U.S. arrivals face hourlong immigration waits at Incheon Airport

Travelers arriving from the United States report Incheon Airport delays of up to two hours, with immigration lines alone stretching beyond one hour during peak periods. Many Korean Americans who recently visited South Korea described extended waits and congestion across multiple checkpoints.

The bottlenecks intensified after Asiana Airlines moved this year from Terminal 1 (T1) to Terminal 2 (T2), where Korean Air already operates. As a result, U.S.-bound flights now arrive and depart from the same terminal, increasing crowding at immigration and baggage claim areas.

According to recent visitors, the heaviest congestion occurs from early morning through mid-morning, when several U.S. flights land within a short window.

On January 30, passengers arriving at T2 encountered long lines at immigration and baggage carousels. Sunghoon Kim from Los Angeles said he remained in line long after leaving the airplane. “The immigration queue was so long that I waited more than an hour,” he said.

However, the delays extend beyond passport control. As lines grow, congestion also affects check-in counters, baggage drop areas, security checkpoints and even parking facilities.

Outbound passengers report similar conditions. In particular, baggage drop delays have drawn complaints.

Currently, Korean Air operates 43 self-service baggage drop machines at T2. Asiana Airlines, however, runs only 16 machines there. That is roughly half the 28 machines it previously operated at T1.

One traveler who recently departed from T2 said it took nearly an hour just to check luggage. “I was exhausted before boarding my U.S.-bound flight,” the passenger said.

Security screening has also contributed to the congestion. Although T2 has 34 screening lanes, passengers reported that only about 70% operated during peak hours because of staffing shortages. As a result, a single lane reportedly processed more than 500 people over a three-hour period. Some travelers complained that security screening took longer than departure immigration.

Parking congestion has compounded the problem. Shortly after Asiana’s relocation, short-term parking occupancy at T2 exceeded 100%. Vehicles were seen waiting along ramps and shoulders after failing to find available spaces.

Park Young-hoon, who visited the airport to pick up family members arriving from Los Angeles, said he circled the parking structure for more than 40 minutes. “It took a long time just because of parking,” he said.

The situation has worsened during the Lunar New Year holiday. According to the airport’s reservation system, advance bookings for both long-term and short-term parking are fully reserved through Feb. 18.

In response, airport authorities deployed 240 additional volunteers and support staff during peak periods. They also assigned 102 personnel to assist at self-service baggage drop zones. Nevertheless, congestion continues.

Lee Young-jin, who recently traveled to South Korea, said the increased demand should have been anticipated after the terminal move. “For long-haul passengers from the United States, these delays are even more burdensome,” Lee said.

An airline industry official noted that passenger demand has risen sharply. However, processing, security and parking infrastructure have not kept pace.

Meanwhile, Air Premia, which also operates Los Angeles routes, continues to use T1.

Despite the congestion, Incheon International Airport ranked fourth globally in the 2025 World Airport Awards released by the U.K.-based aviation consultancy Skytrax.

BY HANKIL KANG  [kang.hankil@koreadaily.com]