Free hotel during Seoul overnight layover

Have a flight later this month on Korean Air from Guangzhou to San Francisco with an overnight layover in Seoul. This is the return half of a similar flight I took with them several months ago.

I called Korean Air yesterday to see if they would furnish me a hotel room in Seoul, but they said they couldn’t since they already did that for me on the first leg of the trip (San Francisco to Guangzhou.)

That seemed reasonable, and I just thanked the agent for checking, and made no attempt to argue or insist. Now today I’m wondering if I should have been more assertive, pressing my case by politely requesting a supervisor and so on.

What I’d like to ask the experts here is whether furnishing a room during an international overnight layover is just a courtesy airlines sometimes do on a discretionary basis, or whether it’s something I should reasonably expect. I’ve found some older discussion of the topic on line suggesting that the former is probably the case.

Realize the answer might depend on several variables, so let me add that I’m a member of Korean Air’s frequent flier program, but have no elite or elevated status. The details of my ticket are that it is Q (Economy) class with the actual “fare basis” being QKXEUS3. The details of the trip are that I arrive ICN at 17:05 local time one day and depart for SFO at 16:10 the following afternoon.

It’s not a huge deal, and paying for my own room won’t break the bank. But I am curious as to whether or not this is currently usual practice. I also realize that it might very well be a belt tightening measure, recently instituted by KE for its lower priced tickets, and I can live with that if it is.

Thanks.

Oops, I just now found a very similar question that I had missed while doing a Google search.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/korea...-included.html

Perhaps KE is changing its previous policy. Or perhaps I just got an unhelpful agent.

FWIW, they seem to have outsourced their customer service to a call center in India.

The English speaking agents, particularly when you call the domestic Korea number, are based in Kuala Lumpur. The agents, while perfectly nice, do not know very much outside of their script and what's on screen, to be perfectly honest.

Trying calling a Korean Air ticket office instead OR calling Incheon airport directly. They'll speak English just fine and probably know the ins and outs better.

Man, I miss the Korean English speaking agents that they used to have on the domestic Korean line.

It is based on length of required layover as well as fare paid. Some fares, especially discount economy, allows STPC one way only. Most F/C fares allow STPC both ways.

A quick check on KE schedule shows that you are required to overnight on the outbound, but you can have same day connection on inbound.

The times I have flown KE Business Class, the STPC program was good for only one direction of the round trip tickets.

Hi Guys, I have a similar question. Would be doing a trip next year Sep. with an overnight layover at ICN. However, this would be on an award ticket from Delta. Any luck for me to score a free overnight hotel?

If your ticket was issued by DL, KE will not provide a hotel room, even if the flight is on KE metal.

Options are to pay for an off airport hotel in Inchon, rent an airside room at the the airport's hotel or waiting in the airport where there is free wifi, lots of restaurants and some quiet areas with shower access. I'd recommend leaving the airport and staying at the Hyatt Inchon. There is a direct shuttle bus to the hotel, nice rooms, a fine restaurant & bakery and a health club with a swimming pool. A stay there is a nice way to break up a long flight.

Thanks for the reply! I've confirmed this with a KE agent as well. No luck there. Will check back on the Hyatt rates, for now it's about 350 usd for my stay. Or probably will just stay in Unseo (Airport Town) for a cheaper accommodation.

Does Korean Air have some sort of favorable "corporate" rate at the Hyatt Regency Incheon Airport, for travelers on overnight transit but not entitled to a free room (eg, because used it on the outbound, or on award ticket, or on ineligible fare, etc.)?

I've heard KE (or another wing of Hanjin Group) actually owns the hotel property, so it would be more entitled than most companies steering a lot of business to a hotel. But maybe KE steers so much business just by force of nature that the hotel doesn't have a reason to offer a favorable corporate rate, except to KE itself when KE is paying on its own account (eg, those on "free" overnight transit stays).

I'm on a DL-issued award ticket in Prestige, coming from Narita and going out to USA on morning departure, so had no choice but to overnight at Incheon.

AFAIK, no discount available at the Incheon Hyatt Regency.

The ICN Hyatt is great...stayed there quite a few times. If you have Hyatt Gold Passport points, it is only a category 2 hotel so a redemption night is only 8000 points..an absolutely great use of points considering rates can be $250-$300.

Oh wow.

I'm staying in HKG overnight before hopping back on a flight next morning.
Can I ask Cathay or AA to cover my hotel too?

The idea is forced overnight transits due to airline schedules, a benefit typically limited to premium class pax on revenue tickets. Generally speaking, Cathay Pacific is not in the business of covering everyone in Hong Kong's last night in a hotel before departing.

So without a but more information about your trip, it would be hard to give you an answer.

ICN is one airport a "sleeping in the airport" would not be unpleasant. The Transfer Passenger Amenities are the best I have noted at an airport. Free showers! Travel to Seoul is quick and easy via the subway for non airport accommodations.

Seems unlikely, but if I'm flying KL on a KL award in 1st with a forced overnight, do they offer a free hotel room?