With a record 1.3 million Americans visiting South Korea in 2024, the United States has become its largest source of tourism outside of nearby Asian countries.
Amid the rise of K-pop music and general popularity of Korean culture over the last decade, cities like Seoul and Busan on the southeastern coast have been trending destinations for several consecutive years.
As another travel report noted, South Korea recorded a 48.4% spike in international visitors in the past year, and its tourism industry is the fastest-growing of any country in the world.
Amid this growing interest, a number of airlines have looked to expand their service to South Korea from both North America and Europe. In the U.S., the "big three" American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines all run flights to Seoul from cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Dallas, among others.
On the Asian side, flag carrier Korean Air runs both passenger and cargo flights to more than a dozen U.S. destinations, while local low-cost airline Parata Air is looking to creep into this market with its own flight between Seoul's Incheon International Airport (ICN) and LAX.
Parata Air launches new flight between Seoul and Los Angeles
Budget airline Parata Air, based in Yangyang International Airport (YNY) in the southeast of the country, began flying in 2019.
After a period of rapid expansion to closer destinations in Japan and Vietnam, it applied for U.S. Department of Transport (DoT) permission to launch the Seoul-Los Angeles flight by the summer of 2026.
As first reported by the Aviation A2Z watchdog, the route is slated to run on the Airbus A330-200 plane with room for 174 passengers. The same plane was used to run much shorter flights between Seoul and Yangyang, as well as Jeju Island off the coast of the country.
Parata Air CEO Yoon Chul-min said the first flights the airline launched immediately found a market, reaching 97% capacity. The goal in expanding to the U.S. is to "transcend the boundaries of full-service and low-cost carriers" with transatlantic flights, Chul-min explained.
How to score a low-cost flight to South Korea from the U.S.
"We don't plan to adhere to the existing distinction," Chul-min said in a press statement. "We aim to be an airline that starts with the services and routes that are essential from the customer's perspective, while providing an experience that stands out in the market."
As of 2025, two other South Korean budget airlines have limited service into the United States.
Seoul-based Air Premia flies to Honolulu, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Trinity Airways (recently rebranded from T'Way Air) also runs flights to the West Pacific territory of Guam, as well as the Canadian city of Vancouver for connections deeper into North America.
While Parata Air is too early in the approval process to reveal more specific timelines or prices, the low-cost international model typically wins over travelers who may be unfamiliar with the airline and its significantly lower ticket prices.
Emerging from the defunct Gangwon Airlines, Parata Air purchased two Airbus A320-200 and two Airbus A330-200 planes from airlines including Avianca and Alitalia.