Korea Times BusinessKRfinanceAug 25, 2026, 4:22 AMImpact 32.04

T'way Air sees 90% international load factor as travelers spread their wings

T’way Air carried about 3.8 million international passengers in the first half of 2026, as demand for overseas travel pushed its average international load factor to about 90 percent. The airline carried about 5.6 million passengers overall during the six-month period, with international traffic rising about 12 percent from roughly 3.38 million passengers a year earlier. The strongest routes shifted with the seasons, offering a snapshot of how Korean travelers chose destinations throughout the first half of the year. In January, Cheongju-Fukuoka and Daegu-Fukuoka were among the most popular routes, while Cheongju-Osaka and Cheongju-Fukuoka led in February. By March, demand had moved toward resort destinations, with Incheon-Boracay and Incheon-Nha Trang among the top-performing routes. April brought strong demand for Incheon-Bangkok, Incheon-Sapporo and Gimpo-Songshan, while Daegu-Fukuoka led in May and Incheon-Bangkok and Incheon-Sapporo topped the list in June. Those monthly leaders recorded an average load factor of more than 96 percent, the airline said. The pattern suggested a progres