Star Alliance carrier LOT Polish Airlines has a decent sale going. You can buy discounted tickets from both Belgium and Poland to Seoul, with prices as low as PLN 2,145 (~€496). The cheapest fare including a checked bag of 23 kg is available for PLN 2,537 (~€587) on LOT’s website.
Unsurprisingly, a change of planes in Warsaw is necessary in each direction.
You can fly from the following airports:
- Gdańsk at PLN 2,145 (~€496)
- Szczecin at PLN 2,147 (~€497)
- Kraków at PLN 2,148 (~€497)
- Poznan at PLN 2,184 (~€505)
Our availability calendar highlights all possible flight dates at the lowest price for trips up to 28 days. It will forward you to Skyscanner with your selected flight dates. You can check what OTAs have to offer, or purchase your tickets directly from LOT for PLN 100 (~€23) more.
Availability gets even broader if you are willing to have a lengthy layover in Warsaw in at least one direction.
LOT uses a Boeing 787 for its flights to South Korea, which have a 3-3-3 configuration in economy class. The short flights will likely be on Embraer jets in a 2-2 configuration.
While the shortest routes leads from Warsaw Northeast through Siberian airspace, LOT takes a more Southern route for these flights, avoiding Belarus and Russia.
Search & Book
According to the fare rules, tickets are on sale until September 19, 2023 for travel between November 2023 and March 31, 2024. On this day, your inbound has to arrive back in Poland. A minimum stay of three nights or one night from Saturday to Sunday applies-
Google Flights will help you find additional flights dates. We recommend buying tickets directly from the airline, especially if you want to travel with hold luggage.
Why is booking with an airline better than with an online travel agency?
More often than not, online travel agencies offer lower fares than airlines do. We still recommend booking with the airlines directly. There are two main reasons for that:
Better Customer Service
In case any problems like delays, cancellations or missed connections arise, you can communicate directly with the airline. The airline has to take care of you because you have a contract with them.
If a travel agency issues your ticket, you may have to reach out to them first. You also depend on your OTA to forward information like flight changes instead of receiving them directly from the airline. In many cases, you may get a prime exhibition of responsibility shifting rather than problem-solving.
This especially applies to premium tickets. You don’t want to spend more than €1,000 to wind up with some budget OTA’s telephone hotline in case anything goes wrong.
Baggage and Other Fees
Economy fares not including hold luggage are industry standard by now. In most cases, travel agencies charge much higher baggage fees than the airlines themselves. If bags are not included in your fare, airlines are often the cheaper alternative.
This also applies to other things like food services, insurances or priority treatment. In almost all cases, you pay less for additional amenities when booking on the airlines’ website.
Mileage
LOT issues these tickets in booking class O. Star Alliance frequent flyers can earn the following for travel from Gdańsk.
- 2,990 Miles on ANA Mileage Club
- 2,900 Miles on Asiana Club
- 2,700 Points on SAS EuroBonus
- 2,650 Miles on Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
- 2,650 Award Miles + 160 Points on Miles&More
- 2,650 Miles on Thai Royal Orchid Plus
- 2,492 Award Miles + 416 PQP on United MileagePlus
- 2,492 Miles on Aegean Miles+Bonus
- 2,492 Miles on Air Canada Aeroplan
- 2,492 Miles on EVA Infinity MileageLands
- 2,492 Miles on Copa ConnectMiles
- 2,492 Miles on Ethiopian ShebaMiles
- 2,492 Miles on Singapore KrisFlyer
- 2,492 Miles on TAP Miles&Go
- 2,492 Miles on Avianca LifeMiles
- 2,492 Miles on Egyptair Plus
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
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
Cover Picture: Photo by Yu Kato on Unsplash