Eastar Jet launches sole service on Incheon-Hohhot route, vows continued expansion

Eastar Jet announced Friday that it launched service on the Incheon-Hohhot route on Thursday.

The route, on which Eastar Jet is the sole carrier, operates twice a week starting Thursday. The inaugural flight was fully booked.

Outbound flights depart Incheon International Airport every Thursday and Sunday at 10:40 p.m., arriving at Hohhot Baita International Airport at 12:15 a.m. the following day (all times local). Return flights depart Hohhot every Friday and Monday at 1:20 a.m., arriving at Incheon International Airport at 4:30 a.m.

To mark the launch, Eastar Jet held an inaugural ceremony at Incheon International Airport on Thursday afternoon, attended by CEO Jo Jung-seok and company staff. Passengers on the first flight received commemorative gifts, and the event included a send-off wishing the flight and cabin crews a safe journey.

Hohhot, the capital of China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, offers sweeping natural landscapes — including the Xilamuren Grassland and Xiangshawan Desert — alongside cultural heritage sites such as the Dazhao Temple. The city is known for its star-filled night skies and, particularly in summer, its relatively cool climate, drawing travelers seeking an alternative warm-weather escape.

"Hohhot is an attractive destination where travelers can experience both distinctive natural scenery and the cultures of China and Mongolia," an Eastar Jet official said. "We will continue to expand new routes to broaden our customers' travel options."

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's aviation information portal, Eastar Jet operated about 20,000 flights across roughly 40 routes from January through June this year, covering domestic departures and international departures and arrivals. The airline supplied about 3.7 million seats, with about 3.43 million passengers on board, for an average load factor of 93 percent — the highest among domestic carriers.