Korean Air Review 2026: Is Korean Air Good? Is It Really The Best Economy Class Airline?
We’ve now flown with Korean Air multiple times, including most recently four flights on our trip to and from Japan last month. We keep choosing to fly Korean air because it’s completely changed what we expect from economy class flights. Which is why we’re in the perfect position to create a Korean Air review for 2026.
Long-haul flights with kids can often feel like something to survive rather than something to enjoy. But when we fly Korean Air it is some of the few times it actually feels easy. From the space and service to the overall experience onboard, Korean Air stands out in ways we weren’t expecting, especially when compared to other airlines we’ve flown in economy.
But is it really worth choosing over alternatives like British Airways or other long-haul carriers?
In this honest review, I’ll break down exactly what Korean Air economy is like for families, what’s good (and what’s not) and whether it’s worth the price in 2026.What’s the food like? And is Korean Air really the best economy class airline? We’ll answer all these questions and more!
📢Quick Verdict: Korean Air Economy Class
Pros
– Widest economy seats in the industry
– Excellent kids service, including gifts for kids on each flight
– High-quality meals
– Friendly cabin crew
Cons
– Western meal options can run out
– The entertainment options are much stronger on regional flights
Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ½
*This post has been updated based on our most recent experience in April 2026. We’ve also added updated photos from our most recent flights in 2026 to reflect the current onboard experience.
Looking for a more detailed guide? We’ve got you covered! Here’s our Korean Air review based on our economy class experience:
The World’s Best Economy Class Airline?
Long after we’d booked our first flights with Korean Air, Korean Air hit the press. This is because at the beginning of the year Korean Airlines was named the Airline of the Year for 2025 by AirlineRatings.com. It was particularly highly rated for its economy class service, and has the honour of being the airline with the most legroom and widest economy class seats in the world.
I think it is testament to the quality of their economy class service that after our 2025 flights, we immediayely booked to fly with Korean Air again in 2026.
Korean Air economy class seats are generally 18 inches wide and have a 33-34 inch pitch. This is the case for the majority of the fleet, but small variations can occur.
I’m only 5 ft 6, so leg room has never really been a problem for me on any flight. But this was the first time in a long time my husband, who is just over 6 foot tall, didn’t complain about being cramped and uncomfortable on a long haul flight.
👉 Ready for an adventure in Korea? Read our full South Korea with Kids Itinerary here!
🚗 Top Tip? Don’t forget to book your airport transfers! Check availability and book here.
There’s nothing worse than having to get on public transport after a long-haul flight (especially with kids!)
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Korean Air Seat Specs (Quick Read)
| Feature | Korean Air Economy |
| Seat Width | 18 Inches |
| Seat Pitch | 33-34 Inches |
| Entertainment | 10.5 inch screen with headphones included |
| USB Charging | Yes |
| Configuration | Commonly 3-3-3, Occasionally 3-4-3. |
| Meals Included | Yes, with pre-selection for dietary needs |
| Kits Meals | Yes |
| Amenities Kit | Yes |
| Best For… | Families and long-haul flights |
An Excellent Service For Kids
Where we were particularly impressed, and where Korean Air stood out from the crowd, was just how well it dealt with its younger passengers. If you’re travelling with kids then this is a great airline to choose both for its long haul and short haul options.
🍛 You can read our full review of the food on our Korean Air flights here.
Some of the things we felt impressed by were:
- The children’s food portions on every leg of the flight were incredibly generous. As well as a main meal option (which we had chosen in advance, so we knew it would be something the kids would like), there were also plenty of snacks, bread, fruit and salad too. The children’s meals were served first and the hostesses checked that they had the right meals for each kids as we boarded. You can view the children’s special meals available by departure airport here.
- We were invited to board the flight first because we were travelling with kids. This was really handy because we had plenty of hand luggage that we were glad to get onboard. As we were taking night flights, it meant that we could get the boys settled before take off.
We weren’t expected to be offered this service (the boys are 9 and 12, so not toddlers) but the team couldn’t have been better, even helping to carry my bags for our 1am departure because I was carrying a fast-asleep 9 year old who refused to wake up! - The boys were offered child-sized and incredibly comfortable overhead headphones which were much more comfortable than the cheap, in-ear ones that the adults were using (we did have to return these at the end of the flight, whilst you can keep the in-ear ones if you want to).
