Airline codes
BX · ABL
IATA · ICAO · callsign “AIR BUSAN”
Air Busan’s IATA code is BX, its ICAO code is ABL, and the radio callsign is AIR BUSAN. Type BX and your flight number into a status search to follow an Air Busan flight.
Air Busan (BX) Guide
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Low-cost flights from Busan and Seoul to Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Japan, China, Vietnam and Guam: Air Busan routes, fleet, baggage, check-in, tips and the merger with Jin Air. Ask a question
In short
Air Busan is a low-cost airline from Busan, an Asiana Airlines subsidiary based at Gimhae International. Its Airbus A320-family jets fly to Thailand, Japan, China, Vietnam, Taiwan and Guam, handy for travellers starting in southern Korea. It has no alliance. All seats are Economy, with 10 kg of cabin baggage and 15 kg checked on international routes.
Air Busan is Asiana's Busan-based budget airline, due to merge into Jin Air in March 2027.
Please note: bookingMentor is an independent travel service and is not affiliated with Air Busan. Routes, schedules and baggage rules change, so always confirm the details of your booking with the airline.
What to expect
Air Busan is the regional low-cost airline of Busan and a subsidiary of Asiana Airlines. It was set up in August 2007 as Busan International Airlines, took its present name in February 2008 and flew its first service, Busan to Seoul Gimpo, that October. The head office is in Busanjin-gu and the hub is Gimhae International Airport, although the airline also runs international flights out of Seoul Incheon.
Thailand is served on two routes. Busan to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi is the year-round link and the most direct way between Korea's second city and the Thai capital. Seoul Incheon to Chiang Mai is a seasonal route, so it appears in the schedule for part of the year only; check the Seoul to Chiang Mai flights and Chiang Mai to Seoul flights pages for the carriers flying when you want to travel.
The brand has a limited future. Korean Air is completing its takeover of Asiana, and in August 2026 Air Busan, Air Seoul and Jin Air signed an agreement for Jin Air to absorb the other two. If shareholders approve it in December 2026, the merged airline is scheduled to start flying as Jin Air on 17 March 2027, and the Air Busan name will be retired. Until then, Air Busan sells and operates its own flights as normal, and it has codeshared with Jin Air on some Korean domestic routes since January 2026.
Travellers coming from outside the region can join Air Busan in Bangkok for the flight to Busan, or reach Seoul on Korean Air or Asiana Airlines and connect from there.
How did Air Busan grow?
Busan city interests and Asiana Airlines signed an investment agreement in February 2008, and the airline won its scheduled licence that June. It ordered five Boeing 737s in April 2008, launched its first international route, to Fukuoka, in March 2010 and received its first Airbus A321 in January 2011; the Boeing 737-400s and 737-500s were retired by 2016. By 2018 it carried about 4.5 million domestic and 3.6 million international passengers a year, making it South Korea's third-largest low-cost airline. It is listed on the Korea Exchange, and since 26 March 2024 it has had exclusive use of the expanded international terminal at Gimhae. The ICAO code is ABL and the chief executive is Ahn Byeong-seok.
The 2025 Gimhae fire
On 28 January 2025, Air Busan flight 391, an A321 about to leave Gimhae for Hong Kong, caught fire in the cabin before take-off. All 176 people on board were evacuated and seven were injured. It was the first aircraft the airline had lost, and it led to the power bank rules described above.
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Air Busan official website
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Good to know
- AllianceNone (Asiana Airlines subsidiary)
- Founded2007
- Online check-inYes
Everything you should know
At a glance
Air Busan (IATA: BX, ICAO: ABL) is a South Korean low-cost airline founded in 2007, owned by Asiana Airlines and based at Busan Gimhae. It flies 21 Airbus A320-family jets to Japan, China, Southeast Asia and Guam, including Busan to Bangkok and seasonal Incheon to Chiang Mai, and is set to merge into Jin Air in March 2027.
| Headquarters | Busanjin-gu, Busan, South Korea |
|---|---|
| Fleet types | Airbus A320-200, A321-200, A321neo, A321LR |
| Official website | airbusan.com |
Flight routes
Destinations and routes
Air Busan runs several routes seasonally, and its network will be combined with Jin Air's from 2027. These are established destinations; confirm the current schedule when you search.
