China routes emerge as key revenue source for struggling Korean LCCs

China is emerging as a revenue lifeline for Korean low-cost carriers as passenger demand on Korea-China routes rebounds in August. The government gave major LCCs extra slots on several China routes, including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Jeju Air and Jin Air reported second-quarter operating losses, while higher fuel costs and weak exchange rates hurt margins. Chinese routes are seen as a way to diversify away from saturated Japan and Southeast Asia markets.

Some 2.13 million passengers traveled between Korea and China in August, a new monthly record that surpassed the previous peak of about 2.07 million set in August 2016.

The August figure was up 27.5 percent from a year earlier and 9.7 percent from July, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

In the latest allocation of traffic rights, Jeju Air and Eastar Jet each secured seven weekly flights on the Incheon-Beijing route, while Parata Air and Air Premia received four and three weekly slots on the Incheon-Shanghai route.

Jin Air secured seven weekly flights between Incheon and Guangzhou.

Jeju Air reported an operating loss of 52.4 billion won in the second quarter, while Jin Air’s operating loss widened to 73.1 billion won.

Published Sep 25, 2026 5:26 pm KST

Budget carriers turn to China to reduce reliance on routes to Japan, Southeast Asia

A Trinity Airways passenger plane taxis at Gimpo International Airport in Seoul, Sept. 10. Yonhap

China is emerging as a critical earnings lifeline for Korea’s struggling low-cost carriers (LCCs), offering them access to fast-growing passenger demand and lucrative business traffic as growth in other short-haul markets loses steam.

Some 2.13 million passengers traveled between Korea and China in August, surpassing the previous monthly record of about 2.07 million set in August 2016, before the fallout from the deployment of a U.S. missile defense system in Korea severely disrupted bilateral tourism.

The August figure was up 27.5 percent from a year earlier and 9.7 percent from July, according to data from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

The rebound comes as Korean airlines are gaining access to some of the most commercially attractive China routes. In the latest allocation of traffic rights, the government gave major LCCs additional slots on routes linking Seoul with Beijing and Shanghai, as well as Guangzhou, Dalian and other Chinese cities.

Jeju Air and Eastar Jet each secured seven weekly flights on the Incheon-Beijing route, while Parata Air and Air Premia received four and three weekly slots, respectively, on the Incheon-Shanghai route. Jin Air also secured seven weekly flights between Incheon and Guangzhou.

The development could provide a much-needed boost for LCCs, which have struggled to turn strong passenger demand into profits this year.

Passengers wait to check in at Terminal 1 of Incheon International Airport, Wednesday, ahead of the Chuseok holiday. Yonhap

Jeju Air, Jin Air and Trinity Airways, formerly T’way Air, all posted operating losses in the second quarter. Jeju Air reported an operating loss of 52.4 billion won, while Jin Air’s operating loss widened to 73.1 billion won. Higher fuel costs and unfavorable exchange rates weighed heavily on their margins.

China is emerging as a fresh source of revenue for Korean LCCs as competition on Japan and Southeast Asian routes intensifies. Beijing and Shanghai are particularly meaningful revenue areas, serving not only as major tourism destinations, but key centers for Korean corporate activities, making their traffic less dependent on seasonal travel demand.

The challenge for LCCs will be turning the surge in demand into sustainable earnings. Chinese carriers are also expanding their operations in Korea, potentially intensifying price competition.

“The shift toward China gives Korean LCCs a fresh opportunity to diversify beyond saturated short-haul markets particularly to Japan,” an official from the aviation industry said.

“Chinese routes could become an increasingly important earnings pillar for budget carriers seeking to rebuild profitability and reduce earnings reliance on routes to Japan and other major Southeast Asian tourism destinations.”

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随着8月份韩中航线客运需求的反弹，中国正成为韩国低成本航空公司重要的收入来源。韩国政府为主要低成本航空公司在包括北京、上海和广州在内的多条中国航线上增加了航班时刻。济州航空和真航空公布了第二季度的运营亏损，燃油成本上涨和汇率疲软也损害了它们的利润率。中国航线被视为摆脱对饱和的日本和东南亚市场依赖、实现业务多元化的途径。

8 月份，约有 213 万名乘客往返于韩国和中国之间，创下新的月度纪录，超过了 2016 年 8 月创下的约 207 万人次的纪录。

据国土交通部统计，8 月份的感染人数比上年同期增长了 27.5%，比 7 月份增长了 9.7%。

在最新的航权分配中，济州航空和易斯达航空分别获得了仁川-北京航线每周7个航班，而帕拉塔航空和普雷米亚航空分别获得了仁川-上海航线每周4个和3个航班时刻。

真航空获得了仁川至广州每周七班的航班。

济州航空第二季度营业亏损524亿韩元，而真航空的营业亏损扩大至731亿韩元。

发布于2026年9月25日下午5:26（韩国标准时间）

廉价航空公司转向中国市场，以减少对日本和东南亚航线的依赖。

9月10日，一架三一航空公司的客机在首尔金浦国际机场滑行。（韩联社）

中国正在成为韩国陷入困境的低成本航空公司（LCC）的重要盈利生命线，为它们提供了快速增长的客运需求和利润丰厚的商务客运机会，而其他短途市场的增长势头却在减弱。

8 月份，约有 213 万名乘客往返于韩国和中国之间，超过了 2016 年 8 月创下的约 207 万人次的月度纪录。此前，美国在韩国部署导弹防御系统，严重扰乱了双边旅游业。

根据国土交通部的数据显示，8 月份的感染人数比上年同期增长了 27.5%，比 7 月份增长了 9.7%。

随着韩国航空公司获得一些最具商业吸引力的中国航线的使用权，韩国航空业也出现了反弹。在最近一次的航权分配中，韩国政府为主要低成本航空公司增加了首尔至北京、上海以及广州、大连等中国城市航线的起降时刻。

济州航空和易斯达航空分别获得了仁川至北京航线每周七个航班的起降时刻，而帕拉塔航空和普雷米亚航空则分别获得了仁川至上海航线每周四个和三个航班的起降时刻。真航空也获得了仁川至广州航线每周七个航班的起降时刻。

这一进展可能会为低成本航空公司带来急需的提振，这些航空公司今年一直难以将强劲的客运​​需求转化为利润。

周三，在中秋节假期前夕，旅客们在仁川国际机场1号航站楼排队办理登机手续。（韩联社）

济州航空、真航空和三一航空（原德威航空）第二季度均出现运营亏损。济州航空报告运营亏损524亿韩元，而真航空的运营亏损扩大至731亿韩元。燃油成本上涨和不利的汇率波动严重挤压了它们的利润空间。

随着日本和东南亚航线的竞争日益激烈，中国正成为韩国低成本航空公司新的收入来源。北京和上海是尤其重要的收入来源地，它们不仅是重要的旅游目的地，也是韩国企业活动的关键中心，因此客流量受季节性旅游需求的影响较小。

低成本航空公司面临的挑战是如何将激增的需求转化为可持续的盈利。中国航空公司也在扩大在韩国的业务，这可能会加剧价格竞争。

一位航空业官员表示：“向中国市场的转移为韩国低成本航空公司提供了一个新的机会，使其能够摆脱饱和的短途市场，特别是飞往日本的市场，实现多元化发展。”

“对于寻求重建盈利能力并减少对日本和其他东南亚主要旅游目的地航线收入依赖的廉价航空公司而言，中国航线可能成为越来越重要的盈利支柱。”

韩国扩大对华航线，给予低成本航空公司更多飞行权

大韩航空与韩亚航空的合并将考验低成本航空公司的长途航线商业模式。