Korean Air 787-9 Seat Selection Guide (2026)
Korean Air's Boeing 787-9 carries 24 Prestige Suites in a staggered 2-2-2 layout and 245–254 economy seats in 3-3-3. Every business seat reaches an aisle without climbing over a neighbour, which is unusual for a 2-2-2 cabin and the single best reason to book this aircraft.
Two things trip people up. First, business class does not start at row 1 on most of these aircraft — it starts at row 7. Second, seat letters run A B / D E / H J in business and A B C / D E F / G H J in economy. There is no K seat anywhere on this aircraft.
⚠️ Row numbers vary by configuration. The recommendations below are tied to verified seat maps for each of the two configs. If the map at booking differs from what you see here, follow the map.
✈️ Quick Verdict
- Best business: 8A / 8J (Config A) · 9A / 9J (Config B) · centre pairs D+E for couples
- Avoid in business: 7J (Config A) / 1J (Config B) — lavatory directly ahead
- Best economy: 45C and 45G on both configs · 48A/J, 51A/J, 54A/J (Config A) · row 50 entire (Config B)
- Avoid in economy: rows 42, 43, 56, 57 · 55A/55J (Config A) · 54A/54J (Config B) — no window
At a Glance
| Aircraft | Boeing 787-9 |
| Configurations | 2 (24J/254Y and 24J/245Y) |
| Version lottery | Yes — business row numbers differ, and only one config has Wi-Fi |
| Business | 24 Prestige Suites, 2-2-2 staggered, 75" pitch, 21" wide, 180° flat bed |
| Economy | 254 or 245 seats, 3-3-3, 32"–33" pitch, 17.2" wide |
| IFE | Seatback on-demand — 18" 4K in business, 13.3" 4K in economy (Config A) |
| Power | 110V AC at every seat; USB-C in Config A economy, USB-A in Config B |
| Wi-Fi | Ka-band satellite on Config A only. No Wi-Fi recorded on Config B |
The Version Lottery
Korean Air flies the 787-9 in two cabin layouts with the same 24 business seats but different economy counts, different business row numbering, and — critically — different connectivity.
| Config A | Config B | |
|---|---|---|
| Total seats | 278 | 269 |
| Business | 24 (rows 7–10) | 24 (row 1 mini-cabin + rows 7–9) |
| Economy | 254 (rows 28–57) | 245 (rows 28–57) |
| Aircraft in fleet | 14 | Not recorded — treat as rare |
| Wi-Fi | Ka-band satellite | None recorded |
| Business screen | 18" 4K UHD | 17" HD |
| Economy screen | 13.3" 4K UHD | 10.6" HD |
| Economy pitch | 32" | 33" |
| Economy USB | USB-C (shared) | USB-A |
| Standout economy row | 45C / 45G | Row 50 (whole row extra legroom) |
Which will you get? Almost certainly Config A — it accounts for the bulk of the recorded fleet. Config B has no fleet count on file, which usually means one or two frames or a layout on its way out.
How to tell which one you're on
| Indicator | Config A | Config B |
|---|---|---|
| Total seats shown at booking | 278 | 269 |
| First business row | 7 | 1 |
| Row 28 | Six seats (D/E/F + G/H/J) | Three seats (D/E/F only) |
| Row 50 | Normal pitch | Extra legroom across all nine seats |
| Row 57 | Seven seats, B through H | Three seats, D/E/F only |
| Wi-Fi advertised | Yes | No |
The fastest tell is the business cabin. If the seat map opens at row 7, you're on Config A. If it opens at row 1, you're on Config B.
Business Class — Prestige Suites
Twenty-four seats built on the Apex platform, arranged 2-2-2. The layout is staggered: window seats (A and J) sit about a quarter-row forward of their inboard neighbours (B and H), and that offset creates a private walkway from the window seat to the aisle. The centre pair (D and E) sits level with itself — no stagger, no walkway needed, because both seats already touch an aisle.
- 75" pitch, 21" width
- 180° recline into a 73" flat bed
- 18" 4K touchscreen (Config A) or 17" HD (Config B)
- 110V AC socket plus USB-A
- No privacy doors, no Bluetooth, no wireless charging, no individual air vents
✅ Best seats — business
| Category | Config A | Config B | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall (solo) | 8A, 8J | 9A, 9J | Mid or rear cabin, forward-offset window position, furthest from galley traffic |
| Also strong | 9A, 9J, 10A, 10J | 7A, 7J, 8A, 8J | Same window position, marginally more cabin traffic |
| Couples | 8D + 8E | 7D + 7E | The centre pair sits level, side by side, with a divider between |
| Solo, want the nook | 8B, 8H | 7B, 7H | Set back half a row from the window seat, with an extra stowage nook |
| Quietest cabin | — | Row 1 | A physically separate six-seat mini-cabin ahead of the main cabin |
🚫 Seats to avoid — business
| 7J (Config A) / 1J (Config B) | Lavatory immediately ahead — queuing traffic and noise past the seat all flight |
| Row 10 D/E (A), row 9 D/E (B) | Rear centre pair — fine seats, but no privacy advantage and closest to the economy bulkhead |
| Any centre seat if solo | D and E are the couples pair; you'll have a stranger beside you at shoulder height |
Note on the Config B mini-cabin. Row 1 sits in its own six-seat compartment ahead of the main cabin. The seat hardware is identical to rows 7–9 — the appeal is the smaller, quieter space, not a better seat. Don't pay a premium expecting a different product.
