Press Release
Japan Airlines and Korean Air Announce Strategic Partnership
― Leading the further revitalization of passenger and cargo flows between Japan and South Korea, and contributing to sustainable economic and cultural development ―
At the signing of the MOU on the Strategic Partnership Left: KE Vice Chairman Keehong Woo, Right: JAL President Tottori
At the Joint Declaration of Strategic Partnership on September 3 Center-left: Ross Leggett, Senior Managing Executive Officer, Japan Airlines;
Center-right: Jungho Choi , Executive Vice President, Korean Air
Tokyo, JAPAN―Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President and Group CEO: Mitsuko Tottori; hereinafter "JAL") and Korean Air (Headquarters: Seoul, South Korea; Chairman and CEO: Walter Cho; hereinafter "KE") reaffirm the deep trust and historical ties built over more than 60 years, and announce the promotion of a strategic partnership to work hand-in-hand toward the future and contribute to further development.
This strategic partnership will elevate the strong cooperative system that both companies have cultivated to the next level, creating new value and customer experiences in the global market, starting with Japan and South Korea.
On December 17, 2026, KE will complete its integration of Asiana Airlines, significantly expanding its scale and reach as a leading global airline. With the launch of the integrated airline, not only the connection between JAL and KE but also the skies between Japan and South Korea will enter a new stage. Both airlines reaffirm their 60- year ties and declare once again that they will deepen their partnership further for the future, building upon the foundation of trust and shared history.
■ The 60-Year History and Deep Bond between JAL and KE
JAL and KE have built an exceptionally deep and amicable relationship for over 60 years.
In the early 1960s, as Korean Air launched its early commercial services, JAL rendered valuable technical and operational expertise, allowing the two airlines to collaboratively establish civil aviation links prior to diplomatic normalization.
Therefore, JAL and KE negotiated as private companies and signed the "Agreement on the Basic Concept of Cooperation between Japan Airlines and Korean Air" in April 1963. In an extremely unusual arrangement, both governments approved the agreement between the two airlines, leading to the launch of Japan-Korea joint flights(*) in the spring of 1964. This established a solid foundation for today's Japan-Korea routes.
Following the normalization of diplomatic relations in 1965, the partnership between the two airlines grew even stronger. To this day, both carriers maintain a deep friendship, continuously contributing to goodwill, economic development, and cultural exchange between the two nations.
(*) JAL inaugurated the Tokyo-Seoul route, and KE inaugurated the Seoul-Osaka route, respectively.
■The Future Vision through Deepened Large-Scale, Comprehensive Collaboration between
JAL and KE
1. Expansion of Existing Partnerships and Improvement of Convenience
Partnerships including codeshare and frequent flyer cooperation will be evaluated and progressively aligned with the expanded network of the integrated airline. Leveraging the vast network of integrated airline, the companies will offer even more diverse and convenient choices to their customers.
2. Contribution to the Aviation Industry and Resolution of Social Issues through Collaboration in New Domains
The companies will promote large-scale collaboration that goes beyond the conventional aviation business framework, leading the rapidly changing aviation industry. By bringing together the resources of both companies, they will strive to resolve social issues through initiatives contributing to the improvement of sustainability in the aviation sector.
About Korean Air
Serving the world for more than 55 years, Korean Air is one of the world's top 20 airlines, carrying more than 25 million passengers in 2025. With its global hub at Incheon International Airport (ICN), the airline serves 116 cities in 39 countries on five continents with a modern fleet of 166 aircraft and over 20,000 professional employees.
Korean Air's outstanding performance and commitment to the highest level of safety and customer service has widely been recognized. The airline has been granted numerous awards including a 5-star airline rating from Skytrax as well as Airline of the Year from both Air Transport World and Airline Ratings.
For more information about Korean Air, please visit www.koreanair.com, Korean Air Newsroom, facebook.com/KoreanAir, instagram.com/KoreanAirworld and x.com/koreanair_ke.