T’way Air Schedules North American Debut

South Korea’s T’way Air plans to make its North American debut in July, opening a new route to Vancouver.

The LCC will connect Seoul Incheon International Airport and Vancouver International Airport starting July 12, operating four flights per week using Airbus A330-300 aircraft.

The move will provide new competition on the 5,093-mi. (4,426-nm) route, which is served daily by Air Canada and 12 times per week by Korean Air, according to OAG Schedules Analyser data. Existing nonstop capacity between the two cities totals approximately 11,000 two-way seats per week, with T’way’s entry set to add an estimated 2,700 more.

The launch marks a significant step in T’way’s international expansion strategy as it moves beyond its traditional short- and medium-haul routes within Asia. The Vancouver service follows recent long-haul additions to Europe, where the airline now operates flights to Barcelona, Frankfurt, Paris Charles de Gaulle and Rome Fiumicino.

T’way’s ability to launch long-haul routes has been aided by Korean Air’s acquisition of Asiana Airlines. As part of regulatory concessions tied to the deal, Korean Air agreed to lease five A330 aircraft to T’way and allow it to operate several key international routes vacated or divested during the merger process.

With the addition of widebody aircraft and long-haul destinations, T’way has significantly boosted its capacity. For the week commencing May 12, 2025, the airline’s available seat kilometers are up by 26% year-on-year.

The airline’s planned entry into the transpacific market is expected to attract demand from both leisure travelers and the Korean diaspora in western Canada, which totals about 50,000 people in the Greater Vancouver area alone, while also pressuring fares on a route dominated by full-service carriers.