Major Korean airlines (FSCs) will raise international fuel surcharges by up to 17% in November compared to this month, due to rising global oil prices. This marks the third consecutive monthly increase since September. As a result, passengers booking round-trip tickets to the U.S. East Coast next month can expect an additional charge of approximately 90,000 KRW (about 68 USD).
Korean Air and Asiana Airlines announced on Friday their international fuel surcharges for flights departing Korea from November 1 to 30. The surcharges, which vary based on route distance, range from 55,600 KRW to 408,100 KRW (about 42 to 307 USD) for Korean Air and 62,400 KRW to 351,100 KRW (about 47 to 264 USD) for Asiana Airlines per one-way trip.
Compared to this month, Korean Air’s surcharges have increased by up to 13%, while Asiana Airlines’ have risen by 17%. For the longest routes to the U.S. East Coast, passengers will face an additional round-trip charge of about 91,000 KRW (about 68 USD) for Korean Air and 99,800 KRW (about 75 USD) for Asiana Airlines.
Korean Air’s fuel surcharges per route are as follows: 55,600 KRW (about 42 USD) for the shortest Northeast Asia routes like Fukuoka and Qingdao; 76,000 KRW (57 USD) for major Northeast Asia routes such as Tokyo and Beijing; 185,800 KRW (about 140 USD) for major Southeast Asia routes including Bangkok, Singapore, and Ho Chi Minh City; 371,000 KRW (about 279 USD) for Western Europe and U.S. West Coast routes like London, Paris, and Los Angeles; and 408,100 KRW (about 307 USD) for U.S. East Coast routes such as New York and Washington.
Asiana Airlines’ surcharges per route are: 62,400 KRW (about 47 USD) for the shortest Northeast Asia routes like Fukuoka and Qingdao; 92,200 KRW (about 69 USD) for major Northeast Asia routes such as Tokyo and Beijing; 178,900 KRW (about 134 USD) for Southeast Asia routes including Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City; 207,400 KRW (about 156 USD) for mid-range Asian routes like Singapore and Almaty; and 351,100 KRW (about 264 USD) for European and U.S. East and West Coast routes including London, Paris, Los Angeles, and New York.
The increase in fuel surcharges stems from rising Singapore jet fuel (MOPS) prices, which are used to calculate November’s surcharges. From September 16 to October 15, the average MOPS price reached 173.89 USD per barrel, up 15.32 USD from the previous month’s 158.57 USD. Consequently, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport’s tiered system for international fuel surcharges has risen to level 27 for November, up four steps from this month’s level 23.
Following the outbreak of the U.S.-Iran conflict on February 28, the international fuel surcharge increased from level 6 to 18 in April and reached an all-time high of level 33 in May. It then dropped to level 27 in June, 19 in July, and 14 in August due to falling MOPS prices. However, it has now increased for three consecutive months: level 21 in September, 23 in October, and 27 in November.
Fuel surcharges are included in the ticket price along with the fare and airport fees at the time of booking. Therefore, international tickets booked in November will be more expensive than those booked this month, even for flights on the same day. Current charges are four times higher than pre-conflict levels, which ranged from 13,500 KRW (about 10 USD) to 99,000 KRW (about 74 USD) for Korean Air and 14,600 KRW (about 11 USD) to 78,600 KRW (about 59 USD) for Asiana Airlines. Travelers planning year-end holiday trips should consider booking their tickets by the end of this month to avoid higher surcharges.
