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Korea to increase international flights to above pre-pandemic levels

Published: 19 Mar. 2026, 18:58 Updated: 19 Mar. 2026, 19:15

Planes move on the apron at Incheon International Airport on March 16. [NEWS1]

Korea will increase international flights for the upcoming summer season to above pre-pandemic levels, while moving to resume connections between Incheon and Jeju for the first time in nearly a decade, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Thursday.

The Transport Ministry finalized regular flight schedules for the period from March 29 to Oct. 24, based on applications from domestic and foreign airlines.

International flights will run up to 4,820 times a week across 245 routes, up 0.8 percent from the same period a year earlier and 4.4 percent higher than 2019 levels before the Covid-19 pandemic.

New routes include a Busan–Miyako service in Japan by Jin Air, while previously suspended routes such as Incheon–Montreal by Air Canada, Incheon–Calgary by WestJet and Incheon–Zagreb by T’way Air will resume.

Low-cost carriers selected as replacement operators following the Korean Air–Asiana Airlines merger will also begin services from Incheon to Honolulu in the United States and Jakarta in Indonesia.

Domestic flights will total 1,806 per week across 20 routes, including 12 serving Jeju Island, down by 44 flights from a year earlier due to decreased demand. Jeju routes will account for the majority with 1,534 weekly flights.

Travelers move around Jeju International Airport on Feb. 18. [NEWS1]

The ministry will focus on strengthening regional airport networks, increasing transfer-only domestic flights between Gimhae and Incheon to 39 per week. It also plans to launch a new Jeju–Incheon route as early as May, marking the route’s first resumption since it was suspended in October 2016.

The ministry plans to expand routes between Incheon and other regional airports in the second half of the year.

The move follows comments by President Lee Jae Myung last month, when he questioned the lack of domestic flights at Incheon International Airport.

"Strengthening the network between Incheon and regional airports is part of a plan we reported late last year to revitalize regional airports,” a Transport Ministry official said on the matter. “We will begin by improving links with Incheon International Airport to enhance access for inbound travelers to regional airports."

The official added that airlines decide routes based on demand and noted that international demand at regional airports remains limited.

“We aim to attract inbound travelers to regional airports by first strengthening connections with Incheon,” the official said. “We understand President Lee’s remarks as emphasizing better connectivity to improve convenience for inbound travelers.”

A plane is parked at a gate at Incheon International Airport on March 16. [YONHAP]

Separately, the Transport Ministry will tighten airline safety checks starting this summer schedule, following measures announced last April after the deadly Jeju Air passenger plane crash at Muan International Airport in 2024.

Authorities will expand safety reviews beyond individual routes to include overall seasonal operations, examining whether airlines have sufficient aircraft and personnel such as maintenance staff and flight crews as services increase, the ministry said.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY BAEK MIN-JEONG [[email protected]]