Korean Job Discussion Forums

matty022 · Joined: 05 Mar 2012

I'll be flying over to Korea for my first time in June. I haven't gotten my plane ticket yet or any details on where exactly I might stop for layovers, etc.

Where do you guys normally stop/board? What class jet are you usually on (I'm assuming 747 or 777)?

What carrier do you schools usually buy tickets with?

How long (including layovers and flying time) does it usually take?

I'll be flying out of Dulles I'm guessing since it's closest if that helps anyone with their answers.

Thanks.

ktkates87 · Joined: 13 Apr 2010 Location: Busan

1st time when I lived in Seoul, they flew me Toronto-Chicago-Seoul on Korean Air. This time (leaving in a few weeks) they will be flying me Toronto-New York-Seoul-Busan via Asiana on a Boeing 777. Can't remember what kind of plane it was with Korean Air. For this trip in a few weeks we leave TO around 6 am Tuesday and arrive 830 pm Korean time in Busan. Long hauls I guess but I've done a LOT worse (42 hours Toronto-Kathmandu for example).

My last employer seemed to use all sorts of different airlines, depending on who was cheapest. I'm not really sure about this school. It seems like the recruiter normally has a travel agency that they use to organize flights and then they just have the director pay them (or thats how it worked these past two times).

It seems like its common to fly from wherever you are to a major city/hub that has a direct flight to Korea (probably Seoul). Then if you're outside of Seoul you would be flown via a domestic flight. Im no expert though!

northway · Joined: 05 Jul 2010

The answer to pretty much all of your questions is: whatever is cheapest for your school.

Note: China Eastern is hell and will feel like an eternity.

SeoulNate · Joined: 04 Jun 2010 Location: Hyehwa

Out of Dulles, United will be the cheapest, sorry to say.

United sucks harder than any other airline I have ever flown with.

More than likely, you will fly Dulles to SF or CHI and then to Japan Narita and then over to Seoul.

Its a crap flight, make sure you bring sleeping pills.

soomin · Joined: 18 Jun 2009 Location: Daegu

Ooh~ I've flown out of Dulles to SK four times~~

I agree with SeoulNate... try to avoid United at all costs...

There are three options...

non-stop to Seoul (not gonna happen unless you pay for it yourself because it is pricey) about 13 hours flight time

one-stop where you will most likely stop at San Francisco (though sometimes they will go to Narita (Japan) or Chicago. 17+ hours (depending on layover time) (One of my flights was Seoul - Japan - Dulles... it took 40 hours to get from my city in Korea to Dulles T.T)

2+ stops... prepare yourself for a really cheapskate boss, a lot of airport maneuvering, and a long~~~~~ trip.

Korean Air and Asiana are great~ Delta is okay because it is partnered with Korean Air so it has a lot of the same features... United... avoid if you can (like if they let you make your own ticket and pay you later for it)

motiontodismiss · Joined: 18 Dec 2011

I guess depending on exchange rate movements they might put you on Air Canada...

If a comfortable trip matters to you, and they let you book your own ticket, you could always go to San Francisco and then fly Singapore Airlines.

Flying United will most likely involve San Francisco or Narita, American will probably involve Dallas and/or Narita (+JAL to Seoul), Delta will most likely involve Atlanta, Detroit, or Narita, and US Air doesn't fly to Asia so if you book through them it's a codeshare on United or Asiana. Air Canada will involve a connection in Vancouver and/or maybe Toronto.

BTW the American carriers suck. Asiana FTW. Too bad they don't have eye masks and socks in economy anymore Sad

If you're out of Dulles I think it's pretty safe to say you're flying United. If they let you book your own ticket with a pretty generous budget, jetBlue/Virgin to San Francisco+Singapore Airlines to Incheon or Amtrak to NYC+Asiana/Korean out of JFK is probably the way to go.

matty022 · Joined: 05 Mar 2012

Well according to my contract they are buying the ticket and not reimbursing me for a ticket so I'm not sure I'll have much say in which carrier I fly with. All the flights I looked at yesterday were 30+ hours including layovers. Some of them even went West: Dulles - London - Shanghai - Seoul. Most of the western flights were: Dulles - Beijing - Seoul or Dulles - Tokyo - Seoul.

I wouldn't mind having a 9 hour layover in Tokyo, it's a place I've always wanted to visit so even just a few hours would be cool to get a sample, though I'd probably be so tired I'd just sleep in the airport Mad

.

I was hoping for a Korean Air flight, but a lot of the flights leaving from Dulles were US carriers for the first leg and then a transfer somewhere.

As far as sleeping pills go I've heard that they could affect my ARC drug test and that I shouldn't take them on the flight over. How much truth is in that or should I just wait a few weeks after my flight before I go have my physical done?

