SEOUL, South Korea — Korean Air's ambition to be one of the world's top airlines is closely linked to an airport that is ranked among the world's best but little known outside Asia.

Incheon International Airport, outside Seoul, serves as the main hub for Korean Air and archrival Asiana Airlines. Both are hoping to use the airport as an "air bridge" in which North American travelers would make the connection at Incheon to fly to other Asian cities.

Incheon is "the best international airport nobody knows about," said Joe Brancatelli, a business travel consultant and editor of travel Web site www.joesentme.com.

The airport is about 40 miles west of Seoul. It recently was named the world's best airport by Skytrax, a travel research company that surveyed 8 million travelers. Incheon for the first time topped perennial favorites Hong Kong International Airport and Singapore's Changi International Airport. The survey evaluated 190 airports on nearly 40 criteria, including ease of connecting through the airport and baggage handling.

The airport's terminals are about one-third larger than Los Angeles International Airport's in floor space but currently are used by only about half the number of passengers — 30 million.

In a recent tour of the airport before the survey results were released, U.S. travelers were shown amenities that few, if any, U.S. airports could match, including free use of showers and changing rooms similar to those found at five-star hotels. There is a $2 charge for towels and toiletries.

In one area, a dozen computers with free Internet access are available for passengers. In another, a dozen sleeping chairs are for those with long layovers. There is also a free television news and movie viewing room, a children's play room and a museum. The same facilities are available at the opposite end of the terminal.

Those with more than a six-hour layover can check into a full-service hotel next to the gates where a private room with bed and bath were going for $40 for six hours or $100 for 24 hours.

The airport, built in 2001, provides one of the more useful services for connecting travelers: Bags are directly transferred to the connecting flight. They don't have to be retrieved, taken through customs and then re-checked as required at most other international airports.

There are 70 retail shops (including upscale boutiques Hermes, Gucci and Chanel) and 70 restaurants. Incheon officials said the shops posted more duty-free sales than any other airport except for the much larger London Heathrow Airport.