Air Premia said on the 12th that it will begin four weekly scheduled flights on the Incheon–Washington, D.C. Dulles (IAD) route starting Apr. 24 next year.
This new launch marks the reentry of a Korean carrier to Washington, D.C. service for the first time in 31 years since the first Korean-flag flight to Washington, D.C. in 1995, carrying major significance in the air travel market.
The Washington, D.C. route has been a representative strategic route where capacity has remained limited. With very few Korean-flag airlines offering nonstop service, travelers' choices have been restricted, and a persistent supply shortfall relative to demand has been raised.
Within this structure, Air Premia's launch is notable on two fronts: expanding Korean-flag capacity and broadening traveler choice.
Washington, D.C. is a core city dense with the U.S. administration, international organizations, and research institutions, sustaining steady demand for public, diplomatic, and business visits. Air Premia's launch will provide a stable Korean-flag network for domestic and international customers using this area and serve as an important milestone completing the airline's strategy to diversify North American routes.
According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's aviation information portal, more than 175,000 people used the Incheon–Washington, D.C. route in 2024, and it continued to show steady demand, recording more than 158,000 through November this year.
Air Premia expects that with the added capacity, passenger benefits will be strengthened, including fare stabilization, more transfer options, and better access to airline services.
The Incheon–Washington, D.C. Dulles route will depart Incheon at 10:05 a.m. every Mon., Wed., Fri., and Sun., arriving at 10:50 a.m. local time. The return departs at 1:20 p.m. local time and arrives in Incheon at 5:45 p.m. the next day. The schedule may change subject to government approval, and tickets will be available for purchase starting on the 15th.
With this launch, Air Premia has secured a balanced set of major North American routes across the West Coast (Los Angeles and San Francisco), East Coast (New York and Washington, D.C.), and Hawaii. Based on this, the airline plans to further enhance the completeness of its North America–centered network and its operational competitiveness.