Numerical analysis has been carried out to investigate air-side convective heat transfer characteristics in compact heat exchanger with flat tubes and continuous plate fins having a symmetric and non-symm etric staggered arrangements. Simulation results such as air velocity and temperature distributions are presented, and heat transfer coefficients are compared with previous experimental results. In order to investigate the flow and heat transfer features by periodic boundary conditions, the three blocks were used. Predicted heat transfer coefficients between the three blocks are similar while there are relatively differences, compared with the experimental data. From the calculated results a correlation for Colburn j factor in the compact heat exchanger system is suggested. The predicted results in this study can be applied to the optimal design of air conditioning system.