Korean Air (003490.KS) said on the 14th that it won eight awards at the 2026 Magellan Awards, hosted by U.S. travel trade publication Travel Weekly.
The carrier took five gold awards and three silver awards across two categories.
In the overall airline category, the company won gold for international airline and for service, and silver for technology solutions. In the airline service elements category, it won gold for first class, airport lounge and in-flight dining, and silver for business class and environmentally sustainable airline.
The Magellan Awards honor companies and organizations across the global travel industry for excellence in areas including branding, service, marketing and design. This year's winners were selected by a panel of 17 industry experts who reviewed work produced by each company and organization over the past year.
Korean Air said the awards reflect its continuous investment and service upgrades aimed at elevating the travel experience for customers. The airport lounges the carrier has been rolling out, starting at Incheon International Airport, drew particular praise for redefining what had been a simple waiting area as a destination in its own right.
By incorporating the philosophy behind Korean aesthetics into its lounges, the carrier was seen as projecting the standing befitting South Korea's flag carrier.
Its technology solutions were also cited as a point of differentiation from other airlines. Korean Air is rapidly transforming itself into a "digital first" carrier, applying leading technologies across fuel management for flight operations as well as predictive maintenance, global logistics and AI chatbots.
The carrier also scored highly for meeting its social responsibilities by building sustainability into flight procedures and onboard products. Korean Air has implemented a range of carbon reduction policies, including expanding operations of high-efficiency aircraft types and optimizing economical cruising speeds.
"We plan to continue strengthening customer-centered service and leading technological innovation to sustain our reputation as a global network carrier," a Korean Air official said.