Incheon International Airport is the hub for Korean Air and Asiana Airlines. The airport opened for business in early 2001, after more than eight years of reclamation and construction works.  It has been the largest infrastructure project in the history of the Republic of Korea.  Currently underway is the 2nd Bridge, linking the airport with Songdo and Incheon, Korea.

The airport is located west of Seoul, on Yeongjong Island in the Yellow Sea. (Yeongjong Island is part of the City of Incheon.) It is connected to the mainland by Yeongjong Bridge, and is served by frequent bus service from all parts of South Korea as well as by ferry service from Incheon and other nearby ports. A highway between Incheon and Gimpo Airport was recently completed, connecting domestic flight service with international air traffic.  It's an advantage that makes it far easier to travel from southern Korean regions to Incheon, and then to airports all over the globe. A rail link to Gimpo Airport (and Seoul Subway Line 5) is due to be completed in March 2007, and with the line extending to Seoul Station by January 2010.

 

The airport was awarded the "Best in Service Award in Class" at the 1st International Conference on Airport Quality and Service by the IATA and the ACI, and ranked second in "Best Airport Worldwide", behind Hong Kong International Airport, and ahead of Singapore International Airport.

The airport has two 4,000-meter runways, capable of accommodating large aircraft. It can handle 240,000 flights and process 30 million passengers and 2.7 million tons of cargo a year.

Incheon International Airport is at the limits of long-range transport aircraft such as a fully loaded B747-400 serving the East cost of the US and Europe. There are 51 cities with populations over 1 million people within 3 1/2 hours, including the huge growing markets of China and Japan. 

 

According to forecasts by the international airline industry, by 2010 the Asia-Pacific region will account for around half of the world's international passenger traffic. Within the region, the Republic of Korea and China are showing the most rapid growth in air traffic. IIA could expand its potential capacity in phases to accommodate 100 million passengers in the future.