A Korean Air Boeing 777-300ER aircraft [Korean Air]
A Korean Air Boeing 777-300ER aircraft [Korean Air]

Korean Air is rolling out a ticket discount promotion targeting travelers to Greater China destinations. The campaign aims to capture both summer vacation demand and pre-Chuseok travel interest, as China's visa-free entry policy for South Koreans has lowered the barrier to travel.

Korean Air announced Tuesday that it will run a month-long promotion marking the first anniversary of its themed Greater China travel curation series, running Wednesday through Aug. 14.

The series, which Korean Air launched in July last year, introduces Greater China travel destinations in line with seasonal trends and travel patterns, pairing destination content with ticket discounts and prize events.

During the promotion period, customers who purchase tickets for eligible routes through the Korean Air website or mobile app will receive a 10 percent discount. The travel period covered runs from Wednesday through Sept. 22.

Eligible routes departing from Incheon include Hong Kong, Macau, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Xi'an, Wuhan, Zhangjiajie, Zhengzhou, Changsha, Qingdao and Dalian. From Busan, routes to Taipei, Beijing and Qingdao are also included.

A prize draw is open to customers who purchase tickets and enter the event. One winner will receive two round-trip Prestige Class tickets to a Greater China destination, while two other winners will each receive two round-trip economy tickets. Thirty additional winners will receive two-person Megabox cinema packages.

A separate event is available for customers who complete a survey. Korean Air will draw 50 respondents to receive chicken-and-cola set gift vouchers.

The airline said the promotion focuses less on straightforward discounts and more on helping customers choose a destination. Because Greater China encompasses a wide range of travel experiences — major cities, resort destinations and historical and cultural sites — Korean Air said it aims to make destination selection easier through themed content.

Interest in recovering China routes has been growing across the aviation industry, alongside demand for Japan and Southeast Asia. Korean Air said its passenger revenue in the second quarter rose from the same period last year, and the airline has been expanding capacity on key routes in response to growing Middle East transit demand and an increase in inbound visitors to South Korea.

"This promotion was designed to curate a variety of Greater China destinations by theme, making it easier for customers to choose where to travel," a Korean Air official said. "We will continue to expand our Greater China travel promotions to offer new travel experiences along with competitive ticket benefits."

Meanwhile, members of the airline's in-house choir, KE Choir, recently visited a senior center at Deungchon 1 Community Welfare Center in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, to perform a charity concert for elderly residents — part of the airline's ongoing corporate social responsibility activities.


kwater@heraldcorp.com