When I first traveled to Korea back in 2000 the first place I experienced was the old Kimpo Airport in Southwest Seoul. The airport was old, crowded, and the first thing you saw when entering customs was machine gun weilding ROK soldiers. Now, the first place any traveler to Korea will experience is the brand new Incheon International Airport.

This airport is a huge improvement over the old Kimpo Airport. The airport was officially opened in 2001 with much hype. The airport may not be the “Hub of Asia” that the Korean government hoped it would be but never the less this is one awesome airport. The airport is huge with many western style shops including my favorite the Harley-Davidson shop. There is also many areas where you can hook up to the internet to pass down time.

The excellence of this airport was also featured in a Forbes Magazine article listing the World’s 10 Best Airports. (Note click the previous button to cycle through the rankings.) Incheon finished 3rd on the list. Here is a run down of the top 10.

#1 – Hong Kong
#2 – Singapore
#3 – Incheon
#4 – Munich
#5 – Kansai (Osaka)
#6 – Dubai
#7 – Kuala Lumpur
#8 – Amsterdam
#9 – Copenhagen
#10 – Sydney
(Notice no American airports because they suck)

This is what Forbes had to say about the airport

This airport, in Seoul, South Korea, is one of Asia’s lesser-known new airports but its spacious single-terminal layout makes it quick and easy to navigate. Incheon Airport’s cleanliness is “almost unmatched” at any other airport in the world, and it provides extensive shopping options. Service ranks high, as does the availability of Internet access points throughout the terminal–no surprise given South Korea’s status as one of the world’s most wired countries.

Coming and going to the airport is easy with the frequent limousine bus service. The buses are inexpensive and are quite comfortable with their large, soft recliner seats. These buses will take to just about anywhere in the greater Seoul area.

So when coming to Korea you will no doubt be impressed by this great airport even if it is not the “Hub of Asia”.