Expansion of Air Routes to Japanese Small Cities... New Incheon-Obihiro and Incheon-Ibaraki Services Launched

Aero K Airlines Launches New Routes

On November 11, Incheon International Airport Corporation announced that it has added new regular routes to Japan-Incheon to Obihiro and Incheon to Ibaraki-through its ‘Beyond ICN’ program, a collaborative marketing initiative with Japanese local governments and airports. With these additions, the number of regular routes to Japan now totals 31.

The Incheon-Obihiro route will be operated by Aero K Airlines twice a week starting today. The Incheon-Ibaraki route is scheduled to be operated by Aero K Airlines three times a week starting November 12.

Expansion of Air Routes to Japanese Small Cities... New Incheon-Obihiro and Incheon-Ibaraki Services Launched
At the ‘Incheon~Obihiro·Ibaraki New Route Launch Event’ held on the 11th at Incheon International Airport Terminal 1, attendees including Michio Kubo, Head of Sales Strategy Department at Ibaraki Prefectural Office (fourth from the left), Byungho Kang, CEO of Aero K Airlines (fifth from the left), and Dongik Shin, Head of Hub Strategy Department at Incheon International Airport Corporation (sixth from the left) are taking a commemorative photo. Incheon International Airport Corporation

Ibaraki, located about an hour by car from Tokyo, is a small city blending nature, history, and culture. It is famous for destinations such as Oarai Seaside Park, hot springs, and golf resorts.

Obihiro, situated in the Tokachi region of Hokkaido, serves as a key gateway when traveling through southeastern Hokkaido, including cities like Abashiri and Kushiro. Visitors can enjoy a variety of cultural experiences, from the world’s only sled horse racing to local dishes such as Butadon, a pork rice bowl.

Meanwhile, a launch event for the new Obihiro and Ibaraki routes was held that morning at Incheon International Airport Terminal 1. The ceremony was attended by Dongik Shin, Head of Hub Strategy Department at Incheon International Airport Corporation, Byungho Kang, CEO of Aero K Airlines, key officials from Obihiro City and Ibaraki Prefecture in Japan, as well as representatives from Hokkaido Airports Co., Ltd., commemorating the launch of the new routes.

Lee Hakjae, President of Incheon International Airport Corporation, stated, “Based on the network competitiveness of Incheon Airport as a Northeast Asian hub airport, we plan to expand region-specific marketing for major routes frequently used by Korean travelers. Building on this, we will actively attract new airlines and routes to further enhance convenience for international travelers.”