✦ Incheon Airport 2026

✈️ Airport Tax Refund Guide

Step-by-step instructions for claiming your VAT refund at Incheon Airport Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 — so you don't miss a single won on departure day.

T1
Gate 28 area
T2
Gates 249–253
30 min
Allow extra time
4 ops
All operators covered
Plan your time carefully. On busy travel days the tax refund area can have long queues. Arrive at the airport at least 3 hours before departure if you have multiple receipts or large purchases to process.
📍 Terminal 1 — Key Locations
🛃

Customs Inspection Counter

3rd floor departure hall, before check-in. Required if any single receipt exceeds ₩75,000. Officers may inspect actual items.

⚠ Before check-in bags
🖥️

Self-Service Kiosks

After security, near Gate 28 (Zone D). Handles Global Blue, Global Tax Free, NICE Tax Free. Available 24 hours.

After security
🏦

General Refund Counter

After security, customs examination area, 3rd floor. Handles Easy Tax Refund, Cube Refund, SJ, and all non-kiosk operators.

All operators accepted
💵

Cash Disbursement Booth

After kiosk scan, collect your cash (KRW / USD / CNY) at the cash booth located near the kiosk area, Gate 28.

Final step
🗺️ T1 — Step-by-Step Flow
1
Arrive at Terminal 1 — 3rd floor departure hall
Enter through the 3rd floor international departure entrance. Do NOT check in yet if you have receipts over ₩75,000 — you need customs inspection first.
2
Customs Inspection Required if receipt > ₩75,000
Go to the Customs Inspection Counter (before check-in, 3rd floor). Present:
  • Your passport
  • Tax refund forms (T/R receipts)
  • The actual purchased items (sealed, unopened)
The customs officer stamps your form. This is only required for large purchases.
3
Check In & Drop Bags
After customs stamping (if needed), proceed to check-in. Note: if your purchased items are in checked luggage and you need customs inspection, declare them before they are loaded.
4
Pass Security & Immigration
Proceed through the standard departure security screening and immigration control. Have your boarding pass and passport ready.
5
Find the Refund Kiosk — near Gate 28
After immigration, head toward Gate 28 (Zone D). Look for the refund kiosk clusters:
  • Global Blue kiosks — blue signage
  • Global Tax Free kiosks — orange signage
  • NICE Tax Free kiosks — green signage
Use the kiosk that matches the logo on your receipt.
6
Scan at the Kiosk
At the kiosk:
  • Insert your passport to identify yourself
  • Scan each T/R form barcode one by one
  • Select your refund method: cash (KRW / USD / CNY) or card
  • Confirm and print your receipt
7
Collect Your Cash If cash selected
Take your kiosk print-out to the cash disbursement booth nearby (Gate 28 area). Hand over the receipt and collect your cash. If you selected a credit card refund, it will be processed automatically — no extra step needed.
City refund holders: If you already received cash at a city kiosk, you only need to scan your forms at the airport kiosk (Step 5–6). You don't need to collect cash again — you're just confirming your departure so the card deposit is released.
📍 Terminal 2 — Key Locations
🛃

Customs Inspection Counter

3rd floor departure hall, before check-in. Required if any single receipt exceeds ₩75,000. Bring items unsealed and ready for inspection.

⚠ Before check-in bags
🖥️

Self-Service Kiosks

After security, near Gates 249–253. Handles Global Blue, Global Tax Free, NICE Tax Free. Korean Air and Delta operate from T2.

After security
🏦

General Refund Counter

After security, near Gates 249–253. Handles Easy Tax Refund, Cube, SJ, and all operators without dedicated kiosks.

All operators accepted
💵

Cash Disbursement Booth

Located alongside kiosks near Gates 249–253. Collect KRW, USD, or CNY after kiosk scan confirmation.

Final step
🗺️ T2 — Step-by-Step Flow
1
Arrive at Terminal 2 — 3rd floor
Terminal 2 serves Korean Air, Delta, Air France, KLM, and their SkyTeam partners. Enter through the 3rd floor international departure hall. Check signage carefully — T2 is newer and better signposted than T1.
2
Customs Inspection Required if receipt > ₩75,000
Head to the Customs Declaration Counter on the 3rd floor before check-in. Present your passport, T/R forms, and the actual items. After stamping, you are cleared to proceed.
3
Check In & Pass Security
Complete check-in at your airline counter, drop your bags, then proceed through security and immigration. T2 has separate immigration lanes — follow signs for your nationality.
4
Find Kiosks — Gates 249–253 area
After immigration, follow signs toward Gates 249–253. Kiosk clusters are on the right side of the main concourse. T2 kiosks are newer and slightly faster than T1.
  • Global Blue — blue kiosks
  • Global Tax Free — orange kiosks
  • NICE Tax Free — green kiosks
5
Scan & Collect Refund
Insert passport → scan all T/R forms → choose cash or card → collect cash at the booth next to the kiosks. The process is identical to T1.
💡 T2 Tip: Terminal 2 is newer, generally less crowded, and the tax refund area is better organized. If you're flying Korean Air, Delta, Air France, or KLM, you have an easier refund experience compared to T1.
📋 Complete Departure Day Timeline

This timeline applies to both T1 and T2. Adjust timings based on how many receipts you have.

