ANA jets and a Solaseed Air jet at domestic gates at Haneda Airport, with Tokyo Bay and the city skyline behind

Domestic Flights in Japan When to fly, and what to check before you book

Fly for the long trips: Tokyo to Sapporo, Okinawa, or Osaka to Hokkaido. Between Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima the Shinkansen usually wins once airport time is counted. Compare airports and baggage, not only flight time and the headline fare.

ExploreJapanDaily Editorial TeamEditorially reviewed13 min read

Domestic flights quick answer

Fly when the distance is long and both airports are easy to reach. Take the Shinkansen when the train runs from city center to city center in a few hours. For anything in between, add up the whole trip from hotel to hotel before you decide.

Fly for
Sapporo, Okinawa and long north-south trips
Take the train for
Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima
Compare both
Tokyo to Fukuoka
At the airport
About 1 hour; up to 2 at Naha and New Chitose at peak
Bags included
ANA, JAL and Skymark
Bags often extra
Peach and Jetstar Japan

The common surprise: a cheap fare from "Tokyo" often leaves from Narita, not Haneda, and may not include a checked bag. Price the bag and the airport train before you compare.

Should you fly or take the train?

Japan's rail network is fast enough that flying only pays on long trips. The shape of your route decides it.

⚡Quick Answer

Is it worth flying within Japan? Yes for Hokkaido, Okinawa and other long trips, where the train is slow, needs several changes, or does not go. No for Tokyo to Kyoto or Osaka, where the Shinkansen is quicker door to door and simpler.

  • Tokyo, Osaka or Kyoto to Sapporo and the rest of Hokkaido

    Use: FlyThe Shinkansen stops at Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto, still a long limited express ride from Sapporo.

  • Anywhere on the main islands to Okinawa

    Use: FlyOkinawa has no rail link to the rest of Japan.

  • Tokyo to Fukuoka

    Use: Compare flight and ShinkansenFukuoka Airport is minutes from Hakata, and the Nozomi runs there without a change.

  • Tokyo to Kyoto, Osaka or Nagoya

    Use: Take the ShinkansenCentral stations, frequent trains and no check-in.

  • Kyoto or Osaka to Hiroshima

    Use: Take the ShinkansenA short Sanyo Shinkansen ride from Shin-Osaka.

  • One long trip in each direction, such as Tokyo out to Sapporo and back

    Use: Fly one leg, compare the otherSome travelers take the train north to stop in Hakodate, then fly home.

Flight time is not journey time

An airline timetable shows only the time in the air. Your trip starts at the hotel door, and every step before and after the flight adds time.

What a domestic flight trip involves

  1. Hotel to the departure airport

    Haneda is close to central Tokyo. Narita and Kansai are much farther out, so check the airport transfer guide for your hotel area.

  2. Check in and drop bags

    At Haneda, ANA, JAL and Skymark stop accepting checked bags 30 minutes before departure. JAL expects waits of up to 40 minutes there at busy times.

  3. Security

    JAL asks you to clear security 20 minutes before departure. Peach asks for 25.

  4. Boarding gate

    Be at the gate 10 minutes before departure on ANA and JAL, and 20 on Peach.

  5. The flight

    The part the timetable shows. Haneda to Naha takes about 2 hr 20 min, for example.

  6. Baggage claim

    Allow for the wait if you checked a bag.

  7. Arrival airport to your hotel

    New Chitose to Sapporo Station is 33 to 43 minutes by train. Fukuoka Airport to Hakata is about 5 minutes by subway.

JAL asks passengers to reach Haneda or Itami about an hour before departure, and New Chitose or Naha 1½ to 2 hours before at busy times. Add that hour, the transfer at each end and baggage claim, and a short flight fills half a day.

That is why the Shinkansen still wins between Tokyo and Osaka: it leaves from central stations and you walk through the gate and board. It is also why flying wins to Sapporo, where the rail alternative is two long trains, and to Okinawa, where there is no train at all. On shorter routes where money matters more than hours, compare highway and overnight buses too.

