basic information

While regular airfares on domestic routes remain high (see table at the bottom of the page), a wide array of discount offers has made domestic air travel very attractive and competitive in recent years. In fact, there are so many discount plans, that only very few travelers are ever paying regular fares.

Air Passes for foreign visitors only:

JAL (oneworld) and ANA (Star Alliance) are each offering air passes for exclusive use by foreign visitors to Japan, which enable holders to fly anywhere within Japan for around 12,000 Yen per flight. This is an excellent price on many domestic routes, especially on longer flights, such as from Tokyo to Kyushu, Okinawa or Hokkaido.

Like the Japan Rail Pass, air passes have to be purchased outside of Japan and before you leave for Japan. They can only be used by non-residents of Japan who arrive to and depart from Japan by international flights. There is a limit of one air pass of the same airline per person and visit.

Air passes are valid for a minimum of one or two to a maximum of five domestic flights, also called sectors. The number and routes of the sectors must be specified when you purchase the pass, but the actual flights do not need to be booked until later, except the first one, which has to be booked at the time of purchase. Air passes are valid for 60 days after the date of the first domestic flight.

Note that there are some blackout periods, during which air passes cannot be used. The typical blackout periods are mid December to early January (winter holidays), early to late March (spring holidays) and mid July to late August (summer holidays).

Below are the available types of air passes in more detail:

Oneworld Yokoso Visit Japan Pass
Price:	10,000 Yen per domestic flight*
Validity:	1-5 domestic flights by JAL Group
Blackout:	Blackout periods through March 2009: August 8, 2008 to August 18, 2008 December 20, 2008 to January 4, 2009
Eligibility:	Foreign visitors who fly to/via Japan by oneworld, which includes JAL, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Quantas and several other airlines.

JAL Welcome To Japan Fare
Price:	13,000 Yen per domestic flight*
Validity:	2-5 domestic flights by JAL Group
Blackout:	Blackout periods through March 2009: March 7, 2008 to March 31, 2008 July 18, 2008 to August 31, 2008 December 12, 2008 to January 4, 2009 March 6, 2009 to March 31, 2009
Eligibility:	Foreign visitors who fly to/via Japan by any airline.

Star Alliance Japan Airpass
Price:	11,000 Yen per domestic flight*
Validity:	1-5 domestic flights by ANA Group
Blackout:	Blackout periods through September 2008: December 14, 2007 to January 7, 2008 March 7, 2008 to March 31, 2008 July 18, 2008 to August 31, 2008
Eligibility:	Foreign visitors who fly to/via Japan by Star Alliance, which includes ANA, United, US Airways, Air Canada, Singapore Airlines, Asiana Airlines, Lufthansa and several other airlines.

ANA Visit Japan Fare
Price:	13,000 Yen per domestic flight*
Validity:	2-5 domestic flights by ANA Group
Blackout:	Blackout periods through September 2008: December 14, 2007 to January 7, 2008 March 7, 2008 to March 31, 2008 July 18, 2008 to August 31, 2008
Eligibility:	Foreign visitors who fly to/via Japan by any airline.

* not including taxes and surcharges of a few hundred yen

 
Discounts for foreign visitors and residents of Japan:

Advance Purchase Discount

Most airlines offer discounts on domestic flights, if you reserve your ticket in advance, as shown in the table below. The biggest discounts are offered on popular routes on which competition is high. Some of the discounts are reduced or not available during peak travel seasons.

Advance Reservation Typical Discounts at least 28 days in advance 25% - 70% at least 7 days in advance 20% - 40% at least 1 day in advance 10% - 40%

JAL Bargain Fare and ANA Chowari
Over 50 percent off domestic flights

Massive discounts on domestic flights for certain boarding dates, when booked during a given reservation period. Upcoming periods are shown in the table below. Note that JAL mileage bank members are entitled to make reservations a few days before the below mentioned dates.

Reservation Period Boarding Dates April 18 - 27, 2008 June 19 - 23, 2008

Below are the discounted fares for one way tickets on selected major flight routes. Note that discounts are available on many other routes, too.

Route Approximate One Way Fare Tokyo-Sapporo 13,000 Yen Tokyo-Osaka 10,000 Yen Tokyo-Fukuoka 13,000 Yen Tokyo-Okinawa 14,000 Yen Osaka-Sapporo 14,000 Yen Osaka-Okinawa 13,000 Yen

Example: If you fly from Tokyo to Fukuoka on June 21 and book the discount ticket between April 18 and 27, it will cost you only 13,000 Yen.

JAL Time Waribiki and ANA Totsuzen Waribiki
Around 60 percent off domestic flights

This is a kind of last-minute offer, which applies to the purchase of two or more round trip tickets on specified flights departing on weekends, and when reserved ten or fewer days in advance of the boarding date.

Discount Airlines
Around 20 percent cheaper than JAL and ANA

Discount airlines, such as Air Do and Skymark Airlines, offer many of the same types of discounts as JAL and ANA, but prices are typically at least 20 percent lower:

Skymark Airlines From Tokyo to Fukuoka, Kobe, Okinawa, Asahikawa and Sapporo (and seasonally between Kobe and Okinawa) A particularly good offer is the "Skymark Sky Bargain", a one way ticket on any Skymark Airlines route for around 10,000 Yen, if reserved at least 49 days in advance. Only available on specified dates. Air Do From Tokyo to Sapporo, Asahikawa, Hakodate and Memanbetsu A particularly good offer is the "Air Do Special", a one way ticket on any Air Do route for around 10,000 Yen, if reserved at least 45 days in advance. Not available during peak travel seasons. Skynet Asia Airways From Tokyo to Miyazaki, Kumamoto, Nagasaki and Kagoshima Starflyer From Tokyo to Osaka's Kansai Airport and Kitakyushu

Roundtrip Fare
Around 10 percent off domestic flights

On domestic routes, roundtrip tickets are typically around ten percent cheaper than two one way tickets. Note, however, that the return trip has to be made within a certain time frame, usually within 90 days following the outward journey.

Early morning and late night flights
Around 10-20 percent off domestic flights

Some early morning and late night flights are discounted by around 10-20 percent.

 
Typical one way fares for selected routes:

Route	Airline	Approx. Regular One Way Fare	Typical Discounted One Way Fare
Tokyo - Sapporo	JAL/ANA Air Do Skymark	30,000 Yen 25,000 Yen 19,000 Yen	12,000 - 21,000 Yen 10,000 - 18,000 Yen 10,000 - 18,000 Yen
Tokyo - Fukuoka	JAL/ANA Skymark	33,000 Yen 20,000 Yen	13,000 - 22,000 Yen 10,000 - 19,000 Yen
Tokyo - Osaka/Kobe	JAL/ANA Skymark	20,000 Yen 10,000 Yen	10,000 - 12,000 Yen 5,000 - 7,000 Yen
Tokyo - Okinawa	JAL/ANA Skymark	37,000 Yen 24,000 Yen	13,000 - 32,000 Yen 10,000 - 20,000 Yen
Osaka - Sapporo	JAL/ANA	37,000 Yen	13,000 - 33,000 Yen
Osaka - Fukuoka	JAL/ANA	20,000 Yen	11,000 - 15,000 Yen
Osaka - Okinawa	JAL/ANA	30,000 Yen	11,000 - 27,000 Yen
Nagoya - Sapporo	JAL/ANA	33,000 Yen	14,000 - 30,000 Yen
Nagoya - Fukuoka	JAL/ANA	23,000 Yen	11,000 - 15,000 Yen
Nagoya - Okinawa	JAL/ANA	35,000 Yen	14,000 - 30,000 Yen

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