3+ hours before flight
Arrive at airport
Allow extra time if you have many receipts or receipts over ₩75,000. Peak travel days (weekends, holidays) can have 30–60 min queues at the customs counter.
🛃
Before check-in
Customs inspection (if needed)
Only required if any single T/R receipt exceeds ₩75,000. Go to the Customs Counter on the 3rd floor departure hall before dropping your bags. Show passport, T/R forms, and items. Get the customs stamp.
🧳
Check-in
Check in & drop bags
Complete check-in after customs inspection. Keep all T/R forms and your passport in your carry-on — never pack them in checked luggage.
🔐
Security & immigration
Pass through security
Standard airport security and immigration. Have boarding pass and passport ready. At T2, separate lanes exist for Korean citizens and foreigners.
🖥️
After immigration
Find the refund kiosk
T1: head to Gate 28 (Zone D). T2: head to Gates 249–253. Match the kiosk brand to your receipt logo (Global Blue → blue kiosk, GTF → orange, NICE → green). For Easy Tax / Cube / SJ → General Counter.
📄
At the kiosk
Scan passport & T/R forms
Insert passport → scan each T/R form barcode → select cash or card refund → confirm. The whole process takes about 2–5 minutes per person if no queue.
💵
Cash pickup (optional)
Collect cash at the booth
If you chose cash, take your kiosk print-out to the cash booth nearby. Available in KRW, USD, and CNY. Card refunds are processed automatically — no extra step needed.
🏷️ Refund Operator — Kiosk Location Guide
Operator T1 Location T2 Location Kiosk Color Cash Available
Global Blue Gate 28 area Gates 249–253 🔵 Blue ✓ KRW / USD / CNY
Global Tax Free (GTF) Gate 28 area Gates 249–253 🟠 Orange ✓ KRW / USD / CNY
NICE Tax Free Gate 28 area Gates 249–253 🟢 Green ✓ KRW / USD
Easy Tax Refund General Counter General Counter — Counter only ✓ KRW (card preferred)
Cube Refund / SJ General Counter General Counter — Counter only Card refund only
✅ Departure Day Checklist

Before you leave your hotel — make sure you have:

Passport (original, not a copy)
All tax refund forms (T/R receipts) — one per store visit
Purchased items sealed and in your carry-on (if receipt > ₩75,000)
Credit card used for city refund deposit (if applicable)
Boarding pass (airline app or printed)
Know which terminal you're departing from (T1 or T2)
Arrived at least 3 hours before departure
Know which refund operator your receipts belong to (check the logo)
🛠️ Airport Troubleshooting
If you can't find the matching kiosk, go directly to the General Refund Counter. It is located after security near Gate 28 (T1) or Gates 249–253 (T2). The staff there can process all operator brands and help you if any issues arise with the kiosk.
Common reasons for kiosk rejections: the barcode is damaged, the form is from a different operator, or the form is expired (over 3 months old). Try the General Refund Counter and explain the situation to the staff — they can often process the refund manually. Bring the original purchase receipt as backup.
Once you have checked in your bags, it may be too late for a physical inspection of large items. However, for smaller items you have in your carry-on, you can still try the customs inspection desk. If items are already in checked bags, ask the General Refund Counter staff — some operators allow processing without a customs stamp for amounts just over the threshold.
Yes, absolutely. The city refund is an advance payment. A deposit was held on your credit card. If you don't scan at the airport kiosk before departure, the full refund amount will be charged back to your card, plus a potential penalty fee. The airport scan takes less than 2 minutes — do not skip it.
For receipts where you did NOT receive a city refund, you may be able to claim by mail after departure within a limited period (usually 3 months). Contact your refund operator's customer service with your T/R form details and original receipts. For city refund holders who missed the airport scan, contact the operator immediately — some allow a grace period for online confirmation.

Calculate Your Refund Before You Fly

Know exactly how much you're getting back before you even reach the airport.