Korean Air's Airbus A330-300 is the backbone of its Asian regional network, operating high-frequency routes from Seoul Incheon to destinations across Southeast Asia, Japan, China, Hong Kong, and the Pacific. With an average fleet age over 17 years, the A330-300 is a mature aircraft operating alongside Korean Air's newer 787s, A350s, and 777s — and critically, it comes in two meaningfully different configurations that deliver very different Business Class experiences. Knowing which one you're on before you pick your seat is essential.
Version lottery alert: The new Apex Suite config (24 Business seats) is significantly better than the old Prestige Sleeper (18 Business seats). Check the seat count before picking your seat — it changes everything.
Quick Verdict
| Cabin |
Layout |
Seats |
Key Features |
| Business — New Config (Prestige Apex Suite) |
2-2-2 staggered |
24 |
All seats have direct aisle access · 20.6" wide · 78–80" pitch · Fully flat · 4 rows |
| Business — Old Config (Prestige Sleeper) |
2-2-2 non-staggered |
18 |
Window passengers have NO direct aisle access — 16 of the 24 seats reach the aisle directly, against all 24 on the Apex aircraft · 20.6" wide · 74" pitch · Fully flat · 4 rows (1, 7, 8, 9) |
| First Class — Old Config only |
2-2-2 staggered |
6 |
No First Class cabin appears on any current Korean Air A330-300 plan. The Apex Suite is fitted to the 272-seat aircraft, and it is that aircraft’s Prestige cabin rather than a separate First cabin. |
| Economy |
2-4-2 |
248–260 |
32–33" pitch · 18.1" width · 10" IFE · USB and AC power |
Configurations:
- 284 seats: 24 Prestige / 260 Economy — eight aircraft, Prestige Sleeper
- 272 seats: 24 Prestige / 248 Economy — six aircraft, and the only one with Apex Suites
- 276 seats: 24 Prestige / 252 Economy — three aircraft, Prestige Sleeper. The current cabin plans record no First Class cabin on any Korean Air A330-300: all 24 forward seats are Prestige, in the same six-abreast 2-2-2 on rows 1, 7, 8 and 9.
How to Identify Your Korean Air A330-300 Configuration
Check the seat map when booking or in Manage My Booking:
| Version |
Clues on Seat Map |
What It Means |
| 272-seat (Apex Suite) — six aircraft |
24 Prestige seats, Economy ends at row 60, row 28 carries only six seats (no G or H) and row 45 is a centre-only block of four |
Best A330-300 experience · All seats have direct aisle access |
| 276- and 284-seat (Prestige Sleeper) — eleven aircraft |
24 Prestige seats in the same 2-2-2. Economy runs to row 61 on the 284-seat aircraft and row 60 on the 276-seat one, and row 28 is a full eight-seat row on both |
Window Business seats have no aisle access — important to factor into seat choice |
Priority order: New 2-class > Old 3-class for Business Class passengers. If you are in Business and see the old 3-class layout, seat selection matters significantly more.
Best Seats in Korean Air Business Class — New Config (Prestige Apex Suite)
Business Class Overview
- 24 Collins Apex Suite seats across 4 rows in a staggered 2-2-2 layout
- The Apex Suite stagger means window and aisle passengers are offset — the window passenger accesses the aisle via their own gap without climbing over their neighbour
- All 24 seats have direct aisle access — the key advantage over the old config
- 20.6" seat width, 78–80" fully flat bed
- 15" IFE screen, USB and AC power at every seat
- Galley and lavatories located at the rear of the Business cabin — avoid last row
| Category |
Recommended Seats |
Why |
| Best solo window |
7A, 7H |
Front row window seats in the Apex stagger layout — furthest from the rear galley and lavatories, maximum privacy, first to board and deplane. |
| Best for couples |
7A+7B, 7H+7G |
Front row window pairs — both seats have direct aisle access and sit side by side in the staggered layout; further from galley noise than rear rows. |
| Good alternatives |
8A, 8H, 9A, 9H |
Mid-cabin window seats; slightly more galley proximity than row 7 but still good privacy. |
| Avoid rear row |
Last Business row |
Immediately adjacent to rear galley and lavatories — more crew movement, noise and light throughout the flight. |
Business Class Seats to Avoid — New Config
| Category |
Seats |
Why |
| Last row windows |
Final Business row window seats |
Directly adjacent to rear galley — accept more disruption than rows 7–9. |
| Last row centre |
Final Business row centre pair |
Closest to rear galley of all seats in the cabin. |
Best Seats in Korean Air Business Class — Old Config (Prestige Sleeper)
Business Class Overview
- 18 Prestige Sleeper seats across 3 rows in a non-staggered 2-2-2 layout
- Window seats (A and K columns) have no direct aisle access — you must step over your aisle neighbour
- Only aisle seats (B, C, H, G) have direct aisle access
- 20.6" width, 74" flat bed (4–6" shorter than Apex Suite)
- No privacy dividers between seat pairs
- Widely regarded as uncompetitive for overnight flights over 4–5 hours
Window passengers (A and K seats) have NO direct aisle access in the old Prestige Sleeper config. You must step over your aisle neighbour to get out.
