Asiana Airlines Inc., South Korea's second-biggest carrier, said Monday it will extend the expiration dates of its mileage that will expire at the end of this year by one year to 2022 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Asiana Airlines already extended mileage points due to expire at the end of 2020 by one year to 2021 as travel demand dried up due to the pandemic.

In January, its bigger rival Korean Air Lines Co. said it will extend mileage points that expired at end-2020 and mileage that expires at end-2021 to 2022.

The country's two full-service carriers followed recommendations from the transport ministry and the antitrust regulator.

The two airlines have suspended most of their flights on international routes since March last year as countries strengthened their entry restrictions to stem the spread of the pandemic.

Korean Air is in the process of acquiring Asiana in a deal worth 1.8 trillion won to seek economies of scale and better compete with its bigger foreign rivals. (Yonhap)