Korean Air is expanding its Airbus A380 services between Incheon International Airport (ICN) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) due to increasing travel demand. The airline currently uses Boeing 747-8 aircraft for its 14 weekly flights between Seoul and Los Angeles. According to Cirium, an aviation analytics company, this will change in June when the Airbus A380-800 returns to service.
Korean Air plans to increase weekly frequencies on the Los Angeles route using the A380. In June and July, the airline will operate four weekly flights, up from three, marking a 33.3% increase in flights and seat capacity. In August 2025, the carrier will offer five weekly flights using the A380, increasing capacity by 25% compared to previous months.
The use of the A380 will temporarily reduce to four flights per week from September to October, with 1,628 seats available weekly in each direction. Come winter, the plan is to operate all 14 weekly flights with the A380. This approach is part of Korean Air’s strategy to strengthen its long-haul routes, particularly the high-demand Seoul-Los Angeles corridor.
The A380-800 provides 407 seats, while the Boeing 747-8 offers 368. This allows Korean Air to adjust capacity while maintaining premium cabin comfort. Though there was a previous plan to replace the A380 fleet on this route with 747-8 aircraft by October, the A380 will remain in service, according to the latest Cirium data.
Korean Air’s increased A380 operations respond to high demand and peak travel periods. Los Angeles is a major hub on the transpacific route, and offering more options is significant for the airline. Korean Air’s presence is complemented by its recent merger with Asiana Airlines, which operates daily flights on the route with A380-800 and A350-900 aircraft. Meanwhile, Air Premia offers budget options with the Boeing 787-9.
Ch-aviation data shows Korean Air’s A380 fleet consists of four active aircraft out of seven, with an average age of 11.4 years. The extended use of the A380 arises from changes to the airline’s fleet plans due to rising demand and delays in new aircraft manufacturing. Other airlines like Lufthansa and Qatar Airways have also opted to retain their A380s longer than initially planned due to demand in high-traffic regions like the US-Asia corridor.
