Korean Air Lines Co., Ltd. (KRX: 003490), operating as Korean Air, is the facto flag carrier and largest airline of South Korea; its global headquarters are located in Seoul in Korea. Its international passenger division and related subsidiary cargo division together serve 130 cities in 45 countries, while its domestic division serves 20 destinations. It is among the top 20 airlines in the world airlines in terms of passengers carried. Incheon International Airport serves as Korean Air's international hub. Korean Air also maintains a satellite headquarters campus at Incheon International Airport, located 30 minutes away from South Korea's capital, Seoul.

Korean Air has upgraded its fleet and services and has won international acclamation and awards. With its excellent financial performance in 2005, Korean Air received the "Phoenix Award" from Air Transport World (ATW) for its success in overcoming challenges in the global airline industry. It has been named one of Asia's best airlines by Time readers and twice has won the coveted Mercury Award for its in-flight catering. Korean Air has a major air cargo operation, Korean Air Cargo, which overtook Lufthansa in 2005 as the world's largest air cargo business.

Unique to other airlines, Korean Air is also involved in aerospace research and manufacturing. The division, known as the Korean Air Aerospace Division (KAA), manufactures licensed versions of the MD 500 and UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and the F-5E/F Tiger II fighter aircraft, the aft fuselage and wings for the KF-16 fighter aircraft manufactured by Korean Aerospace Industries, and parts for various commercial aircraft including the Boeing 737, 747, 777, and the Airbus A330, A340, and A380. KAA also provides aircraft maintenance support for the United States Department of Defense in Asia and maintains a research division with focuses on launch vehicle, satellite, commercial and military aircraft, helicopter, and simulation systems.