PatrickGHBusan · Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 9:00 am Post subject:

Out of Dulles a quick check provides the following option for a ONE-WAY ticket to Seoul in early June :

1-
FLIGHT DETAILS

Wed. Jun. 6 (Arriving Jun. 7) Washington, DC, United States to Seoul, South Korea
Washington (DCA) to Chicago (ORD)
American Airlines 451
Economy / Coach Class (N), Boeing 737-800
Depart 8:20am Arrive 9:25am Duration: 2h 5m
AA American Airlines 451 N Boeing 737-800 DCA Washington ORD Chicago 2012-06-06T08:20:00-04:00 738 true
3
Layover: Chicago (ORD) 2h 35m

Chicago (ORD) to Seoul (ICN)
Asiana Airlines 235
Economy / Coach Class (M), Boeing 777
Depart 12:00pm Arrive 4:00pm +1 day
Duration: 14h 0m
OZ Asiana Airlines 235 M Boeing 777 ORD Chicago ICN Seoul 2012-06-06T12:00:00-05:00 777 false
3

Price is 1117 USD

Total trip time: 18h 40m

2-
FLIGHT DETAILS

Wed. Jun. 6 (Arriving Jun. 7) Washington, DC, United States to Seoul, South Korea
Washington (DCA) to San Francisco (SFO)
UNITED 76
Economy / Coach Class (G), Boeing 737-700
Depart 8:00am Arrive 11:05am Duration: 6h 5m
UA UNITED 76 G Boeing 737-700 DCA Washington SFO San Francisco 2012-06-06T08:00:00-04:00 73G true
3
Layover: San Francisco (SFO) 1h 35m

San Francisco (SFO) to Seoul (ICN)
Asiana Airlines 213
Economy / Coach Class (M), Boeing 777
Depart 12:40pm Arrive 5:25pm +1 day
Duration: 12h 45m
OZ Asiana Airlines 213 M Boeing 777 SFO San Francisco ICN Seoul 2012-06-06T12:40:00-07:00 777 false
3

1117USD

Total trip time: 20h 25m

3-
For slightly more at 1317USD

FLIGHT DETAILS

Wed. Jun. 6 (Arriving Jun. 7) Washington, DC, United States to Seoul, South Korea
Washington (IAD) to Seoul (ICN)
Korean Air 94
Economy / Coach Class (E), BOEING 777-300ER
Depart 1:35pm Arrive 4:55pm +1 day
Duration: 14h 20m
KE Korean Air 94 E BOEING 777-300ER IAD Washington ICN Seoul 2012-06-06T13:35:00-04:00 77W true
3

Total trip time: 14h 20m

The list goes on and nothing goes near 30 hours....unless of course your school purchases something with one more stop.

PatrickGHBusan · Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 9:05 am Post subject:

As for carriers, the level of suckage depends on many things....

What you expect, the route, which ones you have used before....

In my experience over the years the worst carrier bar none was Air Canada (I am Canadian...so had to use them a few times).

As far as US carriers are concerned, I have heard nothing but horror stories concerning United.

I flew Northwest before they got gobbled up by Delta and that was fine for the asia route.

Flew American Airlines numerous times and their asian route was fine.

Flew Delta and that went ok too.

Japan Airlines was great but that was before they went bankrupt, no idea how or if things changed since then.

Korean Airline was one of the better carriers from an in-flight service stand point as was Singapore air and JAL.

soomin · Joined: 18 Jun 2009 Location: Daegu

northway · Joined: 05 Jul 2010

Skipperoo · Joined: 05 Jul 2010

motiontodismiss · Joined: 18 Dec 2011

roguefishfood · Joined: 21 May 2011

I came over with Korean Air, straight flight from JFK, around 14 hours.

Korean Air is awesome, first of all. They clean the bathrooms absolutely nonstop and have women's only restroom with special spritzes and things inside. The quality of service was head and shoulders above what I was used to from US carriers. Go for this or Asiana if you can!!!

No_hite_pls · Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 11:24 pm Post subject:

I would book a Delta or Korean air flight and sign up for skymiles. They will pay off in the end.

I pretty much always fly Delta (used to be Northwest). I generally prefer them to all Asian carriers. The service is better, I like be able to have small talk with stewardess or steward. You also can request meals online when you purchase your flight. Over the last 5 years my wife and I have had two transpacific flights, one to Mexico and two to Japan all for free/round-trip with our airline miles. The also have upgraded us to first class a good 30% of the time on our regular flights.

I love getting Skymiles! We have probably spent about 16,000usd on airfare and gotten about 6,000usd back in reward flights/upgrades.