Tway Air to Launch Nonstop Seoul–Vancouver Service
South Korea’s low-cost carrier T’way Air will enter the North American market for the first time on July 12 with the introduction of nonstop flights between Seoul Incheon International Airport and Vancouver International Airport. Operating four times per week with Airbus A330-300 aircraft, T’way Air aims to offer travelers a budget-friendly alternative on the 5,093-mile (4,426-nautical-mile) transpacific route.
Currently served daily by Air Canada and 12 times a week by Korean Air, the Incheon–Vancouver market sees approximately 11,000 two-way seats on nonstop flights each week. T’way’s entry will add roughly 2,700 seats, increasing total capacity by nearly 25 percent. Leisure travelers and members of the Korean diaspora in western Canada—estimated at 50,000 in the Greater Vancouver area—are expected to account for strong initial demand on the route.
The Vancouver launch is part of T’way’s broader push into long-haul international routes. Having previously focused on short- and medium-haul connections within Asia, the airline expanded to Europe last year with new services to Barcelona, Frankfurt, Paris Charles de Gaulle and Rome Fiumicino. These additions were made possible through a partnership with Korean Air, which acquired rival Asiana Airlines in late 2023. Under the terms of that merger and accompanying regulatory concessions, Korean Air has leased five A330-300s to T’way and opened up key international routes that T’way may operate.
T’way Air’s capacity has surged as a result. For the week commencing May 12, 2025, the carrier’s available seat-kilometers (ASKs) increased by 26 percent year-on-year, reflecting the impact of its new widebody fleet. By deploying A330-300s, T’way can offer a premium economy-style seat layout with three-class cabins, in-flight entertainment, and additional legroom—amenities that help it compete with full-service airlines on long routes.
The twice-weekly Incheon–Vancouver flights will depart Seoul on Tuesdays and Thursdays, returning from Vancouver to Incheon on Wednesdays and Fridays. T’way plans to ramp up frequency to three weekly roundtrips by July 2026, pending market performance and bilateral traffic rights. The airline’s ongoing goal is to balance low fares with reliable service, capturing both price-sensitive leisure traffic and travelers seeking direct flights without the layovers required on competing routings.
Industry observers note that Vancouver’s strong connections to East Asia make it an attractive gateway for carriers seeking to tap into transpacific demand beyond the traditional Los Angeles and San Francisco markets. In addition to serving Canada’s west coast, the Vancouver flights offer convenient one-stop connections on domestic and U.S. feeder routes via T’way’s expanding partnership network with regional airlines.
T’way’s entry is also likely to prompt fare adjustments on the Incheon–Vancouver corridor, where carriers have traditionally maintained premium pricing. With four new flight options each week, travelers can expect more competitive pricing and promotional offers during the initial launch period. T’way has indicated it will introduce introductory “fly-and-save” fares, including discounted roundtrip tickets and special baggage allowances to stimulate early bookings.
As T’way prepares for its North American debut, it continues to explore additional long-haul opportunities in collaboration with Korean Air. Potential future targets include routes to Australia, the Middle East and secondary European cities, leveraging its A330 fleet and low-cost structure to serve niche markets. By steadily expanding its network footprint, T’way aims to establish itself as a leading Asian LCC with a truly global reach by the end of the decade.
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