South Korea's Korean Air Lines says it intends to get 50 per cent of passenger sales from premium classes by 2019.

“We’re aiming to become a real luxury carrier,” president Chi Chang Hoon said.

Business and first-class cabins accounted for about 20 per cent of its passenger sales last year.

The airline is depending on the ordered 10 Airbus SAS A380s and 10 Boeing 787s due for delivery from next year plus service improvements to hit the target.

Korean Air plans to fit 100 first and business-class seats on its A380s, all of which will be on the upper-deck.

By comparison, Asian rival and established business carrier Singapore Air has 60 business class seats on the upper-deck of its A380s with 12 first-class cabins on the lower level.