Flight KIX to FUK Which airline?

Hi Forum Members,


I arrive 11:35 at KIX on November 21st. My wife and I wish to then fly to Fukuoka.

Advice from Forum members has been to allow about 4 hours after landing before your flight to FUK.

NaviTime suggests the 18:55 flight from KIX. That fits OK.

Question: Which airline should I choose? NaviTime directs me to airline 'Peach'.

How about ANA, IBEX, JAL as mentioned in Google Maps ?

Maybe my question is what is the most reliable airline?

We will each have one checked suitcase less than 20 kg and the usual CarryOn bags.

Is asking Qatar Airlines to add on the flight to FUK to our existing flight from Germany to KIX worth a try?

Thanks for any replies.

Ronzac

In my opinion the only justifications for flying over taking the train are that a) you get a special offer by combining your international flight with a domestic flight or b) you are trying to collect (or use) miles. I get the feeling that neither applies to your case. Why I would not fly? It is slower, you need to hang around the airport, you need to go through check-in and security procedures again, and you have to ascend several thousand meters once more, coming with lots of noise and stange air pressure.

The train is faster and more reliable, and - in my opinion - more comfortable.

But writing this I thought of two more reasons why you would want to prefer a flight:
a) you have lots of large luggage
b) you want to save money by using a low-cost carrier like Peach (in which case you don't want to have a lot of large luggage)

The journey by train would take just under 4 hours and cost around 17,000 yen (many regional passes are worth considering if you make more train trips in the area). One relatively easy transfer of trains is required at Shin-Osaka Station, where you change from the Haruka airport train to the shinkansen.

To answer your actual question: Peach seems to be the only airline connecting the two airports. It is a low-cost carrier. And uses terminal 2 (additional shuttle bus ride required).

ANA, IBEX, JAL are not using Kansai Airport. They fly from Osaka's Itami Airport.

I already replied to your previous post, where you asked if a flight around 15:00 would be OK https://www.japan-guide.com/forum/quereadisplay.html?0+183738

But if the flight you are now considering is at 18:55, I completely agree with Uji and would take the train instead. The price difference is not worth all that time waiting at the airport. (But I travel economy. If you have access to an airline lounge, it could be fine, I don't know).

If it were me, I would not book anything (neither the KIX/FUK flight, nor the train), and wait until I land. Even at the last minute, the Peach flights seem to cost 100€ or less, so I would just book tickets on the spot or take the train, depending on the actual landing time of the international flight.

Book ANA and JAL.

For me always the best bets.

@Uji and Mellye,

thanks for your suggestions. Your impression Uji, of us is correct.

We are not looking to gain Miles, we don't have large suitcases, not looking for a Qatar deal of a connecting flight and we usually fly economy with no airport lounge access.

*** Going by train is what we will do. *** The trip suggested by Uji is the one. Thanks.

Booking the train trip after we have landed and gone through Immigration etc is the aim.

Is the JR West ticket office at KIX at Terminal 1?

We have only been to Japan once before, 5 weeks in 2024. Booking train trips a few days in advance worked well for us.
Question: Does booking the trip in advance tie us to particular train trips or are we ok to take the next available train at KIX and at Shin-Osaka stations?

We have not yet used any Regional Passes and wonder how we could use them for our intended trips. Our planned trips are: Fukuoka 5 nights, Hiroshima 3 nts, Kobe 3 nts, Kyoto 8 nts & Osaka 7 nts.

Any suggestions are most welcome.

No hotels booked yet.

You both are fantastic resources in this Forum. So willing to share your knowledge to help tourists is a real plus.

Local area pass covering KIX and Hakata are:

JR-West All Area Pass

https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/ticket/pass/all/

Sanyo-Sanfin Area Pass

https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/ticket/pass/sanyo_sanin/

Sanyo-Sanfin Northern Kyushu Pass

https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/ticket/pass/ssnk/

And Setouchi Area Pass

https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/ticket/pass/setouchi/

All these passes are valid for 7 consecutive days. So if you will stay Fukuoka for 5 nights and then Hiroshima for 3 nights, your pass will be expired in Hiroshima. If you shorten Fukuoka and Hiroshima days, one of these passes might be useful. It will be autumn foliage season and Kyoto is one of the best places to see autumn leaves, you may better reach Kyoto by Day 7 or earlier.

In any case you must get Oozumou ticket first.

https://sumo.pia.jp/en/

It will be on sale from Sep 20th so you will have plenty of time to plan your trip. Enjoy planning!

The cheapest train tickets for KIX->Fukuoka->Hiroshima would be to use the "one-way" discounted tickets
https://www.westjr.co.jp/travel-information/en/tickets-passes/oneway/
This totals to 19,000 yens.

However, if you are also planning to do day trips in the northern half of Kyushu, then the Sanyo-Sanfin Northern Kyushu Pass (7 days, 27,000 yens) will certainly pay off. For example, Fukuoka to Kumamoto costs 10,000 yens (round-trip). That pass will expire while you are in Hiroshima.
https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/ticket/pass/ssnk/

I am planning to buy it for my own autumn trip :)

Thanks frog1954 and Mellye for your suggestions and links.

The links to the maps are brilliant. I can see how from KIX to Fukuoka and to Hiroshima works. I have never bought any JR passes so seeing the maps is a great help.
Purchasing online and redeeming the Passes at a ticket machine will be a learning experience for me.

Less days at Fukuoka and Hiroshima are worth considering due to the 7 day validity of all the Passes. Amanohashidate is a possibility also.

On Sept 20th at 3 am here in Germany, it will be 10 am in Japan - SUMO ticket selling time!
Fingers crossed for tickets on the Tournament's final day on the 23rd.

Cheers

Ronzac