Korean Air is bolstering its presence in the Asian travel market with a strategic expansion of its routes in China and Japan. The airline is responding to the surge in travel demand following the pandemic, reintroducing several key services and increasing frequencies on popular routes.
After a four-year hiatus, Korean Air is set to resume its Seoul Incheon-Mudanjiang and Busan-Qingdao routes on October 22 and December 1, respectively. The Seoul Incheon-Mudanjiang flights will operate five times per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, while the Busan-Qingdao service will run daily.
Korean Air is also expanding its existing services to China. As of August 12, the frequency of flights between Seoul Incheon and Zhengzhou has increased from four per week to daily. Similarly, the Seoul Incheon-Xiamen route will also shift to daily flights starting October 1, up from four times per week.
The Seoul Incheon-Taichung service will see a gradual expansion. Between September 10 and October 26, flights will operate four times weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. After October 27, the frequency will increase to daily, further strengthening Korean Air’s presence in the Taiwan market.
On October 27, after an absence of over 11 years, the Seoul Incheon-Nagasaki route will reopen for the winter season, offering flights four times weekly on Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. This reintroduction provides new travel options to the historic Japanese city.
To accommodate the anticipated surge in autumn travel, Korean Air will temporarily increase its Seoul Incheon-Osaka service between September 2 and October 26, adding a fourth daily flight to this popular Japanese destination.
By December 2024, Korean Air aims to restore its China services to 95% of December 2019 levels and surpass pre-pandemic capacity for Japan services, reaching 106%. These strategic network expansions demonstrate Korean Air’s commitment to meeting evolving customer needs and solidifying its leadership in regional air travel.
