Air Seoul

Since early 2014, Asiana Airlines had considered launching a second low-cost carrier (LCC) in addition to Air Busan. It initially faced difficulties in proceeding with the project because of the Asiana Airlines Flight 214 crash in July 2013.^[1] Asiana has only a minority 46% stake in Air Busan, while it has a controlling stake in Air Seoul.^[2] Air Busan is based in Busan, which has allowed other LCCs such as Jin Air and Jeju Air to fill the Seoul market; Air Seoul is based in Seoul.^[3] The goals of Air Seoul are to strengthen Asiana's competition with other South Korean LCCs and to improve Asiana's performance in certain markets, such as secondary Japanese cities.^[1][3]

The airline was established on 7 April 2015. In June 2016, Air Seoul operated trial flights within South Korea.^[4] On 5 July 2016, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced it had granted Air Seoul its air operator's certificate. Flights between Seoul–Gimpo and Jeju commenced on 11 July.^[5][6] The airline started flights to Japan in October 2016, its first international routes^[7] and has since moved to become a purely international airline.

On 7 November 2016, Air Seoul announced that it had collaborated with Naver WEBTOON to produce a safety video. Some of the works featured in this video include Denma, The Sound of Heart, and Noblesse.^[8] Air Seoul began offering an in-flight magazine entitled Your Seoul to passengers in January 2017. The magazine advertises the tourist attractions in the airline's hub city, Seoul.^[9] In 2018, it carried 1.7 million passengers in 2018, up by 109% from 2017.^[10]

On 21 March 2019, Air Seoul with collaboration of Naver WEBTOON's LICO^[11] introduced a new in-flight safety video. Air Seoul is the first Korean airline to produce an in-flight safety video based on 3D animation created using LICO's character "Hwang-goo".^[12] On 7 October 2019, Air Seoul launched an in-flight entertainment service named "Cinema in the Sky'.^[13][14] On 16 December 2019, Air Seoul launched a Hanoi – Seoul route. The airline has confirmed that Tam Vuong had become an official representative of Air Seoul in Vietnam.^[15][16]

In 2023, the airline achieved its best-ever performance, with revenue of 310.9 billion won and operating profit of 64.4 billion won. Its operating profit margin was also the highest among domestic airlines.^[17]

As a result of Asiana Airlines merger with Korean Air, the airline, as well as Air Busan will be integrated to Jin Air, Korean Air's subsidiary.

Air Seoul is a fully owned subsidiary of Asiana Airlines.^[18] Its headquarters are located in the Kumho Asiana Main Tower in Seoul, and its chief executive officer is Cho Jin-man.^[19] On 1 January 2018, Air Seoul inaugurated its new chief executive officer,^[19][20] formerly Ryu Kwang-hee.^[21]

On 1 January 2021, Air Seoul appointed its new chief executive officer prior to Asiana Airlines acquisition,^[19][22] replacing Cho Kyu-yung.

As of June 2025^[update], Air Seoul flies (or has flown) the following destinations:^[23]

• Asiana Airlines
• List of airlines of South Korea
• Transport in South Korea