Asia - Connection at ICN - 11 hour layover

Have upcoming flight JFK - ICN - BKK in Business. Arrival around 6am - departure around 5pm. Normally one might get a hotel for the day - but the Hyatt is booked.

What are the options and recommendations here?

Do you check your bag all the way through or claim it. If you claim it then you might not be able to check in for the 5pm departure.

If you take daylight JFK-ICN flight, your connection time can be decreased to 3 hours.

Hotel is a good idea, but if you can be fully freshed up in longhaul C class, then half day trip is also good. I heard there are several tour courses. Information can be found at tour2korea.com

I've done the same layover twice since September, and the best thing to do, in my opinion, is to stay at the transit hotel in the terminal. Check in at 6:00 AM, sleep until noon, have some lunch, use the business center for e-mail. You do not go through immigration or customs to use this hotel, as it's directly in the terminal, one level above the gates. Cost for 12 hours (they do 6 and 12 hour blocks) is $125, and it's a great way to get some sleep and freshen up during a long trip.

There are actually two hotels, both run by the same company, one on the east side of the terminal, near gate 11, the other on the west side, near gate 43. Have your flights details handy when you call to make the reservation, because that will help them determine which side to have you stay on, so you'll be closest to your departure gate.

Hotel website is here: www.airgardenhotel.com/english.htm. The desk clerks speak good English, so it's easy to call and make a reservation.

An alternative, if you don't want to spend the $ for the hotel, or find yourself with a shorter layover, is just to use the shower facilities located on the same level as the hotel. Cost for a shower is about $8, and there are also computers with free Internet nearby.

I was just at Inchon a week ago, so this info is all current. Let me know if you have any questions.

I was just at Inchon a week ago, so this info is all current. Let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you - this is very helpful. A couple of additional questions:

1. Traveling BC - the KE web site says the KE lounge has showers - so then no reason to use the $8 showers - if you access the lounge. However, the hotel is appealing for say 6 hours. The KE lounge at JFK says it has sleeping lounges in the KE lounge. The KE lounge at ICN only lists showers - is this correct?

2. I assume they hold your checked luggage for this extended period of time - so you do not exit immigration. Any issue with the luggage being held for that long of a period?

Also - if looks like the hotel web site is set up for transiting passengers. It allows on-line booking for transist passengers. The site says not to claim your luggage and not to go through immigration. Applies only to international to international connections.

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1. However, the hotel is appealing for say 6 hours. The KE lounge at ICN only lists showers - is this correct?

I get stuck in coach on my business flights, so I can't comment on any of the KE lounges. One note on the hotel: Their policy is something like if you check in before 6:30 AM, you have to book 12 hours. If you check in between 6:30 and 7:30 AM, you have to book 6 hours. If you check in at or after 8:30 AM, you can book a 4 hour block of time. Rates respectively, including taxes, are something like $125, $65, and $45. Call the hotel directly for exact details.

If you only want to do 6 hours and need to wait a while after you arrive to check in, you can grab breakfast at one of the Korean food outlets, or at the Dunkin Donuts, Burger King, Subway, KFC outlet combo they have there.

2. Any issue with the luggage being held for that long of a period?

No issue with the luggage. Just make sure when you check it in the US, it's tagged all the way to your final destination (BKK?). When you get to Inchon, don't go through immigration, follow the Transfer (or Transit?) signs instead. You'll go through a security checkpoint (metal detector, carry-on x-ray, check that you have ticket to another destination) before getting into the gate area of the terminal. You checked luggage will make it onto your next flight without you needing to do anything at Inchon. If you don't already have the boarding pass for your next flight at that time, proceed to the Korean Air transfer desk (Transfer A or Transfer B, I think), once you get into the terminal.

Again great information - the power of Flyertalk.

Looks like the best option for BC arrival is to go to the lounge first - KE web site says they serve a hot breakfast done by the Hyatt hotel. Then wait the time and get the room for 6 hours.