South Korean hybrid airline, Air Premia
, has announced that it will be launching services to Honolulu International Airport
and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
as of 2025. The new routes will be serviced by the carrier’s growing fleet of Boeing 787-9 planes, which has reached six examples as of December 2024. The new routes to the US join existing connections to three other cities.
More routes in 2025
Air Premia exclusively flies Boeing 787 aircraft, with six examples in service. The carrier offers flights to destinations such as Tokyo Narita, Bangkok and Los Angeles from its Seoul Incheon (ICN).
Photo: Air Premia
It has revealed its ambitions for next year, which include flights to Da Nang and Hong Kong at first in “early 2025” with connections to Honolulu and Seattle joining thereafter. This will be facilitated through the addition of new Boeing 787s, of which it expects three in 2025.
Seung-shin Park, Head of Public Relations at Air Premia said:
“Fleet expansion is crucial for growth in the aviation industry. We are developing a balanced route portfolio to enhance both customer convenience and profitability.”
It is worth noting that Air Premia already offered irregular flights to Honolulu. This latest plan signifies a desire for a consistent operation.
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It will be the carrier’s third US route.
What influence did the Alaska Airlines codeshare have?
In March, the company announced that it would be signing an interline agreement with Alaska Airlines. This covers 110 domestic routes in the US, as well as six Central and South American countries including Mexico and Costa Rica, Air Premia said at the time.
It is expected – although unconfirmed – that this codeshare agreement will extend to Hawaiian Airlines, given the recent merger of the two US airlines. Interestingly, by adding Seattle and Honolulu, Air Premia is connecting their two hubs.
Photo: Port of Seattle
The routes will therefore be facilitated by additional connecting traffic supported by the Hawaiian and Alaska Airlines networks, from their Honolulu and Seattle hubs respectively.
A new 787
The new announcement coincides with the arrival of Air Permia’s sixth Dreamliner, the first delivery in over 18 months for the airline. Its last delivery was a 787 registered HL8389, delivery in May 2023 according to ch-aviation data. The latest example is registered VP-CVD but is expected to be re-registered as it begins operations with Air Premia.
The sixth 787 features 344 seats, comprising:
- 35 premium economy seats with 46-inch seat pitch
- 309 economy class seats with 31-inch seat pitch
The plane is not brand new, however. Previously with Norwegian Air (which suspended long-haul operations during the pandemic), the aircraft is owned by lessor, FitzWalter Capital Aviation Services. The configuration is still in the dense Norwegian Air configuration. This is going to change, though. In its release, the carrier said:
“As part of the airline’s fleet expansion, economy class seats will be upgraded to provide 33 inches of pitch.”
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The plane will be reconfigured over the winter period in advance of its inaugural flight in January 2025, operating services “primarily” in the Americas. Air Premia notes that the Boeing 787 provides 20% better fuel efficiency compared to “conventional passenger aircraft” given that it is constructed with “over 50% carbon composite materials.”
Photo: Air Premia
Prior to this delivery, the average age of the Air Premia fleet stood at 5.7 years with a total capacity of 1,947 passengers, per ch-aviation.
Current US network
Air Premia flies to three destinations in the US, namely:
Photo: Air Premia
In December, Cirium schedules data shows that Air Premia will offer 74 flights to the United States each way, including a daily service to Los Angeles. Flights to San Francisco operate four times weekly. SFO was the most recent addition to the network, joining in May this year. At the launch, CEO Yoo Myung-sub said:
“The Americas are Air Premia’s most important strategic route. We plan to offer more routes and flights, creating more diverse options for Korean immigrants and local travelers heading to Korea.”
