FOLLOWING THE 1988 SUMMER OLYMPICS in South Korea, international air traffic to Seoul increased so quickly the main airport at that time, Gimpo International Airport, couldn’t keep up. In 1992 construction began on what would become one of the world’s busiest and most highly awarded airports — one far more qualified to handle the heavy visitor influx for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in PyeongChang.

Opened in 2001, Incheon Airport built quite the reputation over the past 17 years. As the largest airport in South Korea, the main hub for airline giants Korean Air and Asiana Airlines and the primary airport serving the Seoul capital area, it’s among the busiest in the world.

Not only does Incheon move more than 60 million passengers per year, but it also does so in style. One of the world’s most impressive airports, it boasts a golf course, spa, private sleeping rooms, an ice-skating rink, a casino, gardens and a Museum of Korean Culture, all under one expansive roof.

Airports Council International named Incheon the Best Airport Worldwide every year since 2005, and in 2017 it was named Best Airport in Asia in Global Traveler’s GT Tested Reader Survey awards — and its successes don’t end there.

Incheon is implementing its grand construction plan in four phases. Most recently completed, Phase Three saw the debut of the highly anticipated Terminal T2 in January. The impressive, 7.4 million-square-foot terminal boasts a solar panel roof to reduce energy consumption; advanced technology including automatic boarding and helpful customer service robots; sculpture and art exhibition areas; indoor gardens, waterfalls and streams; new lounges, concessions and retail outlets; a transfer hotel; and an aircraft observation deck.

After a brief rocky start to the terminal’s opening, including lost baggage and flight delays, everything is now on track. Airlines relocated to T2 include Korean Air, KLM, Delta Air Lines and Air France. Other SkyTeam members, including China Eastern Airlines, remain in Terminal 1 for the time being.

In addition to the new terminal, Phase Three incorporated expansion of the existing cargo system and other infrastructure including parking and an extended railway line to the city center. The airport also signed an agreement to build a resort called Inspire to house 6-star hotels, theme parks and a casino.

Phase Four is scheduled for completion in 2020, after which time the airport will boast two passenger terminals, four satellite concourses, 128 gates and five parallel runways. It will then be capable of handling 100 million passengers and will likely find a spot on the top 10 list of the world’s busiest airports by 2020.