| Category |
Recommended Seats |
Why |
| Best aisle access |
7B, 7D, 7E, 7G, and the same seats in rows 8 and 9 |
Prestige is lettered A B | D E | G H — there is no C, F, J or K seat anywhere on this aircraft, in any cabin. B, D, E and G are the aisle seats. On the 272-seat Apex aircraft the distinction does not matter: a corridor runs behind each pair, so all 24 seats reach the aisle directly. |
| If window required |
7A, 8A, 9A |
Left-side window seats mid-cabin; accept that you will need to step over the aisle passenger; row 7 is furthest from rear galley. |
| Best for couples |
7A+7B, 8A+8B |
Window pair together — both passengers are in the same pair and the window passenger has only one seatmate to step over. |
Business Class Seats to Avoid — Old Config
| Category |
Seats |
Why |
| Window if solo |
Any K seat |
The right-side window seat is H, not K — there is no K seat on this aircraft. On the two Prestige Sleeper versions it has no direct aisle access; on the Apex aircraft it does. |
| Rear row |
9A–9H all seats |
Last Business row directly in front of rear Economy galley with more noise and foot traffic. |
| Any aisle if noise sensitive |
7B, 7G |
Front row aisle seats nearest to the forward galley — more crew activity. |
Best Seats in Korean Air First Class (Old Config Only)
First Class Overview
- 6 Collins Apex Suite seats in 1 row in a staggered 2-2-2 layout
- Same Apex Suite product as new Business Class — direct aisle access for all 6 seats
- 20.6" wide, 83" pitch — slightly more space than Business Apex
- Only available on old 3-class layout; no First Class on new 2-class config
- Lavatories on the left side of the First cabin on some frames — check your specific seat map
| Category |
Recommended Seats |
Why |
| Best solo |
1H, 1G |
Right-side window and aisle — lavatories are located on the left side of the First cabin on most frames, making right-side seats quieter. |
| Good alternative |
1A |
Left-side window if lavatories are on the right on your specific frame — check seat map. |
| Best for couples |
1A+1B or 1H+1G |
Window pairs in First — both seats side by side with direct aisle access. |
Best Seats in Korean Air A330-300 Economy Class
Economy Class Overview
- 248–260 seats in 2-4-2 layout depending on variant
- Seat width: 18.1", pitch: 32–33"
- 10" IFE screens, USB and AC power at every 2–4 seats
- Split into forward and rear sections separated by a mid-cabin galley and lavatory bank
- Rows 28–29 and 46–47 have extra legroom but are adjacent to the mid-cabin galley/lavatory break
- Rear section middle block narrows to 2-abreast in the last few rows — useful quirk for couples
| Category |
Recommended Seats |
Why |
| Best legroom |
Exit row seats (check map) |
Significant extra pitch; fixed armrests; cannot recline seat directly in front. |
| Extra legroom with trade-off |
28A, 28B, 28G, 28H |
The front Economy bulkhead. It does carry extra legroom, and it backs directly onto a lavatory bank — every seat in it rates as one to avoid on all three versions. On the 272-seat Apex aircraft row 28 has no G or H seat at all. There is no J or K seat in Economy either; the letters run A B | C D E F | G H. |
| Couples (window pairs) |
Any A/C pair or H/K pair mid-cabin |
The 2-4-2 layout means window sections are 2-seat pairs — no middle seat for a couple sitting on either side. |
| Quiet rear quirk |
Last 3–4 rows |
Middle block narrows to 2-abreast — if booked as a couple in the centre, significantly less crowded. Full recline available. Trade-off: rear lavatory proximity. |
Economy Seats to Avoid
| Category |
Seats |
Why |
| Centre block middle |
Any E or F seat |
Trapped in the 4-seat centre block with no window and no aisle — worst position on the aircraft. |
| Mid-cabin galley rows |
28D/E/F/G, 29D/E/F/G |
Extra legroom but constant galley and lavatory traffic directly adjacent. |
| Last row of forward section |
Row before mid-galley break |
Restricted recline due to galley structure behind. |
Known Quirks & Practical Tips
| Quirk |
Details |
| Two very different Business products |
