Korean Air Sees Travel Surge to China with Shanghai Top Destination

Korean Air has reported a significant year-on-year increase in passenger numbers traveling between South Korea and China for the year 2025, with Shanghai emerging as the most popular destination for South Korean travelers. The surge in travel is largely attributed to China's recent visa exemption for South Korean citizens.

According to the airline's recently published annual report, the number of passengers flying from South Korea to Shanghai rose by 128,000 compared to the previous year. Additionally, flights to Beijing and Qingdao also saw notable increases, with 71,000 and 63,000 more travelers respectively.

By the end of 2025, Korean Air anticipates transporting a total of 16.49 million passengers across its network, which comprises an impressive total flight distance of 280 million kilometers.

This travel boom follows a meeting led by South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok on August 6 aimed at revitalizing domestic tourism. During this meeting, it was decided that Chinese group tourists would receive visa exemptions from September 29, 2025, until June 30, 2026, as confirmed by Xinhua News Agency.

The South Korean prime minister's office highlighted that the visa-free policy is expected to boost domestic travel demand, as the local tourism sector is swiftly recovering post-pandemic. Meanwhile, the Chinese Ambassador to South Korea, Dai Bing, remarked on social media that this decision is favorable for Chinese tourists wishing to visit South Korea.

Since November of last year, China has unilaterally allowed visa-free entry for South Koreans, contributing to an upward trend in bilateral exchanges and travel. Evidence of this recovery is illustrated by the 90 percent increase in Chinese visitors at the Shinsegae Duty Free Shop in Seoul's Myeongdong area just one month after the visa policy took effect.

Additionally, sales at the shop saw a remarkable 40 percent rise during this period, proving the positive impact of eased travel restrictions.

In a related development, Qingdao Airlines is set to establish a direct flight route between Qingdao and Daegu, South Korea, starting on December 21. This route marks the first direct connection from East China's Shandong Province to Daegu, enhancing air travel options between these regions.

Qingdao airport reported that since China's visa exemption policy was enacted, it has managed 1.806 million passenger trips involving South Korean travelers as of November 7, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 23.6 percent. Inbound travel from South Korea accounted for 360,000 passenger trips, representing about 71 percent of all foreign passenger traffic at the airport.

With South Korea positioned as an alternative destination to Japan, the outbound travel market has shifted favorably towards regions including Southeast Asia and Europe. Recent data from Tongcheng Travel indicates that South Korea's popularity as a travel hub is expected to achieve a new multi-year high.

The trend of Chinese travelers opting against Japan has accelerated since late November, suggesting that major Asian economies like South Korea and Indonesia are likely to benefit significantly from this shift in travel preferences.