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T'way Air sees 90% international load factor as travelers spread their wings
A T’way Air passenger jet / Courtesy of T’way Air
By Lee Kyung-min
T’way Air carried about 3.8 million international passengers in the first half of 2026, as demand for overseas travel pushed its average international load factor to about 90 percent.
The airline carried about 5.6 million passengers overall during the six-month period, with international traffic rising about 12 percent from roughly 3.38 million passengers a year earlier.
The strongest routes shifted with the seasons, offering a snapshot of how Korean travelers chose destinations throughout the first half of the year.
In January, Cheongju-Fukuoka and Daegu-Fukuoka were among the most popular routes, while Cheongju-Osaka and Cheongju-Fukuoka led in February.
By March, demand had moved toward resort destinations, with Incheon-Boracay and Incheon-Nha Trang among the top-performing routes.
April brought strong demand for Incheon-Bangkok, Incheon-Sapporo and Gimpo-Songshan, while Daegu-Fukuoka led in May and Incheon-Bangkok and Incheon-Sapporo topped the list in June.
Those monthly leaders recorded an average load factor of more than 96 percent, the airline said.
The pattern suggested a progression from short-haul trips early in the year to beach destinations in spring, followed by interest in cities and scenic destinations such as Taipei and Sapporo.
Travelers also departed from a broader range of airports, with Cheongju, Daegu and Gimpo joining Incheon among the most popular starting points.
Long-haul routes also maintained steady demand, with average load factors of 87 percent on flights to Paris, 89 percent to Rome, 91 percent to Barcelona and 85 percent to Frankfurt.
The airline said it plans to continue adjusting its routes to seasonal and regional demand in the second half of the year.
T’way Air, which recently changed its corporate name to Trinity Airways, also plans to introduce Airbus A330-900neo and Boeing 737-8 aircraft while expanding its network.
A T’way Air official said the airline would focus on safe operations, efficient route management and broader travel choices.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.