Air Premia to Launch Newark to Seoul Nonstop Route This May

There’s a new low-cost airline you may not have heard of — and it’s coming to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) this summer.

South Korean budget carrier Air Premia will connect Newark (EWR) to Seoul (ICN) by way of seasonal service from from May 22 through October 27, 2023.

Here are the details.

There’s a New Low-cost Way to Fly to Seoul

We’re used to long-haul, low-cost transatlantic flight announcements, but transpacific equivalents — especially from the East Coast — are a rarer phenomenon.

When Air Premia’s service to Newark launches, it will herald the only nonstop service between the 2 airports, joining Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) as the carrier’s second nonstop service to the U.S.

The service will operate 4x weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays inbound from Seoul, and on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays outbound from Newark. The schedule is as follows:

• Depart Seoul (ICN) 9:05 p.m. — Arrive Newark (EWR) 10 p.m. 
• Depart Newark (EWR) 12:30 a.m. — Arrive Seoul (ICN) 4:25 a.m. (+1)

The flights will be operated by the airline’s 3 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners which make up its entire fleet.

True to low-cost carrier form, you won’t find any lie-flat beds on these jets.

Hot Tip: If you’re like us, then you probably prefer to do your long-haul flying in a bit more comfort than a reclining seat. You can do exactly that without breaking the bank thanks to these points and miles options to get to South Korea from the U.S.

Instead, Air Premia’s Dreamliners have a premium economy class (Premia42), and a regular economy class (Economy35).

The forward Premia42 cabin has 56 premium economy seats in 2-3-2 configuration, while there are 253 seats in the Economy35 cabin in a 3-3-3 configuration, which is industry-standard for Dreamliner aircraft in economy.

Fares start at around $980 for a return ticket in economy, which includes 2 checked bags. That’s around $300 cheaper than the lowest fare offered by Asiana — one of the full service carrier alternatives from New York-JFK.

With just 2 months to go before the inaugural flight on May 22, only time will tell if Air Premia can capture enough demand to keep this route sustainable. The airline hopes that cheaper fares will make travelers between the 2 cities choose Air Premia rather than a legacy carrier.

Who Is Air Premia?

Founded in 2017, Air Premia pitches itself as a hybrid airline and has a very small network of routes with only 2 long haul destinations from Seoul — both in the U.S.

International destinations include Bangkok (BKK), Ho Chi Minh City (SGN), Singapore (SIN), and Tokyo (NRT) in Asia, as well as Los Angeles (LAX), and now, Newark (EWR).

Final Thoughts

It’s always exciting to hear of a new airline coming to town, especially when it means a new destination like Seoul.

Here’s to the route’s success and more U.S. destinations to come in the future!