Star Alliance Set to Open New Lounge at Incheon Airport
Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC) and Star Alliance have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a new Star Alliance lounge at Terminal 1 of Incheon International Airport, South Korea. The facility is expected to begin operations in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Under the agreement, the existing Asiana Airlines Business Lounge (West) at Terminal 1 will be converted into a Star Alliance lounge. The move comes as Asiana Airlines prepares to leave the Star Alliance network as part of its integration with Korean Air.
The new lounge is intended to ensure that eligible passengers travelling with Star Alliance member airlines continue to have access to dedicated lounge facilities at Incheon Airport during and after the transition. The facility will cater to eligible passengers travelling with the 14 Star Alliance member airlines currently operating at the airport, offering connectivity to 29 destinations worldwide.
Air India, a Star Alliance member, currently operates two non-stop services between Delhi and Incheon using Boeing 787 aircraft. The new lounge is therefore expected to provide an additional facility for eligible Air India passengers travelling through the airport.
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The Incheon facility will become Star Alliance’s seventh branded lounge globally. In addition to its own lounges, Star Alliance passengers have access to more than 1,000 airport lounges through the alliance’s broader global lounge network.
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Ambar Franco, Vice President, Customer Experience at Star Alliance, said the partnership with IIAC reflects a shared commitment to maintaining the passenger experience at Incheon Airport amid changes associated with the integration of Asiana Airlines and Korean Air.
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Kim Chang-gyu, Chief Operating Officer at Incheon International Airport Corporation, said the agreement is part of the airport’s efforts to maintain passenger services during the transition and support Star Alliance member airlines operating from Terminal 1.