above the toilet. The air freshener spray, dental kits, and lotion were above and beyond for an economy lavatory.

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Toilet.

Service

Flight attendants were ever-present and attentive throughout the cabin. The drink and meal services were efficient from distribution to clean up.

Arrival at Seoul Incheon International Airport

The flight arrived slightly ahead of schedule. I had completed my Korea Electronic Arrival Card online ahead of my flight (it’s available to submit 3 days before arrival), and passing through immigration was a breeze.

Korean Air B777 300 LHR ICN economy on arrival — Welcome to Seoul.

Final Thoughts

A night flight with limited entertainment options and no Wi-Fi gave me a great reason to catch up on some sleep, and I enjoyed both meal services with a stretch of solid sleep between. When Korean Air adds Starlink fleetwide, utilizing those hours in the air more efficiently will become even more attractive. Even with a dated cabin, my economy seat was comfortable. However, it wasn’t nearly as comfortable as my Prestige class flight home … which I’ll detail in a separate review!