Air Premia to launch Incheon-Ningbo route, eyes China network expansion

Air Premia announced Friday it will launch service on the Incheon-Ningbo route on Dec. 6.

The route marks the airline's first regular scheduled service to China, operating three times a week on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Flights depart Incheon International Airport at 10 a.m. and arrive in Ningbo at 11:30 a.m., while the return service leaves Ningbo at 1 p.m. and lands at Incheon International Airport at 4:35 p.m. All times are local to each airport and are subject to change pending government approval.

Ningbo, located in China's Zhejiang Province, is a major industrial city built on manufacturing and trade. The Ningbo-Zhoushan Port serves as a critical logistics hub underpinning China's foreign trade and global supply chains.

According to Zhejiang Seaport Investment & Operation Group, which operates the port, Ningbo-Zhoushan handled a total cargo volume of 1.43 billion tons in 2025, maintaining its position as the world's busiest port for 17 consecutive years. Container throughput that year reached 43.872 million TEUs (one TEU equals one 20-foot container), ranking third globally.

Ningbo also offers a range of historical and cultural attractions. Notable sites include Tianyi Pavilion, recognized as the oldest surviving private library in Asia; Laowaitan, a historic port district that opened in 1844; and the Hemudu ruins, a Neolithic cultural site dating back roughly 7,000 years.

Air Premia is moving to expand its Asian route network ahead of new services to Ningbo and Sapporo and the resumption of its Ho Chi Minh City route, all planned for December. The airline said it intends to pursue a broader push into the China market, with the Ningbo launch serving as the starting point.

"This Ningbo service is significant as Air Premia's first regular route to China," an airline official said. "Once we add the Incheon-Shanghai route in the future, we expect our connectivity with major Chinese cities to strengthen further. We will continue to expand our route network to offer new travel options for both tourism and business customers and to meet the diverse needs of our passengers."

Meanwhile, Air Premia recently increased the economy-class seat pitch on its HL8703 aircraft from 31 inches (about 79 centimeters) to 33 inches (about 84 centimeters). The reconfiguration work began in mid-October, and the aircraft returned to service Saturday.

As a result, the total seat count on the aircraft fell from 344 to 326 — a reduction of 18 seats, or about 5.2 percent. The airline said it weighed both seat supply and passenger comfort in making the decision, prioritizing more cabin space for long-haul travelers even at the cost of fewer seats.