Passenger traffic at Korean carriers hit a record 47 million in the first half of 2024, reflecting a 29 percent increase from a year earlier, according to government data released Monday.
This surge is attributed to the higher demand for affordable air travel.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport reported that 47.56 million passengers traveled via flights offered by 10 local airlines in the January-June period, up from 36.83 million in the same period last year.
Of these, 18.15 million passengers traveled on domestic routes, while 29.41 million flew on international routes, marking increases of 12 percent and 43 percent, respectively.
The rise in first-half passenger traffic was mainly driven by increased flights by low-cost carriers to short-haul destinations in Japan and Southeast Asia. This growth occurred despite high inflation and a weak won.
If current trends continue, passenger traffic is expected to reach 100 million for the entire year, surpassing the pre-pandemic level of 93.47 million in 2019.
The 10 airlines include two full-service carriers, Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, and eight budget carriers such as Jeju Air, Jin Air, T’way Air, Air Busan, and Air Seoul.
