Analysis: These are the airlines currently flying between South Korea & The US

The transpacific route between the US and South Korea is an extremely busy air corridor, served by seven different carriers. The most popular routes tend to be to urban areas with a significant Korean diaspora, such as Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco. A number of Korean carriers also operate regional routes to US territories, including Guam and Saipan.

Using data for December 2024 from Cirium, an aviation analytics company, which airlines currently fly between the US and South Korea?

Air Premia

74 flights

A relative newcomer to the transpacific market, Air Premia commenced operations in August 2021, and currently operates three routes from its hub at Seoul Incheon International Airport (ICN):

• Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
• Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
• San Francisco International Airport (SFO).

In December 2024, Air Premia operates a daily service to Los Angeles, 25 flights to Newark, and 18 flights to San Francisco. The self-branded hybrid carrier deploys its fleet of five Boeing 787-9s on the routes. Each aircraft is able to carry up to 320 in a two-class configuration - 56 in business class and 264 in economy class.

In order to address competition concerns with the planned merger between Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, Air Premia is due to take delivery of a further four Boeing 787-9s over the next year.

United Airlines & American Airlines

62 flights & 31 flights

United Airlines operates a double-daily service between Seoul Incheon International Airport (ICN) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) - one flight with the Boeing 777-300ER and one with the Boeing 787-9.

Surprisingly, American Airlines operates just one route to South Korea, connecting Seoul Incheon International Airport (ICN) with its hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). On this route, the oneworld carrier competes with Korean Air.

American Airlines flies daily between the two cities using its Boeing 777-200ER aircraft, of which there are 47 in its fleet, according to the latest data from ch-aviation. The 47 777-200ERs can each carry up to 273 passengers in a three-class configuration - 37 in business class, 24 in premium economy, and 212 in economy class.

Korean Air

434 flights

As the flag carrier of South Korea, it is perhaps unsurprising that Korean Air has by far the most extensive route network to the US.

The airline deploys a variety of different aircraft on its routes to the US, including the mighty Airbus A380 and the rare Boeing 747-8. In December 2024, Korean Air's US network is as follows:

Asiana Airlines

190 flights

Asiana Airlines is the second-largest carrier when it comes to the number of flights between the US and South Korea. The airline operates five different routes in December 2024, with a mixture of aircraft, including the Boeing 777-200LR and the Airbus A380.

Asiana Airlines' network and schedule are outlined below:

Delta Air Lines

155 flights

Delta Air Lines operates a total of 155 flights between the US and South Korea in December 2024, with services originating from four different hubs across the country - Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis/Saint Paul, and Seattle. This makes it the largest non-Korean carrier to fly between the two countries, and the third-largest carrier overall by number of flights.

It is logical that Delta Air Lines operates such an extensive route network, given that its SkyTeam partner, Korean Air, is based at Seoul Incheon International Airport (ICN), offering a host of connections across the region and beyond.

Delta Air Lines' services between the US and South Korea in December 2024 are outlined in the table below:

Portland International Airport (PDX) is also keen to get in on the action when it comes to flights to East Asia, with South Korea being a key candidate.

Hawaiian Airlines

22 flights

In December 2024, Hawaiian Airlines operates 22 flights in each direction between Seoul Incheon International Airport (ICN) and its base at Honolulu's Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL). The carrier deploys its Airbus A330-200s on the route.

As Hawaiian Airlines takes delivery of more long-haul aircraft, such as the Boeing 787-9, and as its merger with Alaska Airlines progresses, it remains to be seen if the carrier will launch flights to further destinations in South Korea, such as Busan.

Jeju Air, Jin Air & T'way Air

90 flights, 70 flights & 62 flights

Founded in 2005, Jeju Air was the first low-cost carrier to be established in South Korea, and has gone on to become the country's largest, with a fleet of 40 Boeing 737 aircraft (38 737-800s and two 737 MAX 8s), with a further 38 737 MAX 8s on order.

Jeju Air operates three different routes to the US territories of Guam (GUM) and Saipan (SPN). The carrier flies to both islands from Gimhae International Airport (PUS) in Busan, and to Guam from Seoul Incheon International Airport (ICN).

South Korea's second-largest low-cost carrier, Jin Air, also connects Seoul and Busan with Guam. In December 2024, the airline operates 44 flights in each direction between Seoul Incheon International Airport (ICN) and Guam's Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport (GUM) and 26 flights each way between Busan's Gimhae International Airport (PUS) and Guam. All flights are operated by Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

T'way Air connects Seoul Incheon International Airport (ICN) with both Guam and Saipan. Both routes are operated on a daily basis with the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, of which the carrier currently has two in its fleet, each able to carry up to 189 passengers in an all-economy class configuration. The airline is also awaiting delivery of a further six 737 MAX 8s.

T'way Air recently commenced long-haul operations with its fleet of Airbus A330s, and now flies from Seoul to the following worldwide destinations:

• Barcelona (BCN)
• Paris (CDG)
• Rome (FCO)
• Zagreb (ZAG)
• Frankfurt (FRA)
• Sydney (SYD).

The carrier plans to expand further when it starts taking delivery of its first Airbus A330neos in 2026. It remains to be seen if any transpacific routes to the US will be launched.

A total of 1,190 flights

The total number of flights operated in each direction between the US and South Korea in December 2024 is broken down in the table below for comparison: