Korean Air To Launch Melbourne-Seoul Flights From December 2026
After 13 years, Korean Air is returning to Melbourne
Korean Air is planning a return to Melbourne, with new direct flights to Seoul, South Korea, launching later this year. The seasonal service will be operated by Korean Air's Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, three times weekly between 18 December 2026 and 14 March 2027.
The SkyTeam airline will take over the Melbourne-Seoul route currently served seasonally by Asiana Airlines, as the two carriers complete their merger. It's the first time in 13 years that Korean Air has operated out of Melbourne, with the airline last flying the route back in 2013.
Korean Air's new Melbourne service will fly on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, as follows:
- KE409 departs Seoul at 8:00am, touching down in Melbourne at 8:30pm (10h 30m)
- KE410 departs Melbourne at 10:00pm, for an arrival in Seoul at 7:35am the following day (11h 35m)
The seasonal timing lines up with peak summer travel between Australia and South Korea, and complements Korean Air's existing year-round services to Sydney and Brisbane.
Korean Air is stepping straight into the slot Asiana Airlines has run since December 2023, keeping the same three-weekly frequency. Asiana's Melbourne service started out as a twice-weekly seasonal flight before growing to four times a week at its peak. The handover lines up with the wider Korean Air and Asiana merger, which formally completes on 17 December 2026, the day before Korean Air's first Melbourne flight lands. Asiana as a brand is expected to be phased out entirely by the end of 2026.
Melbourne Airport's Chief of Aviation, Jim Parashos, called the return of Korean Air a strong outcome for Victorian travellers.
"We look forward to welcoming Korean Air back to Melbourne Airport and seeing this route continue to grow as part of the carrier's long-haul strategy," Parashos said. "South Korea is one of the world's major economies, and a reliable direct connection between Melbourne and Seoul matters for Victorian exporters, for our tourism sector and for the Korean community here in Victoria."
Onboard, Korean Air's 787-9 swaps out Asiana's A350-900 for a two-cabin layout of its own. Business class runs 24 Prestige Suites in a staggered 2-2-2 configuration, giving every seat direct aisle access without climbing over a neighbour. There's no dedicated premium economy cabin, with the rest of the aircraft set up as Economy in a 3-3-3 layout across around 245 seats.
