DALLAS—Southwest Airlines Co. and South Korea-based Air Premia have entered a partnership to jointly provide travel across the Pacific with interline connections at the carriers’ shared gateway airports in Honolulu, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Tickets are available through Air Premia, travel agents, and travel websites.
From its global hub at Incheon International Airport in greater Seoul, Air Premia serves destinations in Asia including Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand and Vietnam. The carrier operates a fleet of Boeing 787-9 aircraft offering two cabins and classes of service.
“Similar to Southwest, Air Premia works to pair value and comfort with high-quality service for everyone onboard,” said Andrew Watterson, Southwest Airlines Chief Operating Officer. “Air Premia becomes our latest partner in a portfolio that not only provides more potential global travel options for Southwest Customers, it also exposes more marketplaces overseas to our unmatched network in the United States and our world-famous Hospitality.”
“We are delighted to partner with Southwest Airlines, one of the largest domestic carriers in the United States,” said Yoo Myung-sub, Chief Executive Officer of Air Premia. “This partnership significantly expands travel opportunities for our customers, providing seamless access a network of more than 120 destinations. We look forward to expanding this partnership and delivering even greater convenience and value to travelers across the Pacific.”
Including Air Premia, Southwest now has nine active partnerships with overseas carriers connecting travel between its network and places across the globe in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES
Southwest Airlines Co. operates one of the world’s most admired and awarded airlines, offering its one-of-a-kind value and Hospitality at 122 airports across 12 countries. Southwest took flight in 1971 to democratize the sky through friendly, reliable, and low-cost air travel and now carries more air travelers flying nonstop within the United States than any other airline1. By empowering its more than 73,000 People2 to deliver unparalleled Hospitality, the maverick airline cherishes a passionate loyalty among more than 134 million Customers carried in 2025. Southwest leverages a unique legacy and mission to serve communities around the world including harnessing the power of its People and Purpose to put communities at the Heart of its success. Learn more by visiting Southwest.com/citizenship.
- Based on U.S. Dept. of Transportation quarterly Airline Origin & Destination Survey as of Q4 2025
- Fulltime-equivalent active Employees as of March 31, 2026
ABOUT AIR PREMIA
Air Premia, the only long-haul specialized airline in South Korea, operates on the philosophy of being a “beloved airline that provides high-quality services with only the essentials” and offers premium services comparable to full-service carriers at reasonable prices.
Since launching its first international service in July 2022, Air Premia has rapidly established its presence by operating key routes to Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Tokyo. Notably, it focuses on long-haul routes that low-cost carriers typically do not operate, while maintaining price competitiveness compared to full-service carriers. This approach aligns well with the growing “value-for-money travel” trend. Air Premia has expanded its transpacific network with services to Honolulu and, most recently, Washington, D.C., further strengthening its presence in the U.S. market.
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