Search flights
Thailand
Busan (PUS) departures3 destinations
FromTo PUS BKK BusanBangkok Suvarnabhumi Available airlines1 airline- Air Busan
FromTo PUS CNX BusanChiang Mai (seasonal) Available airlines1 airline- Air Busan
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Chiang Mai (CNX, seasonal)
South Korea
Busan (PUS) departures4 destinations
FromTo PUS ICN BusanSeoul Incheon Available airlines1 airline- Air Busan
FromTo PUS GMP BusanSeoul Gimpo Available airlines1 airline- Air Busan
FromTo PUS CJU BusanJeju Available airlines1 airline- Air Busan
FromTo PUS USN BusanUlsan Available airlines1 airline- Air Busan
Japan and China
Busan (PUS) departures8 destinations
FromTo PUS NRT BusanTokyo Narita Available airlines1 airline- Air Busan
FromTo PUS KIX BusanOsaka Kansai Available airlines1 airline- Air Busan
FromTo PUS FUK BusanFukuoka Available airlines1 airline- Air Busan
FromTo PUS CTS BusanSapporo Available airlines1 airline- Air Busan
FromTo PUS TAO BusanQingdao Available airlines1 airline- Air Busan
FromTo PUS SZX BusanShenzhen Available airlines1 airline- Air Busan
FromTo PUS XIY BusanXi'an Available airlines1 airline- Air Busan
FromTo PUS DYG BusanZhangjiajie Available airlines1 airline- Air Busan
Southeast Asia and Pacific
Busan (PUS) departures8 destinations
FromTo PUS HAN BusanHanoi Available airlines1 airline- Air Busan
FromTo PUS DAD BusanDa Nang Available airlines1 airline- Air Busan
FromTo PUS CXR BusanNha Trang Available airlines1 airline- Air Busan
FromTo PUS CEB BusanCebu Available airlines1 airline- Air Busan
FromTo PUS BKI BusanKota Kinabalu Available airlines1 airline- Air Busan
FromTo PUS DPS BusanBali Denpasar Available airlines1 airline- Air Busan
FromTo PUS TPE BusanTaipei Taoyuan Available airlines1 airline- Air Busan
FromTo PUS GUM BusanGuam Available airlines1 airline- Air Busan
Fleet and aircraft
As of July 2026 the fleet was 21 Airbus jets: five A320s with 180 seats, eight A321s with 195 or 220 seats, five A321neos with 232 seats and three long-range A321LRs with 220.
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Airbus A320-200 Narrow-body Smallest jets in the fleet, 180 seats
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Airbus A321-200 Narrow-body The largest group in the fleet, on busy regional routes
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Airbus A321neo Narrow-body Newer, more fuel-efficient jets with 232 seats
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Airbus A321LR Narrow-body Longer-range regional flying, 220 seats
Cabin classes
One cabin.
Economy All flights
Single cabin
10 kg cabin bag plus laptop bag15 kg checked on international routesAsiana Club miles
Frequent flyer programme
Details of the Air Busan loyalty programme are being added
Air Busan is a member of None (Asiana Airlines subsidiary), so you may earn miles with its partner programmes.
Baggage allowance
Your allowance depends on the fare and the route. The exact amount is printed on your booking.
Cabin baggage
10 kg, 55 x 40 x 20 cm
Checked, international
15 kg
Infants
10 kg
Power banks
Keep on your person
One 10 kg cabin bag plus a small laptop bag or handbag. International checked allowance is 15 kg for adults and children, 10 kg for infants.
Pro tip: keep power banks with you; they cannot go in the overhead bin.
Travel day
Online Check-in
Here is the order to follow for a BX flight: check in, sort your documents, meet the airport deadline and drop your bags.
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Step 1
Check in online
Use airbusan.com or app to check in for eligible flights. Have your Air Busan booking reference or e-ticket number and your surname ready.