The Apex Suite (new config) and Prestige Sleeper (old config) are separated by a generation of seat design. The Apex Suite gives all passengers direct aisle access; the Prestige Sleeper traps window passengers. Always check seat count before booking — 24 Business seats means Apex Suite, 18 Business seats means Prestige Sleeper. |
| A330-300 fleet age |
Korean Air's A330-300s average over 17 years old. The type is being gradually replaced by A350-900s. Cabin condition and IFE reliability can vary between frames. |
| Asiana merger impact |
Korean Air's ongoing integration with Asiana may cause aircraft type changes closer to departure, particularly on routes where both airlines operate. Recheck your aircraft type 2–3 weeks before departure. |
| A330-300 routes |
The A330-300 operates almost exclusively on intra-Asian routes from ICN: Thailand (HKT, BKK), Hong Kong (HKG), Japan (NRT, KIX, FUK), China, Taiwan, and Pacific island routes. It rarely operates beyond the Asian region. |
| Wi-Fi |
Wi-Fi availability on the A330-300 is inconsistent across the fleet due to the aircraft's age. Check your specific flight before departure if connectivity matters. |
Best Seats Summary
| Cabin |
Best Seats |
| Business — New Config (Apex Suite) |
7A or 7H for solo privacy; 7A+7B or 7H+7G for couples — front row, furthest from rear galley |
| Business — Old Config (Prestige Sleeper) |
7B, 7D, 7E or 7G for aisle access; 7A+7B for couples wanting window proximity. Prestige is lettered A B | D E | G H — there is no C, F, J or K seat on this aircraft in any cabin, and on the 272-seat Apex aircraft every seat reaches the aisle directly anyway |
| First Class (old config only) |
1H or 1G — right side away from left-side lavatories |
| Economy |
Exit rows for legroom; A/C or H/K window pairs mid-cabin for couples; avoid E/F centre block |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know which Korean Air A330-300 Business Class I'm getting?
▼
Check the Business seat count on your seat map. 24 Business seats = new Apex Suite config with direct aisle access for all. 18 Business seats = old Prestige Sleeper config with window passengers trapped. This is the single most important thing to check before picking your seat.
Is the old Prestige Sleeper acceptable for overnight flights?
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It is a fully flat product with reasonable width and is fine for a 3–5 hour regional flight. For overnight flights over 5 hours, the lack of aisle access for window seats and the absence of privacy dividers makes it meaningfully less comfortable than the Apex Suite. If you have a choice, seek out the new config.
Does Korean Air's A330-300 fly to the US?
▼
Occasionally, the A330-300 operates the Honolulu–Tokyo Narita–Seoul Incheon route as a 1-stop service. All other US routes use 777-300ER, 787-9/10, or A350-900. The A330-300 is primarily a regional Asian aircraft.
Will the A330-300 be replaced soon?
▼
Korean Air is taking delivery of new A350-900s and has 777-9s on order. The A330-300 fleet, averaging over 17 years, is gradually being displaced from routes by newer aircraft. The type is likely to remain in service on shorter Asian routes through the late 2020s, but equipment changes are increasingly common. Always verify your aircraft type closer to departure.
Is the new Business Class competitive with Korean Air's 787 and A350 products?
▼
The Apex Suite is a solid product with direct aisle access for all seats — better than many legacy Business products. However it lacks privacy doors, which Korean Air's newer 787-10 Prestige Suites 2.0 and A350-900 products have. For a regional 4–7 hour flight it is very good; for overnight ultra-long-haul it is outclassed by the newer suite products.
Comparable Aircraft
| Guide |
Business Seat |
Relevance |
| Korean Air 777-300ER |
Apex / Prestige Sleeper / Prestige Suites 2.0 |
Three configs; same version lottery dynamics on a larger aircraft |
| Korean Air 787-9 |
Collins Apex Suite |
Same Apex Suite as new A330-300 config |
| Korean Air 787-10 |
Prestige Suites 2.0 (doors) |
Korean Air's newest Business product with privacy doors |
See all aircraft seat guides →