- Finally, both of the boys were offered entertainment and activity packs that were of surprisingly high quality. This guy LOVES Pororo, so he was especially pleased with the Pororo activity pack he was given on the flight from Seoul to Tokyo. On every single Korean Air flight we have flown (from 2 hour short haul flights to 14 hour long haul flights) the kids have been given a gift, ranging from a ‘build your own’ airplane, headphones and cozy socks, to mess-free painting, activity packs, and small toys.
👉 Looking for more tips on travelling with kids? Check my South Korea with kids destinations guide here.
Amazing Quality of Service From the Staff
💺 Have you booked your Korean Air flights yet? We always book our flights with Expedia because they offer great deals and last-minute savings, instant booking confirmation, and in some cases, you can even pay with a payment plan (great if you’re booking expensive flights for a big family!)
We fly a lot, so it’s no small thing for us to say that we were incredibly impressed by the quality of the service offered by the kind and attentive staff on all four of our Korean Air flights.
There was a regular drink and food service (on our longest 14.5 hour flight we were offered 3 full meals) and there were also snacks and drinks available in the central galley that we could help ourselves to during the flight. The staff never seemed to sit down: they were constantly walking up and down the aisle offering drinks or even just glasses of water. There was no need to be dehydrated!
On the subject of the food? On the whole, it was good! Like the children’s portions, the adults portions were generous. We were pleased with the fresh fruit and the fresh salad: I hate it when you eat nothing but processed foods on long flights.
The only negative? On one of our flights to London from Seoul they ran out of the Western main meal, leaving us with a plate of spicy octopus. Not my first choice, but these things happen! And although I would normally avoid spicy food on a flight, it tasted good and was well presented.
The in-flight temperature was great, and the lighting was adjusted through the flight to help us manage our jetlag. There was a good range of entertainment available: films, games, tv shows, and cartoons for the kids. You can view the range of in-flight entertainment here.
There was a much better selection of movies available on the short haul flight from Seoul to Tokyo than on the longer flight from Seoul to London, but there were still plenty of options, and enough to keep us all entertained.
Each seat also had its own USB charging point, so we could keep our phones charged (handy for arranging transfers on arrival) and the boys could also charge and therefore play their Nintendo Switches for as long as they wanted on the flight too.
In terms of amenities, when we boarded each flight there was an amenities kit on each chair as we boarded which contained a pair of slippers, toothbrush, and toothpaste. There was also a bottle of water, a blanket, and a pillow which helped to making sleeping much more comfortable.
📢 A note on powerbanks: Following a small fire caused by a power bank in the Asia Pacific region, the use of power banks is now significantly restricted on Korean Air flights. These can’t go in your bag in the overhead lockers, they have to be kept on your person. You can’t charge these on the plane. And you have to keep them secure inside a locked plastic bag.
What We Packed On Our Korean Air Flight
Man can’t live on in-flight amenities alone, even if Korean Air did pop a thoughtful amenities pack on every seat. We packed pretty light for this flight (we took advantage of our included hold luggage allowance) but some of our tried-and-tested essentials that made our journey so much more comfortable were:
- Charger cable. Power banks aren’t easy to carry on flight in Asia any more, but each seat had a USB charging point, so pack a charging cable to keep your phone topped up! (I have this iPhone one)
- Refillable water bottles – Take these ones through security empty then fill them up before you get on the plane! It doesn’t matter how many drinks services there are, I’m always thirsty on the plane. We’ve spent a little more on durable, stainless steel bottles like this for travelling.
- Packing cubes – trust me on this one! Organising your carry-on means that when your kids ask for a snack, crayon, spill juice on themselves etc, you can find what you need fast, without tipping your whole bag on the tray table. Look for backpack specific ones like these.
- Travel pillows – We ALL took our neck pillows and we all used them a lot! These are long, overnight flights. I use a memory foam pillow, and now I’ve tried it I’ll never go back.
- Lightweight cabin bags – On the subject of bags! The CabinZero ones are the best we’ve ever tried, and you can see my full review of these here.
- Compression socks – It’s not glamorous, but my feet can sometimes swell when I travel, so I don’t fly anywhere without these.
Before We Boarded
Before we boarded our flight, we were able to make many choices online via the Korean Air website, and this made the whole experience even easier.
We chose our seats, and selected kids meals for the boys. We could also have chosen gluten free, vegetarian, vegan, or low fat meals for ourselves. What I liked about choosing the meals is we were given a full menu, so not only could we opt for kids meals for the boys, they could choose the meals they wanted.
Options included hot dogs, BBQ chicken, spaghetti and beef bulgogi. A range of child-friendly options that they were happy to eat!
