Private jet to Seoul

The South Korean capital is home to the head offices of the country's electronics, car and shipbuilding groups, to the trade fairs and congresses at COEX in Gangnam and to a fast-growing art market whose autumn fairs draw collectors from across Asia. Private flights from Europe are mostly business trips with a fixed first meeting, investor visits and delegations, often combined with Tokyo, Shanghai or Beijing in one itinerary.

Two airports take business jets from abroad. Gimpo lies inside the city, about 16 km west of City Hall, and has a separate Business Aviation Center with its own passport and customs control, but it accepts international private flights only between 06:00 and 23:00. Incheon, on reclaimed land between two islands west of the city, works around the clock. As a broker, we choose between them by the local landing time and the address of your meetings, and quote both a nonstop aircraft and a cheaper one with a fuel stop.

Give us the date and time of your first meeting in the city, the number of passengers and the departure airport, and a consultant will work back to the take-off time and send aircraft options.

What a private flight changes on this route

Route and flight times from Europe

The shortest line from Europe to Korea crosses airspace that European operators cannot use. The filed route goes south-east instead, over Turkey or the Black Sea, the Caucasus, Central Asia and China, so the tables count about a fifth more than the straight line. Overflying China requires a separate permit from the Chinese authorities, which the operator obtains before departure. Nonstop times in a Gulfstream G650, from the price tables:

• Helsinki: 9:53 h, Oslo: 10:43 h, Warsaw: 10:48 h
• Istanbul: 11:03 h, Copenhagen: 11:04 h, Larnaca: 11:07 h
• Hamburg: 11:26 h, Vienna: 11:30 h, Munich: 11:50 h
• Frankfurt and Amsterdam: 11:54 h, Zurich: 12:09 h
• Milan Linate: 12:19 h, London Farnborough: 12:21 h, Paris Le Bourget: 12:25 h
• Geneva: 12:28 h, Nice: 12:39 h, Madrid: 15:17 h with one stop

A Challenger 650 refuels once on the way, usually in Central Asia or the Caucasus, at an airport the operator chooses by weather, opening hours and fuel. On the westbound flight home the jet stream is against the aircraft, and with a full cabin even a G650 may need a stop. Beyond nine or ten hours the operator plans a third pilot or a rest stop, and the price includes it.

Private jet prices to Seoul

Prices are for the whole aircraft, one way to Incheon, plus handling, parking and passenger taxes. The flight time column shows the Challenger 650 with its fuel stop.

From the European hubs

Helsinki is the closest hub: the heavy jet costs EUR 105,000 there against EUR 130,000 from London, and the Falcon 7X flies nonstop from Helsinki and Warsaw. From the other hubs the Falcon 7X stops once, and the Gulfstream G650 is the nonstop option everywhere except Madrid.

From other European cities

Within North-East Asia

Regional sectors are flown by aircraft based in Japan, China or Hong Kong, on direct routes:

From the Gulf and Singapore

To Gimpo instead of Incheon

For meetings in the city centre and a landing between 06:00 and 23:00, Gimpo costs practically the same:

The fare grows with flight time and with positioning, because a suitable long range jet is rarely waiting in Korea. Overnight parking, crew hotels and de-icing on frosty winter mornings come on top. Passenger taxes depend on the departure country: EUR 200 per passenger from Italy on sectors beyond 1,500 km, a French tax on business jets that rises with distance, about EUR 2,100 per passenger to Korea compared with about EUR 420 within Europe, UK Air Passenger Duty according to the aircraft's weight and seats, and departure taxes in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands. The quote lists every amount.

