Incheon-Jeju Flights Are "Free"... Korea Airports Corporation and Ministry of Culture Go All Out to Attract Foreign Tourists

Cooperation with Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism,
KRW 100 Million Budget Allocated


Load Factor Reaches 88%, Extended Flight Schedule


Boosting Regional Dispersal and Economic Vitality

Korea Airports Corporation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, is launching a promotion offering free flight tickets for the Incheon-Jeju route to foreign tourists.

Jeju International Airport panorama. Korea Airports Corporation

The corporation announced on July 30 that this project is being pursued as part of the execution plan to "expand direct routes between Incheon and regional airports," as discussed at the 11th National Tourism Strategy Meeting.

The corporation explained that although the number of incoming foreign visitors to Korea reached an all-time high last year, 81.7% of these visitors were concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area. In order to encourage foreign tourists to visit local regions, this event was planned.

The promotion is open to overseas passengers—primarily from Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong—who have entered Korea and wish to participate. Free one-way and round-trip tickets on the Incheon-Jeju route are being offered until the allocated budget of 100 million won is exhausted. The event, which began on June 22 via Jeju Air’s website, will run through October 24. To ensure the stable operation of this route, the corporation is also supporting promotional expenses for the route through Jeju Air’s internal and external channels.

The Incheon-Jeju route posted a stable seat occupancy rate of around 88% between May 12 and June 30. The operation period, which was originally scheduled to last until August 7, has been extended to the entirety of the summer season, ending October 24. The rate of foreign passengers has reached approximately 30%, leading to increased regional travel by tourists. The corporation expects economic benefits from increased demand, including higher commercial facility sales and rental income within the airport.

Heo Juhee, Head of Glocal Business Division at Korea Airports Corporation, stated, “We hope this project will invigorate local travel among foreign tourists and help the Incheon-Jeju route establish itself as a stable option. We will continue to promote various support initiatives to vitalize regional airports and attract inbound tourists to visit local areas.”

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