Regional airports to expand international flights by 11.6% for winter season

Korea Airports Corp. said Wednesday that airlines will operate 10,208 scheduled flights a week across its airports during the winter season, from Oct. 25 through March 27, 2027. International services will rise 11.6 percent from the summer schedule, with added capacity at Gimhae and Cheongju enabling more flights. New and expanded routes include services to China, Southeast Asia and Japan, while regional airports have recorded rising international passenger numbers.

Gimhae International Airport’s hourly capacity will increase from 27 to 30 flights, and Cheongju’s will rise from eight to 10.

Southeast Asian services will increase 32.7 percent to 600 flights a week, while flights to China will rise 17.5 percent to 844 a week.

New China routes include Gimhae-Xiamen, Gimhae-Guangzhou, Cheongju-Xiamen and Jeju-Shijiazhuang.

From January through September, regional airports handled 15.04 million international passengers, up 22.9 percent from the same period last year.

The Cheongju-Jeju route will increase 11.8 percent to 758 weekly flights, adding 80 flights compared with the summer schedule.

Published Oct 28, 2026 1:59 pm KST

The international passenger terminal concourse at Gimhae International Airport / Courtesy of Korea Airports Corp.

Korea Airports Corp., which operates 14 airports nationwide, said Wednesday that airlines will operate 10,208 scheduled flights a week during this winter season, which runs from Oct. 25 through March 27, 2027.

International services will account for 3,206 weekly flights, up 11.6 percent, or 332 flights, from the summer schedule, while domestic services will total 7,002 flights a week.

The expansion comes as the government seeks to attract 30 million foreign visitors ahead of schedule, with additional airport slots at Gimhae and Cheongju allowing more takeoffs and landings.

Gimhae International Airport’s hourly capacity will increase from 27 to 30 flights, while Cheongju’s will rise from eight to 10, the airport operator said.

Southeast Asian routes will increase 32.7 percent from the summer schedule to 600 flights a week, while services to China will rise 17.5 percent to 844 weekly flights.

Gimhae will also introduce daily charter flights to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport starting in December and resume its Kuala Lumpur route with eight weekly flights following Malaysia Airlines’ entry on the route.

Cheongju will diversify its international network with new China services, while Daegu will increase flights to Shanghai Pudong, Sapporo and Osaka Kansai and continue its Zhangjiajie service, launched in September.

International passenger traffic at regional airports has climbed sharply. Gimhae surpassed 10.33 million international passengers on Oct. 22, while Jeju passed 3.03 million on Oct. 10. Cheongju is expected to break its annual record of 1.97 million passengers in October.

Domestic services will total 7,002 flights a week across 20 routes connecting Jeju with mainland destinations and linking cities on the mainland.

“We will continue working with relevant agencies and airlines to attract new routes, increase flight frequencies and support stable operations,” Korea Airports Corp. President Kim Won-jun said, adding that the effort would help expand international access for regional residents and support the government’s tourism target.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.

韩国机场公社周三宣布，冬季（2020年10月25日至2027年3月27日）期间，旗下各机场每周将运营10208个定期航班。国际航班数量将比夏季航班时刻表增长11.6%，金海机场和清州机场运力的提升将使更多航班得以增开。新增和扩容的航线包括飞往中国、东南亚和日本的航线，同时，各区域机场的国际旅客吞吐量也有所增长。

金海国际机场每小时航班容量将从 27 架次增加到 30 架次，清州机场每小时航班容量将从 8 架次增加到 10 架次。

东南亚航线将增加 32.7%，达到每周 600 班；飞往中国的航班将增加 17.5%，达到每周 844 班。

新开通的中国航线包括金海-厦门、金海-广州、清州-厦门和济州-石家庄。

从1月到9月，地区机场接待了1504万国际旅客，比去年同期增长了22.9%。

清州至济州航线每周航班量将增加 11.8%，达到 758 班，比夏季航班时刻表增加 80 班。

发布于2026年10月28日下午1:59（韩国标准时间）

金海国际机场国际旅客航站楼大厅 / 图片由韩国机场公社提供

韩国机场公社（Korea Airports Corp.）周三表示，在2027年3月27日（即2025年10月25日至2027年3月27日）的冬季期间，航空公司每周将运营10208个定期航班。韩国机场公社在全国运营着14个机场。

国际航班每周将有 3,206 个航班，比夏季航班时刻表增加 11.6%，即 332 个航班；而国内航班每周将有 7,002 个航班。

此次扩建是为了提前吸引 3000 万外国游客，金海和清州机场新增的航班时刻将允许更多的飞机起降。

机场运营商表示，金海国际机场的每小时航班容量将从 27 架次增加到 30 架次，而清州机场的每小时航班容量将从 8 架次增加到 10 架次。

东南亚航线将比夏季航班时刻表增加 32.7%，达到每周 600 个航班；飞往中国的航班将增加 17.5%，达到每周 844 个航班。

金海航空将于 12 月开通每日飞往东京羽田机场的包机航班，并在马来西亚航空开通吉隆坡航线后，恢复每周八班飞往吉隆坡的航班。

清州航空将通过开通新的中国航线来拓展其国际航线网络，而大邱航空将增加飞往上海浦东、札幌和大阪关西的航班，并继续开通9月份开通的张家界航线。

区域机场的国际客运量大幅攀升。金海机场10月22日国际客运量突破1033万人次，济州机场10月10日突破303万人次。预计清州机场10月份的客运量将打破197万人次的年度纪录。

济州岛国内航线每周将有 7002 个航班，覆盖 20 条航线，连接济州岛与大陆目的地，并连接大陆各城市。

韩国机场公社社长金元俊表示：“我们将继续与相关机构和航空公司合作，吸引新航线，增加航班频次，并支持稳定运营。”他还补充说，此举将有助于扩大地区居民的国际出行渠道，并支持政府的旅游目标。

本文由生成式人工智能协助发布，并由《韩国时报》编辑。