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Korean Air's 2025 Q4 net profit up 13% on year due to improved sales

Published: 15 Jan. 2026, 18:03

A Korean Air plane takes off from Incheon International Airport on Sept. 10, 2025. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Korean Air, Korea's flag carrier, said on Thursday that its 2025 fourth-quarter net profit rose 13 percent from a year ago, as increased sales helped offset rising operating costs.

The airline's net profit totaled 284 billion won ($193 million) from October to December 2025, up 13 percent from a year earlier, Korean Air said in a press release.

Sales also gained 13 percent on year to 4.55 trillion won, while operating profit slid 5 percent to 413.1 billion won due to increased operating expenses affected by the weakened local currency.

Korean Air's passenger business sales rose 217.1 billion won on year to 2.59 trillion won, thanks to increased travel demand to Japan and China during the Chuseok holiday period last October.

Cargo sales also rose 35.1 billion won to 1.23 trillion won, supported by steady e-commerce inflows, the year-end seasonal volume and reduced market volatility following U.S.-China tariff negotiations.

For the entirety of 2025, Korean Air's net profit totaled 965 billion won, down 21 percent from a year earlier, with operating profit falling 19 percent to 1.54 trillion won due to the weak won. Sales gained 2 percent annually to a record 16.5 trillion won.

In the first quarter of this year, Korean Air said it plans to maximize passenger sales by boosting business in overseas markets to offset the weak won. The airline will also flexibly expand capacity to meet peak demand during the Lunar New Year holiday in February.

Yonhap