Hanjin Group plans to fully integrate Korean Air and Asiana Airlines under the Korean Air brand by December 2026. Hanjin Group Chairman Walter Cho outlined the strategy in his New Year’s message, stating that Korean Air and Asiana Airlines will become an integrated Korean Air, operating about 240 aircraft.
The merger timeline targets completion around December 17, 2026, following regulatory approval. This follows the antitrust regulator’s plan to integrate Asiana’s mileage program into Korean Air’s system starting late 2026. Asiana members will retain miles for 10 years, convertible to Korean Air miles at a one-to-one ratio for flight-earned miles and one-to-0.82 for credit card and partner miles. Elite status will match equivalent Korean Air tiers, expanding redemption to 128 destinations.
Separately, Hanjin Group’s low-cost carriers—Jin Air, Air Busan, and Air Seoul—will merge under the Jin Air brand with about 60 aircraft. All Hanjin Group airlines, including Korean Air and Asiana, will adopt Starlink satellite internet for in-flight connectivity, with installations starting in 2026 and fleetwide completion by the end of 2027. Korean Air has made minimal executive changes to prioritize stable operations during the integration.