MIAT Mongolian Airlines Review 2026: Incheon-Ulaanbaatar Flights

Late August 2026, I embarked on an unforgettable journey from Incheon to Ulaanbaatar, flying round-trip with MIAT Mongolian Airlines!

However, my outbound and return flights felt quite different. On the way there, a delay led to an unexpected overnight stay at the airport, but once onboard, I scored a 'lie-flat economy' seat and slept like a baby!

The in-flight meal on the outbound journey was surprisingly delicious, setting high expectations. Unfortunately, the return flight's meal... well, it wasn't quite the same. T_T

Based on my actual experience flying OM310 and OM307 round-trip, I'll share all the details: from delays and seating to in-flight meals and whether I'd fly with them again!

Round-Trip Flight Log

My direct round-trip flight from Incheon ↔ Ulaanbaatar cost approximately ~$401.

While there were many time-related details, here's a summary of the most crucial moments during my trip:

Overnight at Incheon Airport

For our outbound flight, the departure announcements kept changing, and eventually, we ended up sleeping overnight at the airport...

We managed to get some decent sleep near the gate while charging our phones. Incheon Airport is fantastic, with plenty of spots where you can actually stretch out and lie down.🤍 Our guide and driver had a tough time waiting for us, though. T_T

I never found out the exact reason for the delay, but surprisingly, our first day's itinerary wasn't completely ruined. We collected our luggage, met our guide, and officially kicked off our Mongolian adventure. We still had time to walk and cycle after arriving at Ogii Lake!

Since it was raining and getting colder, I was actually looking forward to some rest anyway, so it wasn't as disappointing as it could have been. You can find a more detailed review of our trip below:

Anka Travel: My Honest Review | 3-Night, 4-Day Central Mongolia Tour for 1 Person, Approx. ~$584

Anka Travel: My Honest Review | 3-Night, 4-Day Central Mongolia Tour for 1 Person, Approx. ~$584blog.naver.com

Lie-Flat Economy Tips & Pure Bliss

When checking in at the counter, I politely asked the staff if the flight was full and if it was possible to switch to a seat with an empty adjacent spot. 🥹 They said they couldn't guarantee it but would try to accommodate, so they changed my seat to an aisle seat at the very back. And guess what? The seat next to me remained empty for the entire flight! Hooray!

So, I just stretched out and slept straight through, making sure my seatbelt was fastened securely, of course! The seatbelt didn't bother me at all, allowing for truly deep sleep.

It felt like I completely made up for the poor sleep I got at the airport. I know it was just luck that there was an empty seat that day, so I don't expect it to happen again, but it was pure happiness!

I've put together a separate post on how to check in online and select your seat:

👉 MIAT Online Check-in + Seat Selection Review

MIAT Online Check-in + Seat Selection Reviewblog.naver.com

Outbound In-Flight Meal OM310

I grudgingly woke up from my blissful sleep to review the in-flight meal... It was either beef or chicken, and only beef was left! But oh my, the beef was absolutely delicious. It's been ages since I had such a tasty airline meal! 🥹🫶 This moment made me think, 'Maybe Mongolian food and I are going to get along just fine?' Haha.

There were several drink options, including beer and wine. I was particularly happy they offered Golden Gobi beer! (You can see it in my hand in the photo.)

Drinking Mongolian beer on a flight to Mongolia really made the trip feel like it had officially begun!

I also appreciated that they gave me the beer unopened, allowing me to enjoy it exactly when I wanted. The flight attendant was very kind, too. I was so grateful for their service, especially at such a late hour.

Seats & Cabin Experience

The seatback screen and meal tray table were perfectly functional, and I was thrilled to find a power outlet! Traveling without a charging port is just too difficult these days. T_T

However, the outbound flight felt a bit turbulent to me. I was in a state where I could have slept through anything, yet I still woke up once, and there were several announcements. I'm not sure if it was due to the weather or just how they fly, but even the landing felt a bit rough to me.

Upon arrival, I was so groggy that my body wouldn't cooperate, even though I knew I had to get up. I ended up leaving my eye mask behind. Is my eye mask still out there somewhere in Mongolia? T_T

Return Flight OM307

The return flight, OM307, felt different from the outbound journey! First, they announced boarding by seat rows at the gate.

They called rows 46-61 first, and once most of those passengers were on board, they called rows 31-45!

My group wasn't aware of this, so our friends in the back rows boarded late. T_T Next time, I'll definitely check my row and queue up earlier! No wonder the line barely moved!

The seats were standard and the legroom was decent. The cabin air also felt fresh and comfortable.

But the problem was the in-flight meal – this time, it wasn't good. After enjoying the beef on the outbound flight, I had high hopes for the return, but it was a disappointment. T_T

The flight itself felt a little turbulent on the way back as well, but it was much smoother than the outbound journey. Although it felt like we might be arriving slightly late, we ended up landing almost right on schedule.

Round-Trip Summary

👍 Recommended

It's true that getting to sleep in 'lie-flat economy' because of an empty adjacent seat significantly boosted my satisfaction. Haha.

Even putting that aside, if I were to visit Mongolia again, I would definitely consider flying with MIAT. However, next time I'd probably compare prices and schedules more closely before booking MIAT. (If the price difference was around ~$73 or less, I'd likely opt for Korean Air or Asiana.)

🤔 Hmm... Maybe Not...

If your outbound flight gets delayed like ours did, and you have a tight itinerary requiring immediate movement upon arrival, it could be a concern. Luckily, it didn't significantly impact our first day's plans, so it worked out okay in the end!

That's all for now!