Amazon Air Cargo has signed an interline agreement with South Korean carrier Air Premia covering operations from Incheon to Honolulu and onto the US.
The new operation from South Korea to Hawaii has been dubbed the “Aloha Express" and began operations on 9 July.
From Honolulu, Amazon Air Cargo will offer onward connections to 45 US cities, including Atlanta, Orlando, Miami, Houston, and New York JFK - expand Air Premia's presence in North America.
"Strategically positioned as a transpacific logistics hub, Honolulu enables more efficient cargo transfers between Asia and the US mainland," Air Premia said in a press release.
"The transhipment through Honolulu is expected to reduce both delivery times and logistical costs by as much as 20%, compared to existing direct routes."
Air Premia said it would utilise its Valley Cargo service for the Incheon–Honolulu segment and would leverage Amazon's "extensive domestic network" for final delivery in the US.
"This collaboration significantly enhances Air Premia’s cargo capabilities beyond its current bases at Los Angeles (LAX), Newark (EWR), and San Francisco (SFO), and positions the airline to serve a broader range of logistics needs—from global e-commerce and corporate freight to third-country transhipment," the South Korean carrier said.
“This partnership has expanded our cargo network across the Americas. Leveraging our strong routes between Asia and the US, we are reinforcing our competitiveness in the global logistics market.”
Air Premia has been investing in its cargo operations in recent months and in April became the only South Korean airline outside of the nation’s two flag carriers to handle pharmaceutical shipments.
Also in April, the airline appointed Globe Air Cargo Cambodia as its sales agent in Cambodia and Myanmar.
According to fleet tracking website Planespotters.net, Air Premia currently operates a fleet of eight Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
Amazon has also been ramping up its fleet of aircraft operating out of Hawaii. Late last month, Amazon Air took delivery of its 10th Airbus A330-300 passenger-to-freighter (P2F) aircraft for operation by Hawaiian Airlines.
The deal with Hawaiian will last for eight years with options to extend for a further two and three years. Alaska Air Group-owned Hawaiian received the first of the 10 aircraft in July 2023.
