The airline will operate the route twice a week for three months on a trial basis to gauge demand, aiming to make it easier for foreign tourists arriving from overseas to reach the southern resort island.
The first flight for the route departed from Jeju International Airport at 9:45 a.m. earlier in the day and arrived in Incheon at 11 a.m.
Flights will be available on Tuesdays and Saturdays through the end of this month, then switch to Mondays and Fridays starting next month.
Until now, foreign tourists arriving in Incheon had to travel to a separate airport such as Gimpo to fly to Jeju. The new route makes travel to Jeju more convenient for international passengers.
The number of foreign tourists to Jeju has been rising rapidly. According to the Jeju Tourism Big Data Service Platform, 2.24 million foreign tourists visited Jeju last year, up 17.7 percent from 1.91 million a year earlier. The number of foreign visitors in the first quarter of this year also rose 29.3 percent from the same period last year.
The route could also be good news for Jeju residents. Amid growing demand for long-haul international flights, travelers departing from Jeju, particularly those heading to Europe or the U.S. would no longer need to make an extra trip to Gimpo, saving time and reducing travel hassle.
"Foreign arrivals to Jeju are on the rise, and we hope this new route will support balanced regional tourism growth while improving travel convenience for Jeju residents," a Jeju Air spokesperson said.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.