Star Alliance signs MoU for dedicated lounge at Korea's Incheon airport; Air India flyers to benefit

Star Alliance, the world's largest airline alliance, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC) on Tuesday to establish a dedicated Star Alliance lounge at Terminal 1 of Incheon International Airport.

The lounge is expected to begin operations in the fourth quarter of 2026 and will replace the existing Asiana Airlines Business Lounge (West) following Asiana Airlines' departure from Star Alliance on December 16 as part of its integration with Korean Air.

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The transition will ensure continued premium lounge access for eligible passengers travelling with Star Alliance member airlines at Incheon. Eligible Star Alliance passengers currently have access to Asiana Airlines lounges at the airport.

The new facility will serve passengers travelling with 14 Star Alliance member airlines operating at Incheon International Airport, connecting them to 29 destinations worldwide.

For Indian travellers, Air India operates two non-stop flights between Delhi and Incheon using widebody Boeing 787 aircraft, making the new lounge relevant for eligible passengers travelling on the airline.

“Incheon International Airport is an important gateway for Star Alliance, with several member airlines operating here. This partnership with IIAC reflects our shared commitment to delivering a consistently high-quality experience for customers,” said Ambar Franco, Vice President, Customer Experience at Star Alliance.

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The Incheon facility will be Star Alliance's seventh dedicated lounge worldwide. The alliance already operates lounges at airports including Paris Charles de Gaulle, Los Angeles International and Guangzhou Baiyun, while eligible customers of its member airlines have access to more than 1,000 airport lounges globally.

Kim Chang-gyu, Chief Operation Officer at Incheon International Airport Corporation, said the agreement was part of efforts to ensure stable and high-quality passenger services amid major changes, including the integration of Asiana Airlines and Korean Air.

The agreement underscores Incheon International Airport's importance as a global aviation hub and strengthens its premium service infrastructure.