More A380 & 747-8 Flights To Los Angeles

Los Angeles International Airport is set to receive additional Airbus A380 and Boeing 747-8 flights from Korean Air throughout Q2 2026.

The recent schedule changes, flagged by aeroroutes.com, will increase service between Seoul Incheon and Los Angeles from 14 weekly flights to 7.

Korean Air will operate a mix of Airbus A380 and Boeing 747-8 flights across its 17 weekly flights to best utilise its assets and meet strong demand between the two locations.

The increase from 14 to 17 flights per week will occur from 1 April 2026 through 29 June 2026, with aeroroutes.com providing an overview of the schedule changes as follows.

KE8015 ICN1225 – 0735LAX 74H 135
KE017 ICN1430 – 0940LAX 74H D
KE011 ICN1940 – 1450LAX 74H 357
KE011 ICN1940 – 1450LAX 388 x357

KE8016 LAX1000 – 1520+1ICN 74H 135
KE018 LAX1230 – 1750+1ICN 74H D
KE012 LAX2350 – 0500+2ICN 388 x357
KE012 LAX2350 – 0500+2ICN 74H 357

Korean Air’s A380 Retirement Plans

Korean Air’s use of the superjumbo Airbus A380 and even the Boeing 747-8 at increased frequencies comes amid an era when airlines are retiring their quad-engined types in favour of more efficient models.

However, usage and stories vary by airline, and at Korean Air, the planes are expected to remain in service longer than initially planned following the company’s mid-2025 decision, though it has not provided a concrete timeline for eventual retirement.

The decision to retain the Airbus A380, and even the Boeing 747-8, doesn’t come strictly out of their importance across the network even in 2026, but more so follows the ongoing supply chain woes at planemakers, which are preventing new aircraft from being delivered.

The South Korean carrier has been significantly affected by delays to new aircraft. It has been forced to keep aircraft in service longer than anticipated as it waits for next-generation twin-engine jets from Airbus and Boeing, including models such asthe A380 and 747-8.

Delays in new aircraft deliveries have become so severe that Korean Air says it is 40 aircraft short of its forecast, with models such as the 777-9, 787, and A350 for its widebody operation being delivered at a slow pace.