Business jet price per flight hour

Heavy Jets from EUR 8,300 / hour

Light Jets from EUR 3,200 / hour

Ultra Long Range Jets from EUR 12,000 / hour

Super Midsize Jets from EUR 6,300 / hour

Very Light Jets from EUR 2,500 / hour

Long Range Jets from EUR 9,800 / hour

Midsize Jets from EUR 4,500 / hour

Turboprops from EUR 2,000 / hour

Worked examples

Price per passenger

Shared between the passengers, the fare of a long range jet falls quickly as the group grows:

Online estimate

State your preferred airport or the time of the first meeting in the comment, and whether a fuel stop is acceptable, and the calculator e-mails an estimate.

Gimpo, Incheon and Seoul Air Base

Gimpo International Airport (GMP, RKSS) was the city's main airport before Incheon opened and lies in western Seoul near the Han River. Its two runways measure 3,600 m and 3,200 m. The Seoul Gimpo Business Aviation Center (SGBAC) has its own terminal, lounge, passport and customs control and hangars. International private flights may land and take off only between 06:00 and 23:00, and customs opens and closes slightly inside these hours, so a landing at the edge of the day is planned with the handler. Slot and parking stand are confirmed for the specific date.

Incheon International Airport (ICN, RKSI) is the country's largest airport, built on reclaimed land between Yeongjong and Yongyu islands about 50 km west of the centre. It has four runways of 3,750-4,000 m, works 24 hours and needs a slot for every flight. There is no separate business aviation terminal: the aircraft parks on a remote stand, and passengers clear immigration and customs in the passenger terminal escorted by a handling agent. Night stands for business jets are limited, especially during large conferences and fairs.

Seoul Air Base (SSN, RKSM) in Seongnam, south-east of the city, is an air force base that accepts civil aircraft only with military approval, applied for about seven days ahead, and is closed from 22:00 to 06:00. It is used mainly for state and government visits.

Alternates in Korea

The flight plan names an alternate chosen by the operator. Arriving at Gimpo, the natural fallback is Incheon; arriving at Incheon, another Korean airport open to international traffic at that hour. Most Korean airports other than Incheon have night closures. Distances are straight-line from Incheon:

Choosing the aircraft class

On the long sector the choice is between price and time: on the London row the heavy jet with a stop costs EUR 130,000, the ultra long range G650 nonstop EUR 165,000. Large delegations with camera equipment, exhibition samples or golf bags need the hold of a long range type, and the operator checks the loaded weight against the nonstop plan before the contract.

Want to talk through aircraft, stops or the airport? Leave your number for a call back.

Seasons, holidays and fairs

Korean holidays and the weather affect hotels, roads and parking more than airport slots:

If the trip falls in the typhoon season, we keep a reserve day so the departure can move when the forecast requires it. Business meetings are best planned outside Seollal and Chuseok.

Getting into the city

Empty Legs on Korean routes

Empty sectors to Korea come up in two ways. Short regional flights from Shanghai, Osaka, Beijing and Tokyo appear often, because aircraft move between the capitals of the region all the time. Long empty flights from Europe are rarer and happen when a large jet goes to Asia to collect passengers for a return trip. Typical directions:

The operator fixes the date and time, and the Chinese overflight and Korean landing permits are needed exactly as for a normal charter. Send your direction and dates to empty-legs@jets.flights to receive matching flights.

Dogs and cats on the flight

On a private jet the dog or cat travels in the cabin, and the operator sets the conditions and must approve the animal in advance. The preparation takes several weeks, mainly because of the blood test:

• Leaving the EU: ISO microchip, rabies vaccination at least 21 days before travel and an EU pet passport; up to five animals per person.
• For Korea, the EU pet passport alone is not enough. The microchip number must match every document.
• Rabies vaccination is required for animals that are at least 90 days old on the day of arrival.
• After vaccination, a blood test at a recognised laboratory must show at least 0.5 IU/ml; the result is valid for 24 months from the sample and usually takes three to four weeks.
• Shortly before travel, a government-authorised vet issues a health certificate to Korean requirements.

During a fuel stop the animal stays on board, because a walk outside would mean entering the stopover country. Ask the hotel in Seoul early whether it accepts dogs and cats.

