Flight Delay Compensation in Korea: How to Claim It

Quick Answer: What You're Owed

If your flight with a Korean airline (Korean Air, Asiana, Jin Air, T'way, Jeju Air, Air Seoul, Air Busan, Air Premia) is delayed or cancelled, you may be entitled to a mix of cash compensation, a refund or free rebooking, and reimbursement for meals, hotel, and transport while you wait. What you get depends on three things: whether the flight is domestic or international, how many hours late it is, and whether the airline caused the disruption (weather and air traffic control restrictions generally do not qualify you for cash compensation, only rebooking/refund and care).

The rules come from two overlapping sources: the Korea Fair Trade Commission's Consumer Dispute Resolution Standards (소비자분쟁해결기준) for domestic and Korea-ticketed international flights, and the Montreal Convention, which governs liability on most international itineraries. If your Korean-airline flight departs from an EU airport, EU261 rules can also apply on top of these.

Which Rulebook Applies to Your Flight

• Domestic Korea flights (e.g., Gimpo–Jeju, Seoul–Busan): covered by the KFTC's Consumer Dispute Resolution Standards, enforced through the airline and the Korea Consumer Agency (한국소비자원).
• International flights ticketed in/out of Korea: covered by the same KFTC standard for Korea-based carriers, plus the Montreal Convention, which lets you claim proven, documented expenses caused by delay (meals, hotel, calls) up to a set liability limit, and covers lost/damaged/delayed baggage.
• Flights departing an EU airport on a Korean carrier (e.g., Frankfurt–Incheon on Korean Air): EU261/2004 can apply regardless of the airline's nationality, adding fixed compensation for delays of 3+ hours at arrival that were within the airline's control.
• Flights to/from the US: the US has no fixed cash-compensation rule like Korea's or the EU's, but airlines must still refund cancelled/significantly changed flights you don't want to take.

Because these frameworks overlap rather than replace each other, always start your claim with the airline — they will tell you which standard applies to your ticket.

What Airlines Must Provide While You Wait

Regardless of the final compensation amount, Korean carriers are expected to look after stranded passengers once a delay passes a certain length (commonly cited thresholds are around 2 hours for domestic flights and 4 hours for international flights, though exact timing is set airline-by-airline in their contract of carriage — ask the gate agent to confirm):

• Rebooking on the next available flight, or a full refund if you no longer want to travel
• Meal vouchers or meals once the delay crosses the airline's stated threshold
• Hotel accommodation and transport to/from it for overnight delays outside your control
• Communication assistance (calls, in some cases data) so you can rearrange onward plans

Keep your phone charged and connected during this — grabbing a Korea eSIM before you fly means you're not relying on shaky airport wifi to rebook, message your hotel, or file paperwork if things go sideways.

Compensation Table by Delay Length

Exact percentages and dollar/won thresholds are revised periodically by the Korea Fair Trade Commission and vary by airline contract, so treat the table above as the structure, not the final number — confirm the current figures with the airline's customer center or the Korea Consumer Agency before you accept a settlement.

Step-by-Step: How to Claim Compensation While Stranded

1. Get it in writing at the airport. Ask the airline desk for a delay/cancellation certificate (사실확인서) stating the reason and duration. Photograph the departure board showing the original and revised times.
2. Keep every receipt. If the airline doesn't hand you meal or hotel vouchers directly, pay out of pocket and keep receipts — you can claim these back later under the Montreal Convention or the airline's own policy. If your delay runs overnight and the airline's voucher doesn't cover a decent room, it's worth booking a Seoul hotel yourself and claiming the cost back with your receipt — check the Incheon Airport layover guide for nap and shower options if you'd rather stay at the terminal while you sort things out.
3. File with the airline first. Every Korean carrier has a compensation/complaint form on its website or app, plus an airport customer service counter. Submit your boarding pass, delay certificate, and receipts. Most airlines target a response within a few weeks — ask for a case number.
4. Note your deadlines. For baggage issues, notify the airline in writing within 7 days of damage or 21 days of a delayed bag reaching you. For general delay-damage claims under the Montreal Convention, you generally have up to 2 years to pursue a claim, but airline-specific compensation schemes may set shorter internal deadlines — file as soon as possible rather than waiting.
5. Escalate if the airline stalls or refuses. Contact the Korea Consumer Agency (한국소비자원) via the 1372 Consumer Counseling Center for free mediation, or file through the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's air transport service portal. Bring your case number, certificate, and receipts.
6. Check your travel insurance separately. Many travel insurance policies and some credit cards include flight delay/cancellation coverage that pays out faster than pursuing the airline, and you can claim from both as long as you're not double-dipping on the same expense.
7. For EU-departure flights, you can alternatively pursue the claim through the relevant EU national enforcement body or a claims-handling service if the airline denies an EU261-eligible claim.

Special Cases Worth Knowing

• Missed connections on a single ticket: If both legs are on one booking (even different airlines in the same alliance), the airline is responsible for rebooking you through and covering reasonable costs if the delay was their fault.
• Self-transfers (separate tickets): You're on your own for a missed connection unless you bought delay protection — this is why booking connecting flights on a single itinerary matters if your trip includes tight layovers. If a rebooked flight lands you at Incheon at an odd hour, arranging an airport transfer in advance beats hunting for a late-night taxi.
• Denied boarding due to overbooking: You're entitled to compensation even if you eventually get to your destination close to schedule; ask for the denied boarding compensation form specifically, as it's processed differently from a delay claim.
• Force majeure disputes: Airlines sometimes classify a delay as "weather" when air traffic congestion or an earlier mechanical issue caused it. If your certificate cites weather but flight-tracking data shows earlier flights departed normally, note this — it strengthens a dispute with the Korea Consumer Agency.

If your trip plans unravel because of the delay, it's worth reviewing your onward itinerary — travelers rebuilding a 5-day Seoul itinerary or a Busan leg after a lost day often just shift activities rather than cancel, since most attractions and trains are easy to rebook.

Where to File and Who to Contact

• The airline's customer service center — always first, in writing, with your case number.
• Korea Consumer Agency (한국소비자원) — 1372 Consumer Counseling Center, for free mediation when the airline's response is unsatisfactory.
• Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) — publishes the official air transport service quality reports and handles broader aviation consumer policy.
• Your travel insurer or credit card benefits desk — a separate, often faster payout route for delay-related expenses.

Keep copies of everything digitally — a phone photo of every receipt and form is enough, and having mobile data on hand to email documents on the spot makes the whole process faster.