Getting to Jeju Island: Flights, Ferries and Airports

Most visitors fly to Jeju from Gimpo Airport in Seoul, a route the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) calls the busiest in the world. The island can also be reached by ferry from five mainland ports, which is the way to go if you want to bring your own car. As of the KTO pages cited here (last updated June 2025 for ferries and June 2026 for flights), this is how the options compare.

1. By air

KTO calls the plane the fastest way to Jeju. Most travelers depart from Gimpo International Airport in Seoul or Gimhae International Airport in Busan, but KTO says flights leave from other airports too.

According to KTO's domestic flights page:

• Ten airlines operate domestic routes in Korea, including Korean Air, Asiana Airlines (which KTO says is to be merged with Korean Air), and several low-cost carriers.
• Jeju International Airport lists these routes: Incheon, Gimpo, Gimhae, Cheongju, Daegu, Gwangju, Ulsan, Yeosu, Gunsan, Yangyang, Pohang/Gyeongju and Sacheon.
• Gimpo itself flies to Jeju, Gimhae, Ulsan, Yeosu, Sacheon, Pohang/Gyeongju and Gwangju.
• Wonju, Yangyang, Cheongju, Gunsan and Daegu airports list Jeju as their destination.
• Muan International Airport is closed until 23:59 on December 24, 2026, according to the KTO page, so flights there are not an option for now.

The practical point: if you are not starting from Seoul or Busan, check whether your regional airport has a direct Jeju flight before you plan around a train transfer. KTO also warns that flight routes can change without prior notice, so confirm with the airport or airline.

1.1. Getting around after you land

KTO says Jeju International Airport sits within Jeju city, so you can take buses to different parts of the island. It also notes a well-established rental car system. If you plan to drive, check the rental company's license requirements before you go, since KTO's page does not list them.

2. By ferry

KTO calls ferries popular because of the ocean view and says some carry passenger cars and motorcycles. They are the better choice if you want to drive your own vehicle on the island. Some have sleeping cabins. The KTO entries for Mokpo, Goheung, Wando and Jindo say a passport or personal ID is required when boarding, so keep it within reach rather than packed away.

KTO lists five mainland ports. The times below are what the page shows to Jeju, not a schedule you can rely on; KTO says to check the operator's website for accurate times and fares.

Working out durations from those times: Wando takes about 2 hours 40 minutes on each of its three sailings (02:30 to 05:10, 09:20 to 12:00, 15:00 to 17:40). The Goheung sailing takes 3 hours 30 minutes, the Mokpo night sailing 4 hours 30 minutes, and Samcheonpo 6 hours 30 minutes. The Jindo times in the KTO listing are 2 hours for the morning sailing and 1 hour 30 minutes for the afternoon one, so confirm those with the operator before you rely on them.

KTO notes that several operators' sites are Korean only. For ferry details in English, KTO points to the Korea Shipping Association site (island.theksa.co.kr), which has Korean and English pages, and to the 1330 Korea Travel Hotline at +82-2-1330 in several languages including English.

3. Which one to choose

• Short trip, no car: fly. It is the fastest, and you can rent a car at Jeju Airport.
• Bringing your own car or motorcycle: take a ferry that KTO lists as able to carry vehicles, and book the vehicle slot with the operator.
• Not starting in Seoul: check Jeju's route list above. Gimhae, Daegu, Cheongju and many other airports have direct flights.
• Overnight crossing: Samcheonpo (23:30) and Mokpo (01:00) sailings run through the night and the Samcheonpo one has an arrival at 06:00.

4. Key takeaways

• Gimpo to Jeju is KTO's headline route; Gimhae is the other major departure point.
• Jeju Airport has routes to 12 Korean airports, listed by KTO as of June 2026.
• Muan Airport is closed until December 24, 2026.
• Five mainland ferry ports serve Jeju; KTO says ID is required to board at four of them, so carry it for all.
• Ferry times came from a KTO page last updated June 2025, so confirm with the operator.