Why go
- City in South Korea.
- Served by Gimhae International Airport (PUS).
History
Busan, officially Busan Metropolitan City, is the second most populous city in South Korea, after Seoul; it has a population of over 3.3 million as of 2024. It is the economic, cultural and educational center of southeastern South Korea, with its port being South Korea's busiest and the sixth-busiest in the world. The surrounding "Southeastern Maritime Industrial Region" is South Korea's largest industrial area. The large volumes of port traffic and urban population in excess of 1 million makes Busan a Large-Port metropolis using the Southampton System of Port-City classification. As of 2025, Busan Port is the primary port in Korea and the world's sixth-largest container port.
Airports
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 24 airlines, 36 direct destinations
- Korean Air KE (737-800, 737-900, A330-300, A321) · 18 routes: Agana, Bangkok, Beijing, Cebu, Cheju, Fukuoka, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City*, Hong Kong, Nagoya, Nanjing, Osaka, Qingdao, Sapporo, Seoul, Shanghai, Siem-reap, Tokyo
- Asiana Airlines OZ (A320, 734, A321, 735, 330) · 17 routes: Bangkok*, Beijing, Cheju, Fukuoka, Guangzhou, Guilin, Hangzhou, Huangshan, Manila, Okinawa, Osaka*, Qingdao*, Saipan, Seoul*, Shanghai, Shenyang, Tokyo*
- Air Busan BX (A321, 734, A320) · 14 routes: Cebu, Changcha, Fukuoka, Hong Kong, Kaohsiung, Macau, Osaka, Qingdao, Siem-reap, Taipei, Taiyuan, Tokyo, Wuhan, Xi'an
- China Eastern Airlines MU (737-800, A320, A321) · 3 routes: Nanjing*, Qingdao*, Shanghai
- Japan Airlines Domestic JL (737-800, 737-900) · 3 routes: Nagoya*, Osaka*, Tokyo
- Air China CA (A320, 737-800) · 2 routes: Beijing, Hangzhou*
- Cebu Pacific 5J (A320) · 2 routes: Cebu, Manila
- Jeju Air 7C (737) · 2 routes: Bangkok, Cheju
- Philippine Airlines PR (A320) · 2 routes: Kalibo, Manila
- Shanghai Airlines FM (737, 737-800, 737-900) · 2 routes: Qingdao*, Shanghai
- Vietnam Airlines VN (A321) · 2 routes: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City
- Aeroflot Russian Airlines SU (A319) · 1 route: Vladivostok
- Air Macau NX (A320) · 1 route: Macau
- AirAsia X D7 (330) · 1 route: Kuala Lumpur
- All Nippon Airways NH (A320) · 1 route: Okinawa*
- American Airlines AA (737) · 1 route: Tokyo
- Cathay Pacific CX (A320, A321) · 1 route: Hong Kong
- China Airlines CI (A330-300, 737-800) · 1 route: Taipei
- China Southern Airlines CZ (A320) · 1 route: Shenyang
- Dragonair KA (A320, A321) · 1 route: Hong Kong
- Hainan Airlines HU (A330-300) · 1 route: Beijing*
- Peach Aviation MM (A320) · 1 route: Osaka
- Thai Airways International TG (330) · 1 route: Bangkok
- Zest Air Z2 (A320) · 1 route: Kalibo
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Getting there by ferry
Where things are
Photographs
credit: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · See source page
When to go
The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.
Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.
Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.
Getting there & around
Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Gimhae International Airport (PUS). Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: PUS has direct flights to 36 destinations on 24 airlines (incl. Osaka, Qingdao, Tokyo, Bangkok, Beijing…). By water: 6 ferry terminals within 20 km (nearest: 용호만유람선터미널, 1.7 km); routes include Busan - Hitakatsu, Busan - Izuhara, Busan - Hakata.
Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Busan (Pusan), Korea. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.
Trains & rail
Coaches & shuttles
Private aviation
On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.