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This page is about domestic air travel in Japan. Please check also our pages about discount air tickets and international 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)
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The JAL Group consists of Japan Airlines, 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)
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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
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Skymark has one of the most extensive route networks among the discount airlines in Japan. 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.

Peach Aviation
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Peach started operation in 2012 as Japan's first genuine low-cost carrier, introducing fare levels not seen in Japan before. The airline has its main bases at Osaka's Kansai Airport and Tokyo's Narita Airport and operates several domestic and international routes to nearby Asian destinations. It maintains a strict luggage policy and keeps services to a bare minimum, although paid drinks and snacks are available on board. Beware of hidden fees.

Jetstar Japan
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Jetstar Japan operates the largest domestic network among low-cost carriers. From Tokyo's Narita Airport, Osaka's Kansai Airport and Nagoya's Central Japan Airport it serves many domestic destinations and a small number of international destinations. Jetstar's luggage policy is strict, and services are limited, although paid drinks and snacks are available on board. Beware of hidden fees.

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

Starflyer
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Starflyer offers inexpensive flights on its route network centered around Kitakyushu and nearby Fukuoka and Yamaguchi. Starflyer offers not only inexpensive fares, but also a comfort level that exceeds that of conventional airlines by offering spacious seats, complementary drinks and a generous baggage allowance.

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

Fuji Dream Airlines
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Fuji Dream Airlines started operation with the opening of Shizuoka Airport in 2009. Besides Shizuoka Airport, the airline also serves a number of other airports across the country including Matsumoto and Nagoya.

IBEX Airlines
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IBEX Airlines operates a small Sendai-based network of domestic routes. They also serve some routes from Tokyo's Narita Airport, Osaka's Itami Airport and Nagoya's Central Japan Airport. A relatively generous baggage allowance is maintained.

Spring Japan
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Spring Japan connects Narita Airport with Hiroshima and Sapporo.

Airports

Tokyo's Haneda Airport is by far Japan's busiest airport, handling most of the capital's domestic flights and an increasing number of international flights. Tokyo's Narita Airport handles mostly international flights and an increasing number of domestic low-cost 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 a busy 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:

Airfares

Thanks to the deregulation of Japan's airline industry and increasing competition from discount airlines, domestic airfares have dropped dramatically in the 2010s, and airplanes have become an economical alternative to the shinkansen on some routes.

While regular fares remain relatively expensive, it is the low-cost carriers and the many discount offers, which have made domestic air travel in Japan more attractive. Please visit the Discount Air Ticket page for more details.