Competition in air travel between the U.S. and South Korea is intensifying. Alongside Korean carriers like Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, and Air Premia, major U.S. airlines such as Delta, American, United, Alaska, and Hawaiian Airlines are expanding their presence, offering travelers more options to fly between the two countries.

This heightened competition has increased the number of U.S. departure cities for Korea-bound flights and provided a wider range of ticket prices. Consumers are benefiting from greater convenience and more choices, significantly improving travel accessibility.

While Los Angeles and New York remain the primary departure hubs for Korea-bound flights, the range of U.S. cities with direct routes to Korea is diversifying. Most recently, Seattle-based Alaska Airlines announced it will launch a new Seattle-Incheon route starting September 12, 2025. Following its acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines, Alaska is expanding long-haul routes to Asia and Europe. The Seattle-Incheon route, operated by Hawaiian Airlines using Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, will run five times weekly. Hawaiian Airlines also operates a direct Honolulu-Incheon route.

Delta Air Lines launched a new direct Salt Lake City-Incheon route in June 2024, marking the first direct connection between Utah and Asia. This route joins Delta’s other U.S.-Asia direct flights from Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis, and Seattle. Through its joint venture with Korean Air, Delta connects approximately 14 U.S. cities to Seoul.

The Korea-U.S. air travel market, which contracted during the COVID-19 pandemic, has rebounded with recovering travel demand. Both Korean and U.S. airlines are aggressively expanding routes to meet steady demand from Korean-American communities visiting their homeland and a growing number of U.S. tourists drawn to K-culture.

According to industry sources, four U.S. airlines, including Delta, currently operate direct flights to Korea. Additionally, Air Canada connects the U.S. and Korea via Vancouver and Toronto, serving cities like Los Angeles and New York.
In the Western U.S., the Los Angeles-Incheon route is served by three Korean carriers, plus Delta, United, and American Airlines. The San Francisco-Seoul route is operated by Korean Air, Asiana, and United Airlines.

Korean Air, Asiana, and Air Premia collectively operate 20 direct U.S.-Korea routes. With recent additions, including Delta’s new routes, the total number of Korea-U.S. routes approaches 30. Korean Air, the largest operator, serves over 10 U.S. cities—including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, New York, Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, Seattle, Honolulu, Washington D.C., and Guam—with over 10,000 annual flights. Asiana connects five U.S. cities (Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Honolulu, and Seattle) to Korea. Air Premia serves Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Honolulu, with plans to expand to Washington D.C.

Even after Korean Air completes its acquisition of Asiana, the combined carrier is expected to maintain current route frequencies and destinations to preserve high demand, profitability, and market share.
An industry official noted, “The competition for new routes and increased flights between the two countries will continue. Consumers traveling for tourism or business will enjoy even more options.”

By Hwandong Cho