I also used this same, easy to navigate, website to pre-check into all four of our flights in one go around a month before we travelled. This means I didn’t have to think about the flights, check in, or complete any other paperwork, while we were travelling. I just had to focus on having a good time!
Korean Air was an amazing airline and for its low price it far exceeded our expectations. We will definitely be flying with Korean Air again!
Things To Know Before Flying Korean Air
No airline is perfect, and it wouldn’t be an honest Korean Air review if we didn’t clearly list some of the negative aspects of choosing this airline. These include:
- Meal availability risk (something to consider if you’re only interested in a western-style meal)
- Cabin temperatures can vary
- The entertainment available differs by aircraft, so you may find you have the same films to watch on your outbound and inbound journey
- It’s not always the cheapest option (Air China was actually cheaper for our dates, but only if we took an 11 hour layover in Shanghai: We decided we’d pay a little more for the convenience).
Comparison: Korean Air Vs British Airways Economy
If you’re choosing between Korean Air and British Airways for a long-haul flight, the differences are more noticeable than you might expect, especially when travelling with kids. We have flown both, and we historically favoured British Airways flights until we tried Korean Air.
Here’s how they compare based on our experience.
Seat Comfort & Space
One of the biggest differences we noticed was seat comfort.
- Korean Air:
Seats felt more spacious, with slightly better legroom and a more comfortable overall layout. On a long-haul flight, this made a real difference—especially for the kids. - British Airways:
Seats can feel tighter and more standard for economy, particularly on busy routes.
Winner: Korean Air
For long-haul comfort, it’s noticeably better. Even Mike (who is 6ft1) felt comfortable on the Korean Air flight because of the little extra amount of seat space.
Entertainment & Cabin Experience
- Korean Air:
Solid entertainment options, though not always the newest systems. - British Airways:
Often slightly more modern screens and systems.
Winner: British Airways
Both are great, and both work well for kids. But I think that British Airways has a small edge here, especially for the tech they offer.
Price & Value
- Korean Air:
Often competitively priced for the level of comfort and service. - British Airways:
Can be more expensive on some routes without a big jump in comfort.
Winner: Korean Air
I’m going to be blunt here, the first time we chose to fly Korean Air, it’s because the flights were cheaper. Significantly so! For that really I think that Korean Air offers better overall value for what you get.
Korean Air Economy FAQ
Is Korean Air good for long-haul economy?
We only write honest reviews here, and I can honestly say that Korean Air offers the best long-haul economy experience we have had to date. It’s good value for money, the wide seat pitches are very welcome, and we were impressed with the regularity of the food and drink service, as well as the quantity available.
Is Korean Air better than British Airways?
This is a subjective question but I can say that Korean Air is almost always cheaper than British Airways. Meaning it offers much better value for money. It also offers wider seat pitches in its economy class. So if space and comfort is one of your top concerns, I would suggest that Korean Air is superior.
Does Korean Air offer an amenities kit in economy?
Yes, we arrived to our seat to find a small but practical amenities kit that included slippers, a toothbrush and toothpaste. We also had a bottle of water, a blanket and a pillow waiting for us at our seat. And as we entered the plane there was a box where we could pick up ear buds if we needed them to listen to the in-flight entertainment. Children were offered more comfortable, padded over-ear headphones, but these did have to be returned.
Is Korean Air Good for kids?
Korean Air is a great airline to choose if you’re travelling with children. Not only could you choose to have children’s meals, you could -re-select what those meals would be (meaning you could tailor to your kids preferences, with no nasty surprises). Children were given their own entertainment packs on boarding, and their own headphones. They were also served their meals first. We found that the staff were all great with kids, and very acommodating to their needs.
What Routes Have We Flown With Korean Air?
We have flown the same Korean Air routes in 2025 and in 2026. We flew from London Heathrow to Seoul Incheon, then onwards from Seoul Incheon to Tokyo (either Haneda or Narita). On the return leg we went from Tokyo to Seoul Incheon, then on to London Heathrow.
Keep Planning Your South Korea Trip
Are you planning a trip to Seoul with kids, or perhaps you want to travel further afield with your family during your time in South Korea? This further reading will help you plan your trip:
👍 Visiting the DMZ in South Korea With Kids: An Essential Guide
👌 The Ultimate 5 Day Seoul Itinerary With Kids: Our Family Friendly Adventure
👏 The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Lotte World in Seoul
😊 Complete Guide to Renting a Hanbok in Seoul, South Korea
Have you ever flown with Korean Air? I’d love to know how you found the experience! And what other airlines do you think have the best economy class service? We’re economy class passengers all the way here, so i’d love to hear your thoughts!
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