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Multiple airlines across Asia have substantially increased their fuel surcharges for flights in May following similar hikes in April, as the rising costs of aviation fuel continue to inflate travel expenses. These new adjustments impact both domestic and international flights, with some surcharges nearly doubling or increasing up to five times compared to previous months. This trend reflects airlines’ ongoing efforts to offset the higher costs of fuel, which remains a major factor influencing operating expenses and ticket prices.
Spring Airlines has announced an increase in fuel surcharges for flights departing from South Korea for tickets booked between May 1 and May 31. Fees will be set at USD 42 for routes under 499 miles, USD 58 for those between 500 and 1,000 miles, and USD 96 for routes between 1,000 and 1,500 miles. In March, the airline raised fuel surcharges twice for South Korea routes. For instance, the surcharge for the Jeju–Shanghai route increased to CNY 287 (about USD 22) in May from CNY 150 (about USD 22) in April, while the Jeju–Shenyang route fee rose to CNY 396 (around USD 31) from CNY 212.
All Nippon Airways has also notified agents of increased fuel surcharges starting May 1, with fees on routes from mainland China to Japan rising to CNY 441 from CNY 275, marking an increase of more than 60 percent.
South Korean airlines are implementing comparable increases. Korean Air will raise international route surcharges in May, with one-way fees ranging from KRW 75,000 to KRW 564,000 (approximately USD 51 to USD 383), nearly five times higher than in March. Both Asiana Airlines and Jin Air have also adjusted their surcharges for international flights upward.
Typically, airlines modify fuel surcharges in response to fluctuations in fuel prices. International route surcharges for Chinese airlines are revised irregularly, while domestic surcharges are adjusted on a monthly basis.
Last month, domestic airlines raised fuel surcharges for international routes in multiple waves, with some increases doubling previous levels. From April 5, domestic surcharges also surged significantly, rising up to five times their former rates. Presently, domestic surcharges are set at CNY 60 (USD 9) for segments up to 800 kilometers and CNY 120 for longer routes. The next update for domestic route surcharges is scheduled for May 5.
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