[Airports Must Thrive for Regions to Prosper]⑥Are All Regional Airports in the Red?... Daegu and Cheongju Airports Tell a Different Story

Daegu and Cheongju Airports Turn Profitable with International Route Expansion
Cheongju Airport Sees 20% of Passengers from the Greater Seoul Area
Active Regional Government Cooperation, Including Chungbuk Tourism Council

There are regional airports that are breaking the traditional formula of running deficits and are instead soaring to new heights. These include Cheongju Airport and Daegu Airport. Both airports had once recorded operating losses exceeding 10 billion won, but thanks to the successful introduction of international routes, they have significantly improved their profitability.

According to Korea Airports Corporation on June 4, Cheongju Airport posted an operating profit of 4.7 billion won, while Daegu Airport recorded 1 billion won in operating profit from January to April this year. In particular, Cheongju Airport turned a profit in 2024 with 5.8 billion won in operating profit, and continued this trend with 3.5 billion won last year, projecting a surplus for three consecutive years. The turnaround at both airports is not simply a stroke of luck. It is the result of aggressive expansion of international networks through collaboration between local governments, airlines, and the tourism industry.

The keys to Cheongju Airport’s success include: ▲collaboration with local governments, ▲improved airport accessibility, and ▲expansion of international routes. Local governments such as North Chungcheong Province and Cheongju City have provided extensive support to airlines and the travel industry in order to attract new international routes and expand foreign demand, thereby revitalizing the airport.

North Chungcheong Province has provided support including operating subsidies for airlines on new scheduled and charter international routes, production and promotion of route marketing materials, and incentives for attracting foreign tourists. Cheongju City has also supported travel agencies bringing in foreign tourists by providing funds for tour operations and experiences, as well as financial support for airlines launching new scheduled international routes. Since October last year, Cheongju Airport, Korea Tourism Organization, Chungbuk Cultural Foundation, and Cheongju City Hall have formed the Chungbuk Tourism Council to establish a foundation for regional cooperation.

As a result, Cheongju Airport’s international routes increased dramatically from 16 in 2023 to 37 as of last year, 13 of which are routes to Japan. Over the same period, Daegu Airport’s international routes also rose by 50%, from 16 to 24. Thanks to the introduction of more international routes, Daegu Airport’s passenger numbers grew from 3.3 million in 2023 to 3.58 million last year, while Cheongju Airport saw an increase from 3.7 million to approximately 4.67 million. Route expansion has also broadened the passenger base. More travelers from southern parts of the Seoul metropolitan area are clearly choosing Cheongju Airport over Incheon Airport.

Enhancements to Cheongju Airport’s accessibility have also led to an increase in customers from southern Seoul and the greater metropolitan area. In fact, an analysis by Cheongju Airport of the origins and destinations of its passengers found that 63% were from the Chungcheong region and 20% from the metropolitan area. A Cheongju Airport official stated, "The express bus occupancy rate between Seoul’s Gangnam Central City Terminal and the Cheongju area is high at 82.7%, indicating that demand linking the metropolitan area is steadily rising. As improvements to Cheongju Airport’s accessibility continue, public transportation operations are also gradually increasing."

A Korea Airports Corporation official commented, "The popularity of Korean culture in Japan, including medical services and cosmetics, has led to many travelers coming to Korea. In addition, the less-than-ideal relationship between Japan and China seems to have also played a role. While interest and participation from local governments to revitalize regional airports is increasing, if support such as expanding local transportation networks is further enhanced, the revitalization of regional airports could happen much more quickly."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.