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If you are planning a trip to Zhangjiajie, there is now one more way in.
Jin Air has been flying between Seoul Incheon and Yichang since September 17.

Yichang is a city in Hubei province, best known as the starting point for the Three Gorges Dam and Yangtze river cruises.
Jin Air is pitching the route as a gateway to Zhangjiajie.

Jin Air Boeing 737-800 in flight
Jin Air Boeing 737-800 (HL8012), 2017. Photo: redlegsfan21 / CC BY-SA 2.0

Schedule

Period Days
Sep 17 – Oct 11 Twice weekly (Thu, Sun)
Oct 12 – Nov 29 Four times weekly (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sun)
Route Departs Arrives
Incheon → Yichang 20:25 22:55 (local)
Yichang → Incheon 23:55 (local) 04:05 next day

Flying time is about 3 hours 30 minutes, and 15 kg of checked baggage is included.
Yichang is Jin Air’s fourth route to China, after Qingdao, Yantai and Guilin. (As reported by Newspim, Shinailbo and others.)

Nothing has been announced yet for after November 29.
If you are looking at December or later, check that the dates are actually open for booking first.

The timings are tight

The outbound flight lands in Yichang at around 11 pm.
By the time you clear immigration it is close to midnight, so plan to spend the first night in Yichang.
Book a hotel near the airport or in town ahead of time, and check whether it offers a pickup.

The return leaves Yichang at 11:55 pm and lands at Incheon at 4:05 am.
You will need to fill the last day after checking out, and there is very little public transport at Incheon at that hour.
Sort out the first airport bus, parking or onward travel before you go.

Getting from Yichang to Zhangjiajie

This is the part that matters most.
Yichang and Zhangjiajie are not next door. They are not even in the same province: Yichang is in Hubei, Zhangjiajie in Hunan.

Option Time (approx.)
Private car About 4 hours
Coach (Yichang → Zhangjiajie Central Bus Station) About 6–7 hours
Train (e.g. via Changsha) 7 hours or more

These figures are from China Discovery and will vary with roads and timetables.
There is no direct high-speed line between Yichang and Zhangjiajie yet; one is only at the planning stage.

That makes the route a better fit for tours with transport included than for independent travel.
If you are going on your own, a night in Yichang followed by an early start to Zhangjiajie the next morning is the easiest plan.

Sandstone pillars wrapped in cloud at Yuanjiajie, Zhangjiajie
Yuanjiajie scenic area, Zhangjiajie, June 2017. Photo: Rocio Gil / CC BY-SA 4.0

Yichang is worth a day too

If Zhangjiajie alone feels like a long way to go, consider an extra day in Yichang.
The Three Gorges Dam and Yangtze gorge cruises start from there.
Adding a day either side of Zhangjiajie also makes better use of the late-night arrival and departure.

Concrete structures and reservoir of the Three Gorges Dam in haze
The Three Gorges Dam near Yichang, Hubei, June 2014. Photo: Ekrem Canli / CC BY-SA 3.0

Before you go

Check Why
Visa-free window 30-day visa-free entry for South Koreans is announced until December 31, 2026
Proof for immigration New entry rules since September 15; have hotel and return flight bookings ready
First night 11 pm arrival, so you need a bed in Yichang
Getting home 4 am arrival at Incheon
October fuel surcharge Higher for tickets issued from October 1. See the fuel surcharge post

The changes to China’s entry rules are covered in a separate post.

Sources: Newspim – Jin Air launches Incheon–Yichang · Shinailbo · Economy Science · China Discovery – Yichang to Zhangjiajie
Checked: September 26, 2026

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