The Oneworld member Finnair is currently offering discounted tickets for business class flights from Paris, Brussels, Frankfurt, and Munich to South Korea. You can get a round-trip flight to Seoul starting at €1,606. Availability is not great, but there are quite a few dates between February and August. The round-trip is via Helsinki.
The mentioned prices are for Finnair’s Business Class Light fare. Checked baggage, priority services, and lounge access are not included. To enjoy these benefits, you need to choose the Business Classic fare, which is €300 more expensive for the round trip. Frequent flyers with Sapphire status can access the lounge and check in a suitcase up to 23 kg for free, even in the Light fare.
There are currently no Covid restrictions for entry into South Korea. Until the end of 2024, some European nations do not need a K-ETA for entry. More information can be found here.
In the Light fare, tickets are neither rebookable nor refundable.
You can depart from the following cities:
You can also fly from Budapest, but only with an overnight layover in Helsinki.
Our calendar displays the available dates from the four departure airports without overnight layovers. It can redirect you to Finnair’s booking site:
The feeder flights in the European business class are operated by Embraer or Airbus aircraft. Finnair uses Airbus A350 aircraft for the long-haul flights, with a 1-2-1 seat alignment. Sadly, seat reservations are also not included.
Search & Book
The duration of the offer is not specified in the fare rules. It is available for travel between February and August. The minimum stay is 5 days or one night on Sunday, with no upper limit defined.
You can easily find suitable dates using Google Flights (Guide). You can book the flights directly with Finnair. Our calendar (above) is also suitable for this.
Mileage
The booking class is I. The following mileage credits are possible (e.g. from Paris):
- 16,644 Avios + 360 Tier Points on British Airways Executive Club
- 16,644 Miles on Royal Jordanian Royal Club
- 13,872 Avios + 92 Qpoints on Qatar Privilege Club
- 13,872 Avios + 1,230 Elite Points on Iberia Plus
- 13,872 Miles on American AAdvantage
- 13,872 Miles on Alaska Mileage Plan
- 13,872 Miles on SriLankan FlySmiLes
- 11,096 AsiaMiles + 140 Club Points on Asia Miles
- 11,096 Miles on Royal Air Maroc Safar Flyer
- 11,096 Points + 22 Elite Points on Malaysia Airlines Enrich
- 11,096 Award Miles on LATAM Pass
- 8,844 Avios + 12,966 Tier Points on Finnair Plus
- 7,768 Miles on Japan Airlines Mileage Bank
Looking to earn a frequent flyer status with these flights? Feel free to use our status calculator to see how far this leaves you from your desired status:
Destination
Information & Tips for Seoul
Seoul is the capital of South Korea and with 11.8 million inhabitants and a metropolitan region of around 25.6 million also the largest. The city is an important cultural and economic center in the Asian region.
Flights to Seoul
Flights to Korea are unfortunately not as cheap as to China or Southeast Asia, but there are – especially if you are flexible – some bargains that are definitely worth it.
For flights to Seoul, one should usually be prepared to pay between 400€ and 500€ for a good deal. Often there are also bargains in Business Class, especially from LOT.
You should avoid the school holidays, especially the summer holidays. During this period, airfares quickly rise to more than 700€ and partly reach heights of up to 1.000€ for a direct flight in economy. Good deals are not to be expected during this period.
Best Time to Travel
The best time to visit Seoul is from March to May or from September to November. Thanks to comparatively mild temperatures and plenty of sunshine, these months are best suited for tourism.
From the Airport to the City Center
International long-haul flights usually arrive at Seoul-Incheon Airport. The express train to the city centre departs every 30 minutes and takes 40-45 minutes and costs approx. 6,50€. For a taxi you pay between 47€ and 70€.
→ All Dealz for Seoul
Information & Tips for South Korea
South Korea, officially Republic of Korea, is a country located on the Southern part of the Korean peninsula. It is one of Asia’s fastest developing countries and features stand alone traits such as language, culture and cuisine. Especially Korean food (Teriyaki) and music (K-Pop) get more and more popular in Europe and North America.
Visa & Immigration
Citizens of the European Union, Canada, America and Australia get 90 days of visa free stay upon arrival. If you’re not from one of these countries or planning on a longer stay, this official website for foreigners travelling to Korea might be of help.
Currency
Korea’s currency is the Korean Won (KRW). €1 equals roughly KRW 1,300. You can exchange currency in cash or withdraw it by using your credit card at various ATMs. The most used banknotes are KRW 1,000; 5,000; 10,000 & 50,000. Paying with credit card is possible is many hotels, stores and restaurants, not unlike in Europe.
→ All Dealz for South Korea
Translated and edited by Ditmar
Cover Picture: Ditmar Lange