Economy Class
3-3-3 in A B C / D E F / G H J. Pitch is 32" on Config A and 33" on Config B, at 17.2" width. Every seat gets a 110V AC socket, a four-way adjustable headrest, a bi-folding tray table with its own cup holder, and adjustable armrests everywhere except the front row of each cabin. There are no individual air vents.
The cabin splits into two sections either side of the Door 3 galley and lavatory complex: a forward cabin from row 28 to 43, and a rear cabin from row 44 to 57.
✅ Best seats — economy
| Category | Config A | Config B | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best legroom, no catch | 45C, 45G | 45C, 45G | Row 44 has no centre block, so open floor ahead and a normal tray table |
| Best windows | 48A/J, 51A/J, 54A/J | 45A/J, 49A/J, 52A/J | Windows land square with the seat instead of behind it |
| Bulkhead legroom | 46D, 46E, 46F | 46D, 46E, 46F | Extra legroom at the rear-cabin bulkhead. 46E is a bassinet position |
| Whole-row legroom | — | Row 50 (all nine) | A full row at double pitch. 50B–50H are the picks; 50A/50J align poorly |
| Exit row | 44B, 44H | 44B, 44H | Extra legroom at Door 3 without the door-bulge problem A and J have |
| Quiet mid-cabin | Rows 30–33, 35–40 | Rows 30–31, 33–34, 36–40 | Away from both galley complexes |
🚫 Seats to avoid — economy
| Rows 42 and 43 (both configs) | The forward cabin's rear lavatory bank sits directly behind. Row 43 loses the centre block entirely |
| Rows 56 and 57 (both configs) | Last rows, backed onto the rear lavatories, with little or no recline |
| 55A, 55J (A) / 54A, 54J (B) | No window at all at these positions — solid wall |
| 28G, 28H, 28J (Config A) | Bulkhead legroom, but a lavatory door is immediately in front |
| 29A/B/C, 29H, 29J (Config B) | The most generous bulkhead legroom on the aircraft, undermined by lavatories directly ahead |
| 44A, 44J (both configs) | Exit row, but the Door 3 bulge eats about 80% of the seat width just ahead of your legs |
| 34A/J, 47A/J, 50A/J, 53A/J (A); 32A/J, 35A/J, 47A/J (B) | Window sits behind the seat — you have to lean back to see out |
| Row 41 centre and aisle seats | Backed onto the lavatory bank at rows 42–43 |
Quick-Pick Summary
| Traveller | Config A | Config B |
|---|---|---|
| Solo in business | 8A or 8J | 9A or 9J |
| Couple in business | 8D + 8E | 7D + 7E |
| Legroom in economy | 45C or 45G | Row 50, seats B–H |
| Best view in economy | 48A, 51A, 54A | 45A, 49A, 52A |
Things to Know Before You Book
| No K seat | Letters are A B / D E / H J in business and A B C / D E F / G H J in economy. If you're looking for 45K, it doesn't exist |
| This is not Prestige Suites 2.0 | The 787-9 has the older 2-2-2 Apex-platform suite with no doors. The newer 1-2-1 Prestige Suites 2.0 is on the 787-10 |
| No individual air vents | Neither cabin has gasper vents. Korean Air cabins run warm — dress in layers |
| Wi-Fi is a config lottery | Config A has Ka-band satellite Wi-Fi. Config B has none on record |
| Aircraft swaps happen | Re-check the seat map 24–48 hours before departure |
FAQs
Which row does business class start on?
Row 7 on the 14-aircraft configuration, which is what you'll almost certainly fly. The rarer configuration puts six seats in a row 1 mini-cabin and the other eighteen in rows 7 to 9.
Does every business seat have direct aisle access?
Yes. The 2-2-2 layout is staggered so that window seats sit forward of their neighbours, opening a walkway to the aisle. You never climb over anyone.
Is there a First Class cabin on the 787-9?
No. All 24 forward-cabin seats are Prestige Suites — business class. On the rarer config, row 1 is a separate six-seat mini-cabin, but it's the same seat as rows 7 to 9.
What's the best economy seat for legroom?
45C and 45G on either config. Row 44 has no centre block ahead of them, so you get open floor without the armrest tray table or door bulge that comes with the exit row itself. On the rarer config, row 50 is a whole row at extra pitch.
Does the 787-9 have Wi-Fi?
On the main configuration, yes — Ka-band satellite, good enough for browsing and light streaming. The rarer configuration has no Wi-Fi on record.
How does the 787-9 compare to the 787-10?
The 787-10 has Korean Air's newer Prestige Suites 2.0 in a 1-2-1 layout with sliding doors and 36 business seats. If the new business product matters to you, book the 787-10.