Korean Air will operate daily flights between Incheon and Newark starting May 22, 2027. The route will use a Boeing 777-300ER, marking the carrier's return to Newark for the first time in 26 years, since 2001. Its existing JFK service will remain, bringing the airline's New York-area airports to two. Air Premia and United Airlines already fly the route.
Korean Air is returning to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in New Jersey. The airline announced on the 12th (Korea time) that it will operate daily flights between Incheon and Newark Liberty International Airport starting May 22, 2027. It will be the first time Korean Air has flown to Newark in 26 years, since 2001.
A Boeing 777-300ER will be used on the route. Flight KE097 will leave Incheon Airport at 10 p.m. and arrive in Newark at 11 p.m. local time the same day, while return flight KE098 will depart Newark at 1 a.m. and land in Incheon at 5:15 a.m. the next day. According to aviation schedule outlets, bookings are already open.
At a Glance
A Route Cut Off After 9/11
Korean Air flew to Newark until 2001 but suspended service after the Sept. 11 attacks that year, and has since served the New York area only through JFK Airport. The U.S. aviation outlet One Mile at a Time reported that Korean Air is adding Newark with no plans to reduce its JFK service.
The decision is also tied to the restructuring of routes following the airline's integration with Asiana Airlines. Analysts say that while flight frequencies will be adjusted on routes the two airlines previously operated separately, such as Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco, the merger will free up capacity to launch service to new cities. Korean Air cited Newark's proximity to Manhattan and steady business travel demand, given the concentration of global financial institutions and pharmaceutical and biotech companies in New Jersey, as reasons for the launch.
Three-Way Competition With Air Premia and United
Just a few years ago, there were no nonstop flights between Incheon and Newark. Air Premia first launched service in May 2023 with a Boeing 787, and United Airlines opened the same route this September. With Korean Air joining, three airlines will each operate one flight a day starting next May, for a total of three flights daily.
Korean Air's departure and arrival times are similar to Air Premia's. Flights leave Incheon at night and arrive in Newark late at night, while departures from Newark are scheduled after midnight in the early morning. Passengers landing in Newark at 11 p.m. will likely leave the airport around midnight after clearing immigration and collecting their baggage, so it is wise to arrange transportation home or to your accommodation in advance.
More Options for New Jersey Koreans
In Korean American communities in Bergen County, such as Fort Lee and Palisades Park, Newark is closer than JFK in Queens. New Jersey Koreans who until now had to cross the Hudson River to JFK to fly Korean Air will be able to use the national flag carrier from an airport close to home. Passengers who want to use Korean Air miles or connect to domestic flights in Korea on SkyTeam airlines will also have more options.
However, flight schedules and aircraft types may change depending on the airline's circumstances. Exact schedules and fares can be checked on Korean Air's website.