South Korea’s Air Premia Launches New Route to Washington D.C.

South Korea’s Air Premia is set to expand its international presence with a new scheduled route connecting Seoul Incheon to Washington Dulles, launching on April 24, 2025. This development marks a significant milestone as it introduces competition for passengers traveling between these two cities, particularly against established operator Korean Air.

The airline, which identifies itself as a hybrid operator, plans to operate four flights per week on this route, coinciding with the peak summer travel season when demand and airfares typically surge. In addition to the Dulles route, Air Premia intends to offer charter flights to Las Vegas starting in January. Data from Aeroroutes indicates that the Incheon-Dulles route attracted approximately 124,000 round-trip passengers in the year leading up to September 2025, with total traffic across all D.C. area airports reaching around 154,000 passengers.

As Air Premia prepares to enter this competitive market, its flights will avoid Russian airspace, resulting in a maximum flight duration of approximately 15 hours and 25 minutes from Dulles back to Incheon. This route will become the airline’s longest service to the United States, utilizing its fleet of Boeing 787-9 aircraft, which currently includes eight planes with an average age of 7.4 years. A ninth aircraft, previously operated by Korean Air, is expected to join the fleet soon, allowing for various seating configurations that range from 309 to 344 seats.

Air Premia’s entry into the U.S. market is not without its challenges. Historically, long-haul operations without a comprehensive network for connecting flights have proven difficult for airlines like Norse Atlantic, highlighting the risks involved. Nevertheless, the airline’s strategy focuses on the point-to-point market, aiming to attract travelers directly without the need for feeder flights.

Expansion Plans and Market Dynamics

Looking ahead, Air Premia plans to strengthen its U.S. operations by increasing its weekly flights. As of December 1, 2025, the airline is expected to offer a total of 31 weekly flights to various U.S. destinations. This includes 11 flights per week to Los Angeles, daily flights to Newark, five times weekly to San Francisco, and four times weekly to both Honolulu and Washington Dulles. This ambitious expansion reflects a substantial increase in capacity compared to previous years, positioning Air Premia to capture approximately 13% of the market on these routes.

The overall market for flights between South Korea and the U.S. is showing growth, with 242 weekly departures expected in 2025, excluding flights to U.S. territories in the Pacific. The collective passenger traffic from D.C.-area airports—including Dulles, Reagan, and Baltimore—reached around 1.5 million passengers in the year leading up to September 2025. Notably, the Tokyo route remains the most trafficked, followed by Seoul, indicating a robust demand for Asian travel.

In this evolving landscape, Air Premia’s strategy may find favorable conditions, particularly if the proposed merger between Asiana Airlines and Korean Air is completed. Such market consolidation could create openings for new carriers, allowing Air Premia to establish itself more firmly within the competitive environment.

Air Premia’s ambitious plans reflect its commitment to expanding its footprint in the U.S. market, and as the April launch approaches, both the airline and travelers are keenly anticipating the opportunities this new route will bring.