EasyTicket Even on the day of departure, it’s better to exchange money in your bank app first and pick it up in the airport’s public area. If you exchange it at the airport, it can cost about 40,000 won more than the app’s 90% preferential rate when exchanging the equivalent of 1 million won in US dollars.
📌 Why Currency Exchange at Incheon Airport Costs More
Check the exchange-rate spread, not a separate fee
Currency exchange costs are driven less by a fixed fee than by the gap between the base exchange rate and the cash-buying rate. As checked on September 3, 2026, the dollar exchange fee rate at the airport branch was around 4.20%, while Woori Bank’s standard branch cash spread was 1.75%. (Source: Korean Federation of Banks · Woori Bank)
Downtown-bank preferential rates discount the spread
With a 1.75% dollar spread, a 90% preferential rate leaves only 0.175% as the actual cost. By contrast, exchanging cash at an Incheon Airport exchange counter applies the airport branch’s rate, making the gap much larger.
Exchange rates change several times a day. The figures below are calculated comparisons of the spread difference only, not based on exchange-rate movements.
📋 Currency Exchange Counters by Floor at Terminal 1
The third-floor public area is convenient before departure
| Floor/area | Nearby landmark | Bank | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd-floor public area | Near Departure Hall 3 | KB Kookmin Bank | 24 hours |
| 3rd-floor public area | Near Departure Hall 5 | KB Kookmin Bank | 06:00~22:00 |
| 3rd-floor public area | Near Entrance 11 | Hana Bank | 06:00~22:00 |
| 3rd-floor duty-free area | Near Gate 11 | Woori Bank | 24 hours |
Check the first floor and Basement 1 too
Woori Bank near Entrance 11 in the first-floor public area is open 24 hours. The KB Kookmin Bank branch on Basement 1 is open weekdays from 09:00~16:00 and closed on weekends and public holidays.
📋 Currency Exchange Counters by Floor at Terminal 2
There is a 24-hour counter on the third floor
| Floor/area | Nearby landmark | Bank | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd-floor public area | Near Entrance 4 | KB Kookmin Bank | 24 hours |
| 3rd-floor public area | Between Entrances 8~9 | Woori Bank | 06:00~22:00 |
| 3rd-floor public area | Near the L check-in counters | Hana Bank | 06:00~22:00 |
| 3rd-floor duty-free area | Near Gate 249 | Woori Bank | 24 hours |
Most first-floor counters are near arrivals
Woori Bank near Entrance 7 in the first-floor public area is open 24 hours; Hana Bank near Entrances 4 and 10 is open 06:00~22:00. Bank branches on Basement 1 are available weekdays from 09:00~16:00.
💰 How Much More Does It Cost Than a Downtown Bank?
Actual differences by amount with a 90% preferential rate
We compared the airport on-site spread of 4.20% with 0.175% after applying a downtown bank app’s 90% preferential rate to dollars. These calculations assume the foreign-currency value is the same at the base exchange rate.
| Base foreign-currency value | Airport on-site cost | Cost with app’s 90% preferential rate | Extra paid at airport |
|---|---|---|---|
| 300,000 won | 12,600 won | 525 won | 12,075 won |
| 500,000 won | 21,000 won | 875 won | 20,125 won |
| 1,000,000 won | 42,000 won | 1,750 won | 40,250 won |
The calculation is simple
The difference is calculated as base amount exchanged × 4.025%. This was the part that confused me when matching up the fee tables, but a 90% preferential rate cuts 90% of the spread, not 90% of the entire exchange rate.
✅ How to Exchange Money on the Day of Departure
Apply in the app and collect it in the public area
KB’s online currency exchange service offers a 90% preferential rate on US dollars, Japanese yen, and euros and supports airport pickup. However, once you pass departure immigration, you can’t collect the currency you ordered in the duty-free area, so picking it up before check-in is the safe option.
Check the essentials and denominations
- Bring your ID or passport
- Confirm your airline’s terminal
- Confirm the bank and pickup counter you selected
- Ask about inventory and denominations for currencies other than dollars, yen, and euros
- Collect your foreign currency before departure immigration
Grab a meal along the way after exchanging currency
If you’re at Terminal 2, Hwangsaengga Kalguksu on the central Basement 1 level is open 06:00~22:00, and Jayeondo in the center of the fourth floor is open 06:00~22:00. Once you’ve exchanged money and eaten, head to security screening to keep the route simpler.
🔍 Incheon Airport Currency Exchange FAQ
Can I use an Incheon Airport exchange counter at dawn?
Yes. KB counters near Departure Hall 3 on the third floor of Terminal 1 and Entrance 4 on the third floor of Terminal 2 operate 24 hours.
Can I collect foreign currency ordered through the app in the duty-free area?
No. KB Kookmin Bank says internet currency exchange orders cannot be collected at exchange counters in the duty-free area. You need to pick them up before security screening.
Do I need to report exchanging a large amount of cash?
If the same person exchanges more than the equivalent of US$10,000 on the same day, the transaction is automatically reported to the National Tax Service and Korea Customs Service. If you take that cash out of the country, you must declare it to customs. (Source: KB Kookmin Bank)
If you need to exchange money at Incheon Airport, exchange only a small amount on-site. Whenever possible, use the app’s preferential rate before departure and collect it at a public-area counter.