Korean Air and Delta Air Lines are commemorating the fifth anniversary of their prominent joint venture partnership between the United States and Asia.
This partnership has continued to thrive, facilitating increased air traffic through Incheon International Airport (ICN), the region's premier connecting hub.
Since its inception in May 2018, the partnership has significantly enhanced the customer experience, expanded the combined network, and benefited over 7 million travelers. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Korean Air and Delta have seen a remarkable growth in connecting passengers at ICN, with a daily average of 2,000 passengers in each direction—an impressive 40% increase over the past five years.
Currently, the collaboration between Korean Air and Delta offers a total of 18 daily departures between Seoul-Incheon and various destinations across the United States. This network connects passengers to over 290 locations in the Americas and more than 80 destinations in Asia across 44 countries.
Keehong Woo, President of Korean Air, expressed his satisfaction with the partnership, stating, "Over the course of our five-year collaboration, we have consistently provided exceptional convenience and services to our customers traveling across the Pacific and beyond. We are excited to continue offering our customers the ultimate travel experience as we further evolve and strengthen our joint venture."
Peter Carter, Delta's Executive Vice President - External Affairs, echoed these sentiments, saying, "We take pride in achieving a leading position in trans-Pacific travel together with Korean Air over the past five years, and we attribute this success to the dedication of our people. We are also excited about the future and how this exceptional joint venture will continue to deliver value to our customers, business partners, and employees for many more years."
Throughout their partnership, Korean Air and Delta have worked closely to develop comprehensive and synchronized products and services, ensuring a consistent and top-notch customer experience.
Some notable achievements include the introduction of new services between Minneapolis, Boston, and Incheon, the implementation of seamless check-in powered by SkyTeam technology (enabling digital check-in through both airlines' apps and websites), alignment of baggage allowances and priority boarding for corporate customers, reciprocal benefits on Korean Air's SKYPASS and Delta's SkyMiles programs, and the reduction of connecting time through convenient flight schedules.
