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Fuel surcharges go up again on international tickets issued in Korea from October 1.
The level moves from 21 in September to 23 in October, the second rise in a row.

The increase itself is small: on Korean Air, Southeast Asia goes up by roughly KRW 6,000–9,000 one way.
The useful part is that the surcharge is based on when you buy, not when you fly.
If you have not bought tickets for an October or year-end trip yet, ticketing by September 30 keeps September’s rate.

Korean Air Airbus A330 taking off past a control tower
Korean Air A330 departing Los Angeles, 2013. Photo: InSapphoWeTrust from Los Angeles, California, USA / CC BY-SA 2.0

October surcharges (one way from Korea)

Airline September (level 21) October (level 23)
Korean Air KRW 48,000 – 354,000 KRW 49,000 – 362,600
Asiana — KRW 53,400 – 301,200

Korean Air by distance (as compiled by Air Travel Info, in Korean):

One-way distance Example routes September October
up to 499 miles Fukuoka, Qingdao, Dalian 48,000 49,000
500–999 Tokyo, Osaka, Sapporo, Shanghai, Taipei 66,000 65,800
1,000–1,499 Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Ulaanbaatar 91,500 98,000
1,500–1,999 Da Nang, Hanoi, Cebu, Manila 109,500 116,200
2,000–2,999 Bangkok, Singapore, Guam, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc 153,000 162,400
3,000–3,999 Bali, Jakarta 156,000 168,000
4,000–4,999 Honolulu, Dubai, Istanbul 216,000 226,800
5,000–6,499 Major European cities, LA, Seattle, Sydney 325,500 322,000
6,500–9,999 New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Toronto 354,000 362,600

Interestingly, Japan (500–999 miles) and Europe/US West Coast (5,000–6,499 miles) actually go down slightly.
Surcharges are set in US dollars and converted, so some bands can dip.
If you are flying to Japan or Europe, there is no need to rush.

Why it went up

The surcharge is based on the average Singapore jet fuel price from the 16th of two months earlier to the 15th of the previous month.
For October, the August 16 – September 15 average was USD 158.57 a barrel, about 6% higher than a month before.
The industry points to renewed clashes between the US and Iran around the Strait of Hormuz (Newsis, in Korean).

This year so far:

Month May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct
Level 33 27 19 14 21 23

Still well below May’s peak of 33, but noticeably higher than August.
Travel Times calculates that a family of four flying Korean Air to Bangkok pays KRW 252,800 more in surcharges than in August.

Korean Air check-in counters at Incheon Airport Terminal 2
Korean Air check-in at Incheon Terminal 2, October 2024. Photo: Narubaru7 / CC BY 4.0

When buying before September 30 helps

Destination (Korean Air) Extra if bought in October
Da Nang, Hanoi, Cebu KRW 6,700 one way (13,400 return)
Bangkok, Singapore, Nha Trang KRW 9,400 one way (18,800 return)
Bali KRW 12,000 one way (24,000 return)
Honolulu KRW 10,800 one way (21,600 return)
New York, Chicago KRW 8,600 one way (17,200 return)

For a family of four, even Southeast Asia adds up to KRW 50,000–70,000 return.
If the trip and dates are fixed, ticketing this week saves a little.

Before rushing, check a few things:

  • Change and refund rules: on cheap fares, fees can be far bigger than the surcharge difference.
  • The base fare: fares move much more than a few thousand won of surcharge.
  • The total at checkout: the surcharge is bundled in, so compare final prices.
Jeju Air Boeing 737 MAX 8 climbing out of Incheon
Jeju Air 737 MAX 8 departing Incheon, June 2026. Photo: S5A-0043 / CC BY 4.0

Low-cost carriers

Low-cost airlines usually change their surcharges monthly in the same way, but the amounts differ.
Check your airline’s notice for October’s figures.

Sources: Newsis · Travel Times · Air Travel Info – October table (all in Korean)
Checked September 26, 2026

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