Planes of South Korea’s top flag carrier Korean Air Lines Co. and No. 2 carrier Asiana Airlines Inc. are parked at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Dec. 1, 2020. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, May 27 (Korea Bizwire) — As South Korea’s aviation industry braces for structural shifts and intensifying competition, domestic airlines are increasingly pursuing exclusive international routes to differentiate themselves and tap into niche travel markets, industry data shows.
As of May 2025, Korean carriers operate 76 international routes without overlap from other domestic airlines — up from 65 a year earlier — reflecting a strategic pivot toward underserved and emerging destinations that offer greater profitability and reduced competition.
Korean Air leads with 34 solo-operated routes, including recent additions such as Incheon–Kobe, Incheon–Nagasaki (relaunched in October 2024), and Incheon–Lisbon. Asiana Airlines follows with seven exclusive routes to cities in Japan and China, including a new service to Asahikawa launched in December 2024, and a planned winter-season route from Incheon to Melbourne.
Low-cost carrier Jeju Air currently operates 13 exclusive routes, including Incheon–Batam in Indonesia and Jeju–Xi’an in China — the latter being among seven routes not serviced by any foreign carrier either. Jeju Air plans to launch an Incheon–Hakodate route on June 5.
Jin Air, another budget airline, has expanded to include direct service to Japan’s Ishigaki Island and five other solo international routes, including Busan–Guam and Busan–Clark in the Philippines. Similarly, Air Busan now operates seven solo routes out of Busan, including to Bali, Matsuyama, and Xi’an.
T’way Air boasts six exclusive routes, including the only Europe-bound flights among South Korea’s low-cost carriers, such as Incheon–Paris and Incheon–Frankfurt. The airline also services niche destinations like Zagreb, Bishkek, and Ulaanbaatar.
Meanwhile, Eastar Jet has seen rapid growth in this segment, now operating five exclusive routes — including new additions like Incheon–Tokushima and Busan–Chiang Mai — none of which existed a year ago. It plans to enter the Busan–Phu Quoc market this July, where currently only Vietnam’s VietJet operates.
Air Seoul, a smaller carrier, increased the frequency of its long-running Incheon–Yonago service from three to five times per week as of March 2025.
Airlines say they are actively exploring new solo routes by gathering feedback from travelers and travel agencies, while conducting on-the-ground feasibility studies in potential destinations.
“On crowded, high-interest routes, rising interest rates and currency volatility are eroding profitability,” said Lee Hwi-young, a professor of aviation management at Inha Technical College. “Carriers are increasingly targeting niche demand — such as hiking, fishing, and water sports — away from traditional tourist spots as part of a diversification strategy.”
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