The arrival airport matters as much as the departure. Fukuoka Airport is about 5 minutes from Hakata by subway, while New Chitose is 33 to 43 minutes from Sapporo by train. A flight into a city-center airport can win on routes where a flight into a distant one would not.

Where the trip starts

Domestic flight
An airport, often well outside the city center
Shinkansen
A central station, often a short ride from your hotel

Time before departure

Domestic flight
About an hour for check-in, bag drop and security; up to 2 hours at Naha and New Chitose at peak times
Shinkansen
Minutes: walk through the gate and board

Luggage

Domestic flight
Weight limits; extra cost on basic low-cost fares
Shinkansen
Carry it on. Very large bags need a reserved space on some lines

If plans change

Domestic flight
Cheapest fares usually cannot be changed
Shinkansen
Reserved tickets can usually be changed before departure

Where it clearly wins

Domestic flight
Hokkaido, Okinawa, and other long trips
Shinkansen
The Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima corridor

For how the bullet train works, read the Shinkansen guide, and see train tickets in Japan for what a rail ticket includes.

Routes where flying makes sense

A short list of the trips visitors ask about most, not every route in Japan. Airlines and schedules change by season, so check who flies your route for your dates.

Tokyo to Sapporo

Verdict
Fly
Airports
Haneda or Narita to New Chitose
Why
Rail means the Hokkaido Shinkansen to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto, then the all-reserved Hokuto limited express. By air, the Sapporo transport guide picks up at New Chitose.

Osaka or Kyoto to Sapporo

Verdict
Fly
Airports
Itami, Kansai or Kobe to New Chitose
Why
By train you would cross Honshu to Tokyo before starting the Hokkaido journey. Flying is the only practical choice for most trips.

Tokyo to Fukuoka

Verdict
Compare both
Airports
Haneda or Narita to Fukuoka
Why
Fukuoka Airport is about 5 minutes from Hakata by subway, so flying is often quicker door to door. The Nozomi runs from Tokyo to Hakata without a change, and the train suits stopovers in Osaka or Hiroshima, or a JR Pass you already hold. See Fukuoka.

Tokyo, Osaka or Fukuoka to Okinawa

Verdict
Fly
Airports
To Naha
Why
There is no rail link. Flight times are in flying to Okinawa below.

Tokyo to Kyoto or Osaka

Verdict
Take the train
Airports
Not recommended
Why
The Shinkansen runs center to center with frequent departures and no check-in. For most trips, airport transfers erase any time the flight saves.

Osaka or Kyoto to Hiroshima

Verdict
Take the train
Airports
Not recommended
Why
A short Sanyo Shinkansen ride from Shin-Osaka, with Hiroshima Station close to the center.

Bottom line: If your trip is Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima only, you probably do not need a domestic flight at all. Add Hokkaido or Okinawa and a flight usually becomes the sensible choice.

Itineraries that fly: Hokkaido in Full, Hokkaido in Winter and Kyushu in 10 Days. For a trip with no flights at all, see the Golden Route.

Flying to Okinawa

For almost every visitor, Okinawa is a question of where to fly from, not whether to fly. There is no rail link to the rest of Japan, and most visitors arrive at Naha Airport on Okinawa Island.

Approximate flight times to Naha Airport, Okinawa, from major Japanese airports
FromFlight time to Naha
Tokyo HanedaAbout 2 hr 20 min
Tokyo NaritaAbout 2 hr 35 min
Osaka KansaiAbout 1 hr 50 min
Osaka ItamiAbout 1 hr 55 min
KobeAbout 2 hr
Nagoya Chubu CentrairAbout 2 hr 10 min
FukuokaAbout 1 hr 40 min
Sapporo New ChitoseAbout 3 hr 15 min

These are approximate flight times published by the Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau. Add airport time at both ends, as for any domestic flight.

From Tokyo, the low-cost carriers Peach and Jetstar Japan fly to Naha from Narita, not Haneda. From Kansai and Fukuoka the choice is wider, and both are short hops of under two hours.

