TAE · Yeongnam regional gateway with **Korean Air · Asiana · Jeju Air · T’way · Air Busan** domestic/int’l banks — **KAL Lounge** (international; KE F/J + SKYPASS elites / SkyTeam Elite Plus) and **Domestic Lounge** (Asiana Business / Star Gold framing); **no Priority Pass** listing for TAE.
PUS · Busan’s dual-terminal gateway with a usable Priority Pass cluster airside international and a genuine light-rail link into the Metro — 16.95 million passengers in 2025, still capped by a hard 23:00–06:00 civil curfew.
TAE5.6
PUS6.4+0.8
Ground access
15% · Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
TAE6.6
PUS8.0+1.4
Reliability
15% · Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
TAE6.8+0.9
PUS5.9
Lounges
10% · Worth-it density and access quality.
TAE5.8
PUS6.8+1.0
PUS
Japan / China / Southeast Asia short-haul departures that can use Air Busan or Sky Hub after CIQTravellers who will ride Busan–Gimhae Light Rail into Sasang / Seomyeon with light bagsAir Busan hub passengers who want a published paid lounge priceDomestic Korea hops that stay entirely inside the Domestic Terminal
PUS
Assuming a sterile walk exists between Domestic and InternationalPlanning evening Priority Pass around the Korean Air lounge (07:00–13:00 + metal rules)Civil night curfew 23:00–06:00 local — late delays do not create a midnight bankConfusing PUS with ICN, GMP, or CJU
Compact single terminal
Domestic and international flows in one KAC plant — short walks to gates.
Airline lounges; no PP
KAL and Domestic lounges for eligible airline elites — Priority Pass does not list TAE.
PUS
Busan–Gimhae Light Rail (Airport Station)Air Busan Lounge (International 3F)Sky Hub + N Sky Hub (International 2F)CU + Korean food courtsFree airport Wi-FiKorean Air Lounge (International)
International CIQ still wants a real buffer — and the curfew is real
International ~2–2.5 hours; domestic cabin-bag can work ~75–90 minutes off-peak; no civil night bank 23:00–06:00.
Domestic and International are separate landside buildings
Two buildings, free shuttle / short walk, no sterile domestic↔international transfer.
CU / food-court Korean plates beat most gate snacks
Landside CU and Korean food courts are the value play; airside is thinner and closes earlier than hub airports.
