Delta Announces New Route to South Korea from MSP International Airport
Delta Air Lines is boosting the “International” in Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport. The Atlanta-based airliner announced Wednesday plans to introduce the first-ever service between the Twin Cities and Seoul, South Korea. The route will be nonstop and will enable travelers to get to cities throughout Southeast Asia, via Seoul Incheon Airport.
Seoul, the capital city of this year’s Winter Olympics host country, was named as a priority of an initiative launched in 2017 to engage markets of interest to Twin Cities businesses. The initiative, called the MSP Regional Air Service Partnership (RASP), is a collaboration between the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) and Greater MSP.
Chaired by Thomson Reuters executive vice president of operations Rick King and former U.S. Bank CEO Richard Davis, the RASP aims to identify destination needs of businesses and find airlines to serve those markets.
“Air service is a top priority for businesses in determining where to locate facilities and employees,” said Brian Ryks, executive director and chief executive officer of MAC, in a statement. “This new route is important not only because of the direct connection it offers to vital South Korean markets but also because travelers can reach dozens of other Asian cities.”
According to the Metropolitan Airports Commission, this new route marks just the second city in Asia with direct service from MSP International Airport. The other is Delta’s flight to Haneda Airport in Tokyo.
MSP International Airport’s existing nonstop offerings abroad include Amsterdam in the Netherlands, Frankfurt in Germany, London, Paris, and Iceland’s capital city of Reykjavik.
“Our greater MSP business community is thrilled that Delta has decided to add direct service between this market and Seoul, South Korea,” stated Michael Langley, CEO of Greater MSP. “It enhances our region’s global access and reach, and significantly increases our economic competitiveness.”
Currently positioned as the nation’s 16th busiest airport and Delta’s second-largest hub, MSP experienced a new passenger record in 2017 with 38 million people traveling through the airport. Delta’s new offering is among 48 routes added by 11 airlines since January 2016.
