Korean Air will launch direct flights between Melbourne and Seoul in December, taking over the route previously served by Asiana Airlines following the completion of the merger of the two carriers.
The seasonal service, on a Boeing 787-9, will operate three times a week on a Boeing 787-9, with flights arriving into Melbourne at 8.30pm and departing for Seoul Incheon at 10pm on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
Running from 18 December 2026 until 14 March 2027, the route will mark the first time since 2013 that Korean Air has operated out of Melbourne.
The announcement comes as Melbourne Airport reported more than three million passengers in July, including more than a million international travellers. A total of 3,115,063 people travelled through the airport during the month, down 2.5 per cent year-on-year, which the airport attributed to ongoing capacity reductions related to conflict in the Middle East.
Melbourne Airport chief of aviation Jim Parashos said the resumption of Korean Air operations was a positive outcome for the state.
“The resumption of Korean Air operations at Melbourne Airport is a great outcome for Victorian travellers and for our tourism and trade ties with South Korea,” he said.
“South Korea is one of the world’s major economies, and a reliable direct connection between Melbourne and Seoul matters for Victorian exporters, for our tourism sector and for the Korean community here in Victoria.”
Parashos said the airport expected the route to grow over time, pointing to broader momentum in the international travel market.
“We look forward to welcoming Korean Air back to Melbourne Airport and seeing this route continue to grow as part of the carrier’s long-haul strategy,” he said.
“Despite short term challenges, we’ve just come off a record financial year for international travel and we’re confident that growth will continue, which is why we’re investing in infrastructure such as our new pick up and drop off zones which are due to open in October.”
