Korean Air Lines to review new distance-based mileage program

A passenger stands in front of Korean Air's self check-in kiosk at Incheon International Airport on Monday afternoon. [YONHAP]

Korean Air Lines will review its new distance-based mileage program scheduled to take effect April 1, the national flag carrier announced Wednesday.

Korean Air said it will review the mileage program update and new VIP membership program. It will be running the current region-based mileage program until further notice.

Aside from the review, the airline plans to implement policies that allow passengers to better utilize their mileage, such as providing more mileage seats, running mileage discount promotion sales and allowing mileage to be used in a wider range of services, including in-flight duty free shopping and for Jin Air, its budget carrier affiliate.

Korean Air also announced that its Cash and Miles service, which allows passengers to pay for their flights with both cash and mileage, will accept the dollar for payment from March.

The attempted mileage program update was first announced by Korean Air in December 2019. It was scheduled to be in place from April 2021 after a 3-month-long prior notice and a year-long grace period, but was forced to spend two more years in the grace period due to the pandemic.

The flag carrier was recently met with fierce backlash from consumers and criticism from the government for trying to implement the update, which would cost passengers 45,000 miles to buy Incheon-New York tickets. It costs 35,000 currently.

BY SOHN DONG-JOO [sohn.dongjoo@joongang.co.kr]