South Korea’s Air Traffic Breaks One‑Million Flight Threshold in 2025
Updated (2 articles)
Record‑Setting Flight Volume Confirmed South Korea logged 1,013,830 domestic and international flights in 2025, a 6.8 % increase over 2024 and the first time the total surpassed one million flights [1].
Daily Operations Reach New High The average daily flight count rose to 2,778, marking a 20.4 % jump from the 2019 peak of 2,307 flights and setting a new record for airspace usage [1].
International Routes Drive Growth International departures and arrivals reached 788,531 flights, up 9.4 % year‑over‑year, with routes to Southeast Asia and southern China accounting for roughly 52 % of that traffic [1].
Incheon Remains Dominant Hub Incheon International Airport handled 435,360 flights, far exceeding Jeju International Airport’s 177,681 and Gimpo International Airport’s 142,621, underscoring its central role as the primary gateway [1].
Ministry Attributes Surge to Travel Demand South Korea’s transport ministry links the surge to expanding international travel demand and projects that the upward trend will bolster logistics, tourism, trade, and overall economic vitality [1].
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Timeline
2019 – South Korea’s air passenger traffic reaches 123.4 million, the pre‑pandemic peak that later serves as a benchmark for 2025 growth [2].
2025 – Total domestic and international flights hit 1,013,830, a 6.8 % rise over the previous year and the first time flights exceed one million, indicating robust recovery [1].
2025 – Average daily flights climb to 2,778, a 20.4 % increase over the 2019 high of 2,307, setting a new record for South Korean airspace [1].
2025 – International flights rise 9.4 % to 788,531, with routes to Southeast Asia and southern China accounting for about 52 % of traffic, driving overall growth [1].
2025 – Incheon International Airport handles 435,360 flights, far outpacing Jeju (177,681) and Gimpo (142,621), underscoring its role as the primary hub [1].
2025 – Air passenger traffic reaches 124.8 million, surpassing the 2019 peak and growing 3.9 % year‑on‑year, reflecting renewed demand [2].
2025 – International passengers total 94.5 million, up 6.3 % YoY, while domestic travelers fall 2.8 % to 30.2 million, highlighting a shift toward overseas travel [2].
2025 – Passengers on Japan routes climb to 27.3 million, an 8.6 % increase aided by a weaker Japanese yen, reinforcing Northeast Asian travel recovery [2].
2025 – Korea‑China travel jumps 22 % to 16.8 million, boosted by visa‑waiver arrangements between the two countries, illustrating policy impact on traffic [2].
2025 – US and Europe routes grow to 6.8 million and 4.9 million passengers respectively, up 4.7 % and 5.5 %, showing broad international demand [2].
2025 – Other Asian routes dip 0.5 % to 34.8 million, indicating uneven recovery across the region [2].
2025 – The transport ministry expects the surge to boost logistics, tourism, trade and overall economic vitality, signaling confidence in continued growth [1].