CNMI tourism stakeholders are preparing a formal petition to South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission seeking an exemption that would allow Korean Air and its affiliates to count Korea–Saipan flights toward their required seat quota on the Korea–Guam route
The initiative aims to address unintended consequences of the commission’s merger conditions for Korean Air and Asiana Airlines. Under current rules, the merged carriers must maintain 90% of their 2019 seat capacity on the Korea–Guam route. In August 2025, that translated to an average of 2,300 daily seats supplied by Korean Air and its low-cost subsidiaries Jin Air, Air Seoul and Air Busan.
The oversupply has driven down fares, with round-trip tickets to Guam selling for as low as $150 on budget carriers and $250 on full-service airlines—far below pre-merger prices of $400 to $500.
Saipan, meanwhile, has seen reduced air service, higher fares and falling passenger numbers.
“At $250, travelers can fly to Guam on a full-service carrier with meals included,” said Dennis Seo, chairman of the Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands and a board member of the Marianas Visitors Authority. “There’s little incentive to choose Saipan at more than double the cost on a low-cost carrier.”
“We are working as a team to find a solution or initiative,” the tourism official said.
Seo added that the proposed exemption would allow Korean Air and its affiliates to operate Korea–Saipan flights while still meeting the Guam seat quota, helping restore market balance and revitalize the CNMI’s tourism sector.