Booking ref + surname -
Step 2
Prepare your documents
Pack your passport plus any visa, residence permit or entry papers your destination asks for.
Passport · visa · ID -
Step 3
Arrive early
Air Busan closes its check-in counters before departure, and passengers who miss the cut-off can be refused boarding. Leave room for bag drop and security at PUS.
Well before departure -
Step 4
Drop your bags
At the airport, take your bags to the Air Busan bag-drop point. Collect a printed BX boarding pass there if you have not saved one to your phone.
Air Busan counter
Ready to check in?
Check in and manage your booking on the official Air Busan website.
Save money
Cheap tickets
Useful habits for an Air Busan trip between Thailand and Korea.
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01
Fly straight into Busan
For Busan, Gimhae or Changwon, the nonstop from Suvarnabhumi beats flying into Incheon and taking the train south.
BKK to PUS -
02
Check the season for Chiang Mai
The Incheon to Chiang Mai flight runs for part of the year only. If it is not on sale, compare the other carriers serving the pair.
Seasonal route -
03
Bag your power bank separately
Carry chargers in a pocket or small bag you keep at your seat, and allow time for the gate check of cabin bags.
Gate inspection -
04
Add your Asiana Club number
Air Busan flights still earn Asiana Club miles, so add your number at booking rather than trying to claim later.
Miles while they last -
05
Keep power banks on you
After a cabin fire on an Air Busan jet at Gimhae in January 2025, the airline stopped passengers putting power banks in overhead bins. Keep power banks and spare batteries on your person, as they may be checked at the gate.
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Reviews and questions
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Visitors are asking
BX.
Gimhae International Airport in Busan (PUS).
No, it is planned to become part of Jin Air in March 2027.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Everything travellers ask before flying Air Busan.
Checked against airbusan.com and public aviation references, with a review each season.
General
Yes. Air Busan flies between Suvarnabhumi and its home base at Gimhae, which is the airline's main Thai route.
Yes. Under the August 2026 agreement, Jin Air will absorb Air Busan and Air Seoul, with the combined airline planned to launch on 17 March 2027 under the Jin Air name. Shareholder votes are scheduled for December 2026.
Seasonally. Bangkok is served from Busan Gimhae and Seoul Incheon, and Chiang Mai is added in some seasons.
One bag of up to 10 kg, no more than 55 x 40 x 20 cm and 115 cm in total. A laptop bag or small handbag is allowed in addition.
No. Since February 2025 power banks and spare lithium batteries must stay with you rather than in the overhead locker, and bags may be inspected at the gate. Never pack them in checked baggage.
An all-Airbus fleet of 21 aircraft: A320s, A321s, A321neos and long-range A321LRs. All are single-aisle jets.
Yes, through the website or app. International passengers still need passport and visa checks at the airport before boarding.
Getting there
No. Air Busan flies Seoul Incheon to Chiang Mai as a seasonal route. Search your dates to see whether it is running, and compare other airlines on Chiang Mai to Seoul flights.
Yes. Flights operated by Air Busan count toward Asiana Club mileage and Elite status. As Asiana merges into Korean Air, the programme's future will follow that integration.
On 28 January 2025 an Air Busan A321 bound for Hong Kong caught fire before take-off at Gimhae. All 176 people on board were evacuated and seven suffered minor injuries; the aircraft was written off.
Gimhae International Airport (PUS), which is Air Busan's hub. The airline also runs international flights from Seoul Incheon, including the seasonal Chiang Mai service.
Air Busan uses the IATA code BX and the ICAO code ABL. Its radio callsign is AIR BUSAN.
Booking
Details for passengers have not been fully published yet, and flight numbers or check-in arrangements may change once the airlines combine. Keep your contact details current in the booking so the airline can reach you.
21 Airbus jets as of July 2026: A320s, A321s, A321neos and long-range A321LRs.
What's included
Air Busan lists 15 kg of checked baggage for adults and children on its international routes, with 10 kg for infants. Guam and Saipan follow separate piece rules.
