Korean Air will introduce a new Premium Class cabin on its retrofitted B777-300ER fleet, with the first upgraded aircraft entering service on short- and medium-haul international routes from mid-September, the airline said in a press release.
The carrier has invested KRW300 billion (USD215 million) to refurbish eleven B777-300ERs with a completely redesigned interior across all classes. The upgrade includes the installation of Premium Class, which is positioned between Prestige (business) and Economy cabins and priced at approximately 110% of Economy fares, depending on route and travel dates.
The new Premium Class features 40 seats in a 2-4-2 configuration with a seat pitch of 39 to 41 inches (99–104 cm), about 50% more legroom than standard Economy Class. Each 19.5-inch (49.5 cm) wide seat reclines up to 130 degrees and includes ergonomic headrests, footrests, and legrests. Passengers are offered 15.6-inch 4K in-flight entertainment screens—larger than those in the airline’s Prestige Class on the same aircraft.
Premium Class passengers will also receive upgraded service, including meal selections from the Prestige Class menu, served on Armani/Casa tableware. The service includes a main course, appetizer, and dessert, alongside wines, coffee, and tea identical to those served in the higher cabin. Ground benefits include Morning Calm check-in counters, Sky Priority boarding, and priority baggage handling.
The full retrofit draws design elements from Korean Air’s latest-generation cabins and includes the new “Prestige Suites 2.0” business class seats in a 1-2-1 layout and “New Economy” in a 3-4-3 configuration. All cabins now offer in-flight connectivity and updated entertainment systems.
“We’re committed to bringing the fully redesigned 777-300ER and new Premium Class to as many customers as possible,” a Korean Air representative said. “This fleet upgrade has been in progress since 2018 and, after delays due to the pandemic, we’re proud to now offer an elevated travel experience that meets our passengers’ evolving needs.”
Korean Air currently operates twenty-five B777-300ERs. The eleven undergoing cabin retrofits are expected to be deployed progressively across the network, although initial routes will focus on short- and mid-haul segments.
Korean Air carried more than 23 million passengers in 2024 and operates a fleet of 161 aircraft to 117 destinations worldwide.
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