Domestic air travel

This page is about domestic air travel in Japan. Please check also our pages about discount air tickets andinternational air travel to Japan.

Airlines

Domestic air travel is dominated by the JAL Group and the ANA Group, which each consist of several airlines and serve over fifty airports across the country. In addition, there are several smaller airline companies competing with JAL and ANA on the country's most popular routes.

JAL Group (Japan Airlines)

Network:     Fares:     Service/Luggage:     English Online Reservations: available

The JAL Group consists of JAL Domestic and JAL International, as well as of several smaller airlines including Japan Transocean Air, Ryukyu Air Commuter and others. The JAL Group serves over 50 airports and over 100 domestic routes in Japan. Complementary drinks are served, and a relatively generous baggage allowance is maintained.

ANA Group (All Nippon Airways)

Network:     Fares:     Service/Luggage:     English Online Reservations: available

The ANA Group consists of All Nippon Airways, as well as several smaller airlines such as Air Nippon. The ANA Group serves about 50 airports and 100 domestic routes in Japan. Paid drinks and snacks are available on board, and a relatively generous baggage allowance is maintained.

Skymark Airlines

Network:     Fares:     Service/Luggage:     English Online Reservations: available

Skymark has the most extensive route network among the discount airlines in Japan, and is still rapidly expanding. It operates inexpensive flights from its main bases in Tokyo-Haneda and Kobe to destinations nationwide. The airline maintains a certain level of services at the airport as well as a quite moderate luggage policy, but reduces its on-board service to a minimum. It offers an easy-to-use English website.

Peach Aviation

Network:     Fares:     Service/Luggage:     English Online Reservations: available

Peach started operation in spring 2012 as Japan's first genuine low cost carrier, introducing fare levels not seen in Japan before. The airline is based in Osaka's Kansai Airport and operates on a small but increasing number of domestic routes and a few international routes to nearby Asian destinations. It maintains strict luggage policies and keeps services to a bare minimum, although paid drinks and snacks are available on board. Beware of hidden fees.

Jetstar Japan

Network:     Fares:     Service/Luggage:     English Online Reservations: available

In summer 2012, Jetstar Japan started to operate low cost flights from Tokyo's Narita Airport and Osaka'sKansai Airport to a small but increasing number of domestic destinations. International routes to nearby Asian destinations are also planned. Jetstar's luggage policy is strict, and services are limited, although paid drinks and snacks are available on board. Beware of hidden fees.

Air Asia Japan

Network:     Fares:     Service/Luggage:     English Online Reservations: available

Also in summer 2012, Air Asia Japan started operation from Tokyo's Narita Airport to a small but increasing number of domestic and nearby international destinations. Air Asia's policies are very strict, and services stripped to the bare minimum, although paid drinks and meals are served on board. Beware of hidden fees.

Air Do

Network:     Fares:     Service/Luggage:     English Online Reservations: not available

Air Do operates inexpensive flights from Tokyo's Haneda Airport to various destinations in Hokkaido, and from Sapporo to multiple secondary airports across Honshu. A relatively generous baggage allowance and a certain service level are maintained, including complementary drinks.

Starflyer

Network:     Fares:     Service/Luggage:     English Online Reservations: not available

Starflyer started operation in 2006 and offers inexpensive flights from Tokyo's Haneda Airport to Fukuokaand Kitakyushu on Kyushu and Osaka's Kansai Airport. It also flies to Busan. Starflyer offers not only inexpensive fares, but also a comfort level that exceeds that of conventional airlines, by offering complementary drinks and an on-demand video system for every passenger. A relatively generous baggage allowance is maintained.

Solaseed Air (formerly known as Skynet Asia Airways)

Network:     Fares:     Service/Luggage:     English Online Reservations: not available

Solaseed Air operates inexpensive flights from Tokyo's Haneda Airport to various cities on Kyushu, and from these Kyushu airports to Okinawa. A relatively generous baggage allowance and a certain service level are maintained, including complementary drinks.

Fuji Dream Airlines

Network:     Fares:     Service/Luggage:     English Online Reservations: not available

Fuji Dream Airlines started operation with the opening of Shizuoka Airport in 2009. Besides Shizuoka Airport, the airline also flies out of Matsumoto and Nagoya.

IBEX Airlines

Network:     Fares:     Service/Luggage:     English Online Reservations: not available

IBEX Airlines, formerly known as Fair Inc, operates a small Sendai based network of domestic routes. They also serve some routes from Tokyo's Narita Airport and Osaka's Itami Airport. A relatively generous baggage allowance is maintained.

Airports

Tokyo's Haneda Airport is by far Japan's busiest airport, handling most of the capital's domestic flights. Tokyo'sNarita Airport handles mostly international flights and only a small number of domestic flights.

Osaka's Kansai Airport serves both, international and domestic flights. It took over a large share of traffic (mainly international) formerly handled by Osaka's second airport, Itami Airport. Nevertheless, Itami Airport remains Japan's second busiest hub for domestic air traffic.

Other major airports in Japan include Nagoya's Central Japan Airport, Sapporo's Shin-Chitose Airport, Fukuoka Airport, Kobe Airport, Kagoshima Airport and Okinawa's Naha Airport. A few other important airports are shown on the map below:

Airfare

Thanks to the deregulation of Japan's airline industry and increasing competition from discount airlines, domestic airfares have dropped dramatically in recent years, and airplanes have become an economical, sometimes cheaper alternative to the shinkansen (bullet train) on some routes.

While regular fares remain relatively expensive, it is the many discount offers, which have made domestic air travel in Japan more attractive. Among the discount offers are air passes for exlusive use by foreign tourists, which enable pass holders to use domestic flights at a fixed cost of slightly above 10,000 yen per flight.

Please visit the Discount Air Ticket page for more details.

Typical one way fares for selected routes are shown in the table below:

Route	Airline	Approx. Regular One Way Fare	Typical Discounted One Way Fare
Tokyo - Sapporo	JAL/ANA Air Do Skymark Jetstar/Air Asia	34,000 yen 26,000 yen 18,000 yen -	11,000 - 24,000 yen 10,000 - 12,000 yen 9,000 - 18,000 yen 5,000 - 8,000 yen
Tokyo - Fukuoka	JAL/ANA Starflyer Skymark Jetstar/Air Asia	37,000 yen 33,000 yen 18,000 yen -	11,000 - 28,000 yen 11,000 - 18,000 yen 10,000 - 16,000 yen 5,000 - 8,000 yen
Tokyo - Osaka/Kobe	JAL/ANA Starflyer Skymark	23,000 yen 21,000 yen 12,000 yen	9,000 - 12,000 yen 10,000 - 12,000 yen 10,000 yen
Tokyo - Okinawa	JAL/ANA Skymark Jetstar/Air Asia	41,000 yen 25,000 yen -	15,000 - 36,000 yen 9,000 - 23,000 yen 6,000 - 10,000 yen
Osaka/Kobe - Sapporo	JAL/ANA Skymark Peach/Jetstar	41,000 yen 15,000 yen -	10,000 - 34,000 yen 10,000 - 13,000 yen 5,000 - 7,000 yen
Osaka/Kobe - Okinawa	JAL/ANA Skymark Peach/Jetstar	35,000 yen 15,000 yen -	10,000 - 30,000 yen 10,000 - 13,000 yen 5,000 - 8,000 yen