Entry, permits and customs

Before you leave

• A passport for every passenger, valid for the entire stay.
• K-ETA status checked and the e-Arrival card completed within three days of landing.
• Local time of the first meeting, which decides between Gimpo and Incheon.
• Passenger list for the landing permit, final a few working days before departure.
• Whether a fuel stop is acceptable, or the trip must be nonstop.
• Pet documents: microchip, vaccination, blood test result and health certificate.
• Hotel address north or south of the Han River for the driver.

Booking in five steps

1. Tell us the date and time of your first meeting and the group size; we convert the landing time to Korean time.
2. Landing between 06:00 and 23:00 with meetings in the city points to Gimpo, a night arrival or a large group to Incheon.
3. You receive offers for a nonstop aircraft and a cheaper one with a fuel stop, with operator, model, cabin photos and price for the whole aircraft.
4. After contract and payment, the operator applies for the slot, the Korean landing permit and the overflights.
5. Passengers complete the e-Arrival card; on landing the car waits at the terminal.

Our team

Charlotte McKinney

Commercial Director

charlotte.m@jets.flights

Henry Richter

Head of Aviation Department and Data Protection Officer

henry.r@jets.flights

Emma Miller

Director of Development

emma.m@jets.flights

Liam Bishop

Senior Aviation Consultant

liam.b@jets.flights

Oliver Davis

Aviation Consultant

oliver.d@jets.flights

Anna Laurent

Aviation Consultant

anna.l@jets.flights

Questions about private flights to South Korea's capital

• • How much does a private jet from Europe to Seoul cost?

  • A Challenger 650 with one stop costs from EUR 105,000 one way from Helsinki and EUR 130,000 from London, for the whole aircraft. Nonstop in a Gulfstream G650 the London fare is EUR 165,000.

• • Gimpo or Incheon?

  • Gimpo for a daytime arrival and meetings in the city: it is close to the centre and has a business aviation terminal, but private flights are accepted only from 06:00 to 23:00. Incheon for night arrivals and large groups.

• • How long does the flight take?

  • Nonstop in a Gulfstream G650 from 9:53 h from Helsinki to 12:21-12:28 h from London, Paris or Geneva. A heavy jet with a fuel stop needs about two hours more.

• • Do I need a visa or K-ETA?

  • EU, UK and Swiss citizens need no visa for up to 90 days. The K-ETA exemption for many European countries has an end date, so we check it for the travel date; the e-Arrival card is filled in online within three days of landing.

• • How far ahead must the flight be booked?

  • The Korean landing permit usually needs three working days after the slot is approved, and China must approve the overflight. A request at shorter notice is checked with the handler at once, but cannot be promised.

• • Which terminal do we use at Gimpo?

  • The Seoul Gimpo Business Aviation Center, with its own lounge, passport and customs control. At Incheon passengers go through the passenger terminal with a handling agent.

• • Can my dog travel with me?

  • Yes, in the cabin, with a microchip, rabies vaccination, a blood test of at least 0.5 IU/ml and a health certificate from a government-authorised vet. Start several weeks ahead because of the blood test.

• • Are there Empty Legs to Seoul?

  • Short ones from Tokyo, Osaka, Shanghai and Beijing appear often, long ones from Europe less often. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights, naming the direction and the dates that suit you.

• • Can the jet from Europe fly us on to Busan or Jeju?

  • Domestic flights in Korea are normally flown by a Korean-registered aircraft. We arrange a local operator for these legs, while the long range jet can take you on to Tokyo or Osaka.

• • What is the time difference?

  • Korea does not change the clocks, so Seoul is 8 hours ahead of London in summer and 9 hours in winter, and 7 or 8 hours ahead of Central European time.

• • Is there a same-day return option from Tokyo?

  • Yes, a light jet flies Haneda - Incheon in 2:11 h, so a day of meetings fits between two sectors, with permits arranged in advance.