SEOUL, July 9, 2026, 23:07 (KST)
- Air Premia and Southwest started an interline partnership, connecting Seoul routes to Southwest’s network in the U.S.
- The partnership covers Los Angeles, San Francisco and Honolulu, and bookings are already open.
- Southwest shares traded higher in morning New York action with U.S. markets open.
Air Premia, based in South Korea, said it started an interline partnership with Southwest Airlines, allowing its passengers to connect to over 120 U.S. cities on one ticket via Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Honolulu. The airline said it’s the first Korean carrier to set up this kind of agreement with Southwest.
This is notable as Southwest, which mostly operates within the U.S., is signing up foreign partners even as it considers more global plans. Reuters said last year the Dallas airline was weighing long-haul routes and premium seats while it tries to revamp under calls to expand and win over passengers who pay more.
An interline agreement is a simple commercial deal that allows a passenger to book a trip with two airlines on one ticket, instead of buying them separately. This can make it easier to book and manage missed connections. It’s not the same as a major joint venture.
Air Premia and Southwest tickets are now on sale as of Wednesday, AirlineGeeks reported. Travelers can book through agencies and online sites. The airlines said the partnership should make it easier for Korean passengers to get to U.S. cities like Las Vegas, Houston, Phoenix, and Nashville, where nonstop service from Korea is limited or unavailable.
Air Premia CEO Yoo Myung-sub said the deal “significantly expands travel opportunities” for its customers. Andrew Watterson, COO at Southwest, said Air Premia “works to pair value and comfort” with its onboard service, which matches Southwest’s plan to pitch its big U.S. network to more travelers from abroad. TravelPulse
Air Premia flies Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners offering Wide Premium and economy classes, its website says. The airline now flies to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Honolulu, New York/Newark and Washington Dulles, adding Washington in April.
Southwest adds Air Premia as another international partner, marking its ninth interline deal, according to Travel Weekly. The carrier joins names like Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines and All Nippon Airways on Southwest’s list.
The headline number doesn’t show how tough the competition is. Korean Air and Delta Air Lines have a trans-Pacific joint venture, and the carriers say it links over 80 destinations in Asia and more than 290 in the Americas. That setup gives the two airlines a bigger sales and network base than a typical interline deal.
Southwest traded up roughly 1.4% at $49.34 in New York after the U.S. market opened. NYSE core trading hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET on standard days, according to the New York Stock Exchange.
But the deal isn’t full-scale. Southwest said its early airline partnerships won’t have Rapid Rewards loyalty built in at launch, though it expects to add that later. So for now, Air Premia’s U.S.-bound flyers might get more out of it than Southwest regulars looking for more alliance perks.
The real test is if the connection points hold up in practice. Air Premia gets broader U.S. reach from Los Angeles, San Francisco and Honolulu, no need to add planes. But what matters now is whether the schedule, fares and airport issues move the needle on passenger volume.
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