In brief
Cambodia’s State Secretariat of Civil Aviation announced a seasonal route linking Seoul‑Incheon with Siem Reap’s airport via Trinity Airways’ Boeing 737‑800. The service, aimed at increasing visitors to Angkor, operates daily from December to March. Despite an 11% year‑on‑year decline in international travel, the move underscores Cambodia’s push to strengthen air links and support tourism growth.
On October 28, 2026, Phnom Penh city announced that Trinity Airways will operate daily seasonal flights between Seoul‑Incheon (ICN) and Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (SAI) from December 24, 2026 to March 3, 2027, a move intended to lift tourism and expand regional connectivity.
The Airbus‑style Boeing 737‑800, a narrow‑body commercial aircraft that typically seats 200 passengers, has been selected for the route. Its range of roughly 2,500 kilometers (about 1,500 mi) comfortably covers the 2,000‑kilometer distance from SAI to ICN, and its modern avionics enable efficient operations for the peak‑season schedule.
According to a release by the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA), the daily flights will provide a high‑frequency link that aligns with the busiest months for visits to UNESCO‑listed Angkor Archaeological Park. The airport’s current capacity is expected to handle the additional passenger load without major infrastructural changes, leveraging the existing 5,000‑meter runway and expanded parking facilities.
SSCA data from the first nine months of 2026 show that Cambodia’s international air passenger traffic fell 11 percent year‑on‑year, totaling 4.55 million travelers. The new route, scheduled for the fall and winter holidays in South Korea—a period of strong outbound tourism demand—could partially offset this decline by channeling discretionary travel to Cambodia’s heritage sites.
"The service supports Cambodia's tourism growth and its international connectivity," Sinn Chanserey Vutha, secretary of state and spokesperson for the SSCA, said in a news release.
“The route is expected to drive more visitors to the UNESCO‑listed Angkor Archaeological Park.”
Beyond passenger numbers, the initiative illustrates Cambodia’s broader strategy to diversify its aviation market. By engaging a private carrier such as Trinity Airways and inviting a foreign alliance to operate the route, the SSCA demonstrates its commitment to open competition and collaborative partnerships with tourism stakeholders, a factor that could encourage additional airlines to serve the rapidly growing flight corridor.
While the new flights are slated only for the peak tourist season, they offer a template for future expansions. If traffic volumes meet projections, the SSCA may transition the route to year‑long service, thereby cementing Siem Reap’s standing as a central hub for Southeast Asian tourism and reinforcing Cambodia’s regional economic integration.
