Asiana Airlines will shut down in December

Asiana Airlines will fly into the sunset on 17 December 2026, almost 40 years after it was founded, as the carrier is folded into rival Korean Air following a $2bn takeover which will catapult the flag carrier to become one of the world’s ten largest airlines.

Asiana will also leave the Star Alliance group, given that Korean Air belongs to the SkyTeam family.

However, its Asiana Club loyalty program will continue for 10 years, with a status match to the equivalent Korean Air Skypass elite tiers and the ability to transfer their mileage to Skypass.

Asiana has already moved out of Seoul’s Incheon Terminal 1 into Korean Air’s hub at Terminal 2, where renovated business and first class lounges will more than double their footprint, with seating capacity growing from 898 to 1,566 passengers.

Korean Air is opening a series of elegant new lounges at Seoul and around the world.

Asiana has effectively operated as a subsidiary of Korean Air since the mega-merger was finalised in late 2024.

December 17 “serves as the official point where Asiana Airlines is fully incorporated into the unified Korean Air brand and operational framework,” a Korean Air spokesman tells Executive Traveller.

“On this date, Asiana Airlines will legally become a dissolved company.”

The Asiana brand won’t vanish overnight, however – it will remain for some time on the airline’s jets during an extended transition period “to ensure a systematic and smooth alignment of all brand elements,” the Korean Air spokesman said.

The Asiana fleet will eventually be repainted in Korean Air's new-look livery.

“The retirement of the Asiana brand will occur progressively across various channels.”

“While digital platforms and core service systems are prioritized for the official launch date, the physical transformation of aircraft livery will follow a phased schedule to maintain operational stability.”

The combined fleet will number around 250 aircraft – but as to the fate of Asiana’s Airbus A380 superjumbos, the Korean Air spokesman said “we are reviewing all fleet options to ensure an optimised network upon full integration in 2026.”

Although Korean Air previously intended to phase out its own Airbus A380 and Boeing 747-8 jets by the end of last year, ongoing delays in the arrival of new aircraft have put those plans on hold and will keep the four-engine jets in the sky.

“The A380 has been in our fleet for about 12 years, and I had a plan to retire them,” Korean Air CEO Walter Cho told Executive Traveller in July 2025.

Asiana's A380s may remain flying for several years to come...

However, like every other airline, Korean Air is waiting on deliveries from Airbus and Boeing – among them the Airbus A350, Boeing 787 and Boeing 777-9.

“We are short by about 20 aircraft per manufacturer,” Cho admitted. “That’s why the older A380s and 747-8s and the very old 777s are still flying… that’s why we have not retired them yet.”

“As soon as we get new aeroplanes, as soon as the next opportunity comes, those two airplanes (A380s and 747s) will be phased out.”

Also read: Korean Air confirms new first class suites