Korean Air

Korean Air is a South Korean flag carrier based in the Republic of Korea. Its network is centred on Seoul–Gimpo, Seoul–Incheon. It forms part of Hanjin Group and connects its home market with domestic or international destinations.^{[1]Korean Air on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org · Accessed 2026-07-26Open source details}

The airline uses the IATA code KE, the ICAO code KAL, and the callsign KOREAN AIR.^{[2]OpenFlights airline databaseOpenFlights · openflights.orgOpen source details} It participates in SkyTeam.^{[1]Korean Air on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org · Accessed 2026-07-26Open source details}

Overview

Detail	Information
Country	Republic of Korea
Status	Active
IATA code	`KE`
ICAO code	`KAL`
Callsign	`KOREAN AIR`
Founded	June 1962
Operations began	1 March 1969
Hubs	Seoul–Gimpo; Seoul–Incheon
Frequent-flyer programme	SKYPASS
Alliance	SkyTeam
Parent company	Hanjin Group
Headquarters	260 Haneul-gil, Gangseo District, Seoul, South Korea
Official website	koreanair.com

History

The organisation developed through the following major stages. Dates describe the airline or operation covered by this article, including predecessor activity where relevant.^{[1]Korean Air on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org · Accessed 2026-07-26Open source details}

Date	Development
June 1962	Founded as Korean Air Lines.
March 1, 1969	Hanjin Group acquired Korean Air Lines.
April 26, 1971	Introduced long-haul trans-Pacific freight operations.
April 19, 1972	Launched passenger services to Los Angeles.
March 1, 1984	Renamed to Korean Air.
June 23, 2000	Founded SkyTeam alliance.
May 25, 2011	Took delivery of its first Airbus A380.
December 12, 2024	Acquisition of Asiana Airlines completed.

Corporate affairs

Korean Air is based in 260 Haneul-gil, Gangseo District, Seoul, South Korea. It is owned by or organised within Hanjin Group. Its commercial activities are managed around the network, fleet, and operating model described in its published corporate information.^{[1]Korean Air on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org · Accessed 2026-07-26Open source details}

The official website provides current schedules, customer information, and company announcements.^{[3]Korean Air official websiteKorean Air · koreanair.com · Accessed 2026-07-26Open source details}

Operations

Korean Air operates from hubs including Seoul–Gimpo, Seoul–Incheon. The source page lists 108 destinations, although this figure changes with seasonal schedules.^{[1]Korean Air on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org · Accessed 2026-07-26Open source details}

The network and operating pattern vary by season and market demand.^{[1]Korean Air on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org · Accessed 2026-07-26Open source details}

Partnerships

Korean Air is associated with SkyTeam, extending reciprocal connections and passenger benefits across partner networks.^{[1]Korean Air on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org · Accessed 2026-07-26Open source details}

Delta Air Lines^{[1]Korean Air on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org · Accessed 2026-07-26Open source details}
Asiana Airlines^{[1]Korean Air on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org · Accessed 2026-07-26Open source details}
Alaska Airlines^{[1]Korean Air on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org · Accessed 2026-07-26Open source details}
Japan Airlines^{[1]Korean Air on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org · Accessed 2026-07-26Open source details}
Air France^{[1]Korean Air on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org · Accessed 2026-07-26Open source details}

Fleet

The fleet is built around aircraft selected for the airline's passenger or cargo network. The principal families identified by the source include:^{[1]Korean Air on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org · Accessed 2026-07-26Open source details}

Aircraft family	Typical use
Airbus A220-300	Passenger or cargo operations, depending on configuration
Airbus A321neo	Passenger or cargo operations, depending on configuration
Airbus A330-300	Passenger or cargo operations, depending on configuration
Boeing 737-800	Passenger or cargo operations, depending on configuration
Boeing 747-8I	Passenger or cargo operations, depending on configuration

Aircraft counts and subtypes change as leases end, deliveries arrive, and older equipment is withdrawn.

Former fleet

Aircraft previously associated with the airline include:

Boeing 707-320B^{[1]Korean Air on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org · Accessed 2026-07-26Open source details}
Douglas DC-8-60^{[1]Korean Air on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org · Accessed 2026-07-26Open source details}
Boeing 747-400^{[1]Korean Air on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org · Accessed 2026-07-26Open source details}
McDonnell Douglas MD-11^{[1]Korean Air on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org · Accessed 2026-07-26Open source details}
Boeing 737-900^{[1]Korean Air on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org · Accessed 2026-07-26Open source details}

Passenger services

The airline's passenger or customer-facing products include:

First Class^{[1]Korean Air on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org · Accessed 2026-07-26Open source details}
Business Class^{[1]Korean Air on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org · Accessed 2026-07-26Open source details}
Economy Class^{[1]Korean Air on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org · Accessed 2026-07-26Open source details}

Branding

Korean Air^{[1]Korean Air on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org · Accessed 2026-07-26Open source details}

Safety history

Notable events recorded in the source include:

Flight 007 shot down by the Soviet Union on September 1, 1983^{[1]Korean Air on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org · Accessed 2026-07-26Open source details}
Flight 801 crash in 1997^{[1]Korean Air on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org · Accessed 2026-07-26Open source details}
Flight 631 overrun incident in 2022^{[1]Korean Air on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org · Accessed 2026-07-26Open source details}

These entries are a selective historical summary and should not be interpreted as a complete safety record.