Jeju Air tops domestic LCC passenger rankings in H1, carrying over 1 million flyers every month

Jeju Air was the only domestic low-cost carrier (LCC) to transport more than 1 million passengers every month in the first half of this year. Analysts say demand-driven route strategy — including expanded service on Japan routes and increased supply on Jeju routes — drove the growth.

The airline said Monday it carried 6.5988 million passengers from January through June, up 16.5 percent from 5.662 million in the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's aviation information portal.

Both domestic and international traffic rose. Domestic passengers totaled 2.372 million, up 14.7 percent year on year, while international passengers reached 4.227 million, a 17.5 percent increase.

Jeju Air recorded more than 1 million passengers in each of the six consecutive months from January through June — the only domestic LCC to do so every month during that period.

Passenger growth outpaced flight growth by a wide margin. Jeju Air operated 38,696 flights in the first half, up 8.4 percent from 35,673 in the same period last year — 13,403 on domestic routes and 25,293 on international routes. The 16.5 percent rise in passengers was roughly double the 8.4 percent increase in flights.

The airline's average load factor of 90.8 percent also exceeded the domestic LCC average of 88.3 percent. Domestic routes posted a load factor of 93.6 percent and international routes 89.3 percent.

Jeju Air has been adjusting capacity to focus on high-demand routes. It launched new service on the Incheon–Kobe route and added flights on major Japan routes including Tokyo Narita, Osaka, Fukuoka, Nagoya and Okinawa, concentrating aircraft and departures on popular destinations amid sustained demand for travel to Japan.

Ahead of the summer peak season, the carrier has also reinforced some short- and medium-haul international routes. The Incheon–Ulaanbaatar route will operate twice a week and the Incheon–Yanji route five times a week, both through Aug. 18.

On domestic routes, Jeju Air expanded capacity on Jeju services. Using all the Gimpo–Jeju slots allocated in January, the airline added four round trips per day on that route starting in March. As a result, Gimpo–Jeju flights in the first half rose 16.1 percent to 8,029, from 6,912 in the same period last year.

The Incheon–Jeju route, which launched in May, will continue through October. The move aims to broaden access to Jeju for travelers in western Greater Seoul and users of Incheon International Airport.

Competition among LCCs over capacity on short- and medium-haul routes to Japan, Southeast Asia and Mongolia has intensified ahead of the summer holiday season. For airlines, the ability to respond quickly to actual demand on specific routes — rather than simply adding flights — is increasingly the key factor determining profitability and load factors.

"Through efficient route management based on customer demand and stable supply expansion, we have maintained our position as the top domestic LCC by passenger numbers," a Jeju Air official said. "In the second half, we will continue responding to diversifying travel demand to offer reasonable travel experiences and expand consumer choice."