Regulatory status
FAA IASA: Category 1 — meets ICAO standards — as of 18 Apr 2025
Full regulatory status →Quick facts
- Airports
- 15
- Scheduled routes
- 751
- Top airlines
- 10
- Outbound countries
- 8+
- Most-competitive route
- ICN → NRT · 13 carriers
Top airports in South Korea
| # | Airport | IATA | Routes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seoul | ICN | 438 | Departures → |
| 2 | Busan | PUS | 120 | Departures → |
| 3 | Jeju | CJU | 79 | Departures → |
| 4 | Seoul | GMP | 47 | Departures → |
| 5 | Daegu | TAE | 23 | Departures → |
| 6 | Cheongju | CJJ | 22 | Departures → |
| 7 | Gwangju | KWJ | 6 | Departures → |
| 8 | Yeosu | RSU | 5 | Departures → |
| 9 | Ulsan | USN | 4 | Departures → |
| 10 | Jinju | HIN | 2 | Departures → |
Top airlines based in South Korea
| # | Airline | IATA | Routes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Korean Air | KE | 128 | Network → |
| 2 | Jin Air | LJ | 75 | Network → |
| 3 | T´Way Air | TW | 75 | Network → |
| 4 | Asiana Airlines | OZ | 73 | Network → |
| 5 | Jeju Air | 7C | 72 | Network → |
| 6 | Eastar Jet | ZE | 45 | Network → |
| 7 | Air Busan | BX | 42 | Network → |
| 8 | China Eastern Airlines | MU | 17 | Network → |
| 9 | China Southern Airlines | CZ | 16 | Network → |
| 10 | Spring Airlines | 9C | 12 | Network → |
Most-competitive routes from South Korea
Most-served international destinations
- Tokyo (NRT) · Japan — 13 carriers
- Taipei (TPE) · Taiwan — 12 carriers
- Da Nang (DAD) · Viet Nam — 11 carriers
- Hong Kong (HKG) · Hong Kong SAR — 11 carriers
- Osaka (KIX) · Japan — 10 carriers
- Shanghai (PVG) · China — 10 carriers
- Nha Trang (CXR) · Viet Nam — 10 carriers
- Bangkok (BKK) · Thailand — 10 carriers
Aviation accidents in South Korea
- 2026-03-31 — CESSNA CE525
- 2026-03-24 — SIKORSKY S61 N
- 2025-10-18 — CESSNA 172 S
- 2025-06-12 — BOEING 737 800 (China Airlines)
- 2025-05-29 — Lockheed P-3 Orion (Republic of Korea Navy) — 4 fatal
- 2025-03-26 — SIKORSKY S76 B (Air Palace, Co.) — 1 fatal
- 2025-03-25 — BOEING 737 800 (Jin Air Co.)
- 2025-01-28 — Airbus A321-200 (Air Busan Co., Ltd.)
- 2025-01-28 — Air Busan Flight 391
- 2024-12-29 — Boeing 737-800 (Jeju Air Co., Ltd) — 179 fatal
- 2024-12-29 — Jeju Air Flight 2216 — 179 fatal
- 2024-12-29 — BOEING 737 800 (Jeju Air) — 173 fatal
- 2024-12-17 — Sejin Aviation Co., Ltd. (leased by Gyeongsangnam-do Province)
- 2024-10-28 — BOEING 747
- 2024-06-22 — BOEING 737-8 (Korean Air)
- 2024-06-11 — BOEING 747 400F (Atlas Air)
- 2024-04-29 — BOEING 787 9 (Air Premia)
- 2024-01-31 — F-16C (Pacific Air Forces (PACAF))
- 2023-12-11 — F-16CM (Pacific Air Forces (PACAF))
- 2023-07-27 — AIRBUS A330-941 (Delta Air Lines)
Where South Korea flies to
- China — 172 routes to 40 airports
- Japan — 132 routes to 31 airports
- Viet Nam — 61 routes to 6 airports
- Taiwan — 46 routes to 4 airports
- USA — 31 routes to 15 airports
- Thailand — 25 routes to 4 airports
- Philippines — 20 routes to 5 airports
- Hong Kong SAR — 16 routes to 1 airport
Frequently asked questions
How many airports are in South Korea?
South Korea has 15 airports in our dataset.
How many non-stop routes originate in South Korea?
South Korea has 751 routes departing from its airports in our weekly dataset.
Which airlines operate most routes from South Korea?
Top operators by route count: Korean Air, Jin Air, T´Way Air, Asiana Airlines, Jeju Air.
Which is the busiest airport in South Korea?
By scheduled-route count, Seoul (ICN) is the busiest airport in South Korea with 438 routes departing.
What is the most-connected international destination from South Korea?
Tokyo (NRT), Japan sees the most competition with 13 carriers serving it from South Korea.
Which countries do South Korea-based airlines fly to most?
Top outbound countries: China (172 routes), Japan (132 routes), Viet Nam (61 routes), Taiwan (46 routes), USA (31 routes).