Jeju Air Expands China Routes...New Services to Shanghai and Guilin

Jeju Air announced on July 7 that it will expand its routes to China in response to increasing demand for travel to the country.

Starting July 25, Jeju Air will launch a new service between Busan and Shanghai (Pudong), operating four times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday). Flights will depart from Gimhae International Airport at 10:15 p.m. (local time) and arrive at Shanghai Pudong International Airport at 12:05 a.m. the following day. The return flight will depart Shanghai at 4:00 a.m. and arrive at Gimhae Airport at 6:40 a.m.

Beginning October 1, the Incheon-Guilin route will also begin operations four times a week (Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday). Flights will depart Incheon International Airport at 9:25 p.m. and arrive at Guilin Liangjiang International Airport at 12:40 a.m. the next day. The return flight will depart Guilin at 1:40 a.m. and arrive at Incheon Airport at 6:30 a.m.

Shanghai has a balanced demand for tourism, study abroad, and business, and is also considered a family travel destination thanks to the world-renowned theme park Disneyland. Guilin, located in southern China, is a leading tourist destination famous for its stunning natural scenery such as Guilin Mountains and the Li River. While visitors can enjoy a quiet and leisurely trip, the area around Guilin is also popular among independent travelers in their 20s and 30s for nature-based activities such as cycling tours, hiking, and rafting.

Previously, Jeju Air resumed its Jeju-Xi'an route in May, operating twice a week (Tuesday and Saturday). The Incheon-Weihai route is currently being operated three times a week until October 25, and the Incheon-Yanji route has increased to once a week until August 26.

The number of passengers on Jeju Air's China routes increased from about 31,000 in January to approximately 54,000 last month, recording an average monthly growth rate of about 12%. Notably, the load factor, which remained in the mid-70% range in the first quarter, rose to the mid-80% range in the second quarter, showing signs of recovery. As the Korean government plans to allow temporary visa-free entry for Chinese group tourists starting in the third quarter of this year, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Korea is also expected to increase.

Meanwhile, Jeju Air is running a discounted airfare promotion for travel to China until July 13. Discounts are available on the following routes: Busan-Shanghai (Pudong), Incheon-Weihai/Qingdao, and Jeju-Beijing (Daxing/Capital). For more details, visit the Jeju Air website.