[Edaily Reporter Kim Hyung-wook ] KoreanAirLines announced on the 12th that it will operate daily flights from Incheon to Newark, U.S., starting May 22 of next year.

The flight departs Incheon International Airport at 10:00 p.m. and arrives at Newark Liberty International Airport at 11:00 p.m. local time. The return flight departs Newark Liberty International Airport at 1:00 a.m. and arrives at Incheon International Airport at 5:15 a.m. the following day. The route will be operated seven times a week using a Boeing 777-300ER.

Newark Liberty International Airport, the destination of this new route, is the gateway to New Jersey and a key transportation hub adjacent to Manhattan, New York. In particular, New Jersey has a large Korean-American population, resulting in steady demand for flights from South Korea.

KoreanAirLines also began operating direct flights to this destination (three times a week) in August 1996, but switched to a route via Chicago the following year, in 1997, due to the aftermath of the Asian financial crisis. After the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the service was temporarily suspended amid a global aviation industry downturn, and is now resuming for the first time in 25 years.

With this move, KoreanAirLines has expanded its network in the U.S. East Coast region—particularly in New York—beyond its existing base at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).

Given that Newark Airport is a key hub for United Airlines—a competitor of Delta Air Lines, with which KoreanAirLines has a strategic partnership—some interpret this as a strategic move by the two “partner airlines.” United Airlines began operating direct flights between Incheon and Newark last September, coinciding with the relaunch of its existing Korean partner, Asiana Airlines—a member of the Star Alliance—as the newly integrated KoreanAirLines next month. For KoreanAirLines, this move allows it to counter the competitor of its “partner,” Delta Air Lines, while also meeting the demand from the Korean community in New Jersey and travelers and business travelers to the U.S. East Coast.

Travelers from New York and New Jersey can expect to have a wider range of options. Currently, the domestic low-cost carrier (LCC) Air Premia operates direct flights between Incheon and Newark; following United Airlines’ launch of new service this past September, passengers will also be able to take direct flights on KoreanAirLines starting next May.

In addition to meeting demand from the Korean community in New Jersey, KoreanAirLines aims to capture tourism and business demand in the Eastern U.S., including New York and New Jersey. New York is home to world-renowned tourist attractions such as Times Square, Central Park, the Statue of Liberty, and the Empire State Building. According to the company, New Jersey and Wall Street in New York are also home to the headquarters and major business operations of numerous global corporations.

A KoreanAirLines official stated, “With the launch of the new Incheon–Newark route, we plan to expand access to the U.S. East Coast and further enhance convenience for tourists and business travelers visiting New York and New Jersey.”