Jetstar will launch 3x weekly flights from Gold Coast to Seoul, South Korea from 8 December 2019.
The Jetstar flights to Seoul’s Incheon International Airport will be operated by Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners with 314 Economy seats and 21 reclining Business seats. The flight time will be just over 9 hours.
Flights will run on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays with the following schedule:
- JQ49 Gold Coast 13:20 – Seoul Incheon 22:00
- JQ50 Seoul Incheon 23:30 – Gold Coast 09:45 (+1 day)
Jetstar will codeshare with Jeju Air, a Korean low-cost carrier, on the Gold Coast-Seoul route.
Launch fares of $179 one-way were being offered on Friday after Jetstar announced the new route. Standard fares appear to start from $249 one-way, or $473 return. That’s very reasonable, although this price does not include baggage, meals, entertainment or anything else other than a seat. Business class tickets start from $779 one-way.
Jetstar’s low fares are expected to stimulate demand, both from Australians visiting Seoul and Koreans visiting the Gold Coast. The new service could also place some additional price pressure on Asiana and Korean Air, the only two airlines currently flying direct between Australia and South Korea. Asiana and Korean Air both fly daily from Sydney to Seoul, while Korean Air flies from Brisbane to Seoul four times per week.
Jin Air, a Korean low-cost airline, has operated seasonal services between Cairns and Seoul over the past few Australian summer periods. Jin Air has since pulled out of the Cairns market, just as Cathay Pacific recently announced it would.
Qantas points can normally be used to book Jetstar flights. However, Jetstar has not yet released any award availability on the Gold Coast-Seoul route.
Jetstar already operates international flights from the Gold Coast to Tokyo and several destinations in New Zealand (but, surprisingly, not to Denpasar).
Join the discussion on the Australian Frequent Flyer forum: Jetstar flying to Seoul
