South Korean airlines are set to implement the highest level of fuel surcharges for May flights due to surging global oil prices amidst escalating tensions in the Middle East. Carriers will base the May surcharges on the Mean of Platts Singapore (MOPS), which averaged US$214.71 per barrel from March 16 to April 15, placing them in the top-tier Level 33 bracket. This adjustment marks a significant increase from the previous month, with the May surcharge level rising from Level 18 in April, the steepest monthly increase since the system’s introduction in 2016.
Fuel surcharges, which are additional fees added to airfares to counter rising fuel costs, are revised monthly under a government-guided distance-based pricing system. Korean Air, the largest full-service carrier in the country, announced that its international one-way fuel surcharge for May will range between 75,000 won ($50.89) and 564,000 won, a notable increase from the rates in April. On long-haul routes like New York, Paris, and London, the surcharge will surge by 86 percent to 564,000 won. Asiana Airlines Inc., the second-largest carrier, and low-cost airlines such as Jeju Air Co. are expected to disclose their May surcharges soon.
Industry officials anticipate a surge in ticket purchases this month as fuel surcharges are determined based on the ticket issuance date, enabling travelers to secure relatively lower rates before the higher charges come into effect. In other news, South Korea experienced a record influx of foreign tourists in the first quarter of this year, primarily driven by a significant number of fans attending a landmark performance by K-pop megastar BTS in central Seoul last month. Preliminary data from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism revealed that 4.76 million foreign tourists visited the country between January and March, marking a 23 percent increase from the same period in 2025, the highest first-quarter figure on record.