At Naha, the monorail runs from Naha Airport Station to Shuri in about 27 minutes. Plan the return with care: at busy times JAL asks passengers to arrive at Naha 2 hours before departure and reports check-in waits of up to 50 minutes. Typhoons can delay or cancel flights, so avoid flying back to the mainland on the same day as your international flight home.

Some cities also have direct flights to Ishigaki and Miyako, which saves changing planes in Naha. Haneda to Ishigaki takes about 3 hr 15 min.

Beyond Naha, most of the island is easier by car. See renting a car in Okinawa for license rules and Naha's bus lanes.

Japan's domestic airlines: full-service or low-cost?

There is no best airline, only the right fare for the bags you carry and how fixed your plans are.

Full-service airlines (ANA and JAL) include a checked bag, sell fares that can be changed, and fly from Haneda and Itami, the airports closest to central Tokyo and Osaka. Low-cost carriers (Peach and Jetstar Japan) sell a lower headline fare and charge separately for things the others include. Skymark sits between them: a simpler product that still includes 20 kg of checked baggage. AIRDO, Solaseed Air and StarFlyer fly routes that ANA also sells.

ANAFull-service. Tokyo: Haneda Terminal 2

Checked bags
Economy: 1 or 2 bags of up to 23 kg, depending on the fare
Carry-on
Check the airline
Changes
Flex and Standard fares can be changed (Standard for a fee). Simple and Sale fares cannot.

JALFull-service. Tokyo: Haneda Terminal 1

Checked bags
Up to 20 kg free per passenger
Carry-on
2 items, 10 kg in total
Changes
Depends on the fare. Check the conditions before paying.

SkymarkIndependent, bag included. Tokyo: Haneda Terminal 1 (North Satellite)

Checked bags
Up to 20 kg free per passenger
Carry-on
2 items, 10 kg in total
Changes
Depends on the fare. Check the conditions before paying.

AIRDO, Solaseed Air, StarFlyerRegional, often sold by ANA. Tokyo: Haneda Terminal 2 (AIRDO, Solaseed Air), Terminal 1 (StarFlyer)

Checked bags
Check the airline
Carry-on
Check the airline
Changes
Often sold under an ANA flight number. Check in at the operating airline’s counter, not ANA’s.

PeachLow-cost. Tokyo: Narita Terminal 1; Kansai Terminal 2

Checked bags
Minimum fare: none included. Standard and Standard Plus: 1 bag of up to 20 kg
Carry-on
2 bags, 7 kg in total
Changes
Only Standard Plus allows flight changes.

Jetstar JapanLow-cost. Tokyo: Narita Terminal 3

Checked bags
Check the airline
Carry-on
Check the airline
Changes
Check the fare rules on Jetstar before paying.

Bottom line: Compare the fare after adding the bags you will actually check. Airline rules change often, so confirm the current conditions on the airline's site before you pay.

Jetstar Japan's bag and change rules depend on the fare you choose, so read them on Jetstar before you book. Its flights are not covered by JAL's visitor fare.

Which airport? Check the airport, not the city

A search for Tokyo to Sapporo mixes two Tokyo airports and several terminals. The airport can matter more than a small difference in fare.

Tokyo

Airports
Haneda (Terminals 1 and 2 for domestic flights); Narita (Terminals 1 and 3)
What to know
Haneda is closer to central Tokyo. Peach uses Narita Terminal 1 and Jetstar Japan Narita Terminal 3. Transfers: Haneda, Narita.

Osaka

Airports
Itami, Kansai, Kobe
What to know
Itami is the domestic airport closest to central Osaka. Peach flies from Kansai Terminal 2. Kobe has domestic flights, including Skymark. See Kansai Airport to Osaka and Osaka.

Sapporo

Airports
New Chitose
What to know
Airport trains reach Sapporo Station in 33 to 43 minutes, six an hour in the daytime. See Sapporo.

Fukuoka

Airports
Fukuoka
What to know
The domestic terminal is about 5 minutes from Hakata and about 10 from Tenjin by subway.

Okinawa

Airports
Naha
What to know
The monorail runs from Naha Airport Station to Shuri in about 27 minutes.

At Haneda the terminal follows the airline: ANA, AIRDO and Solaseed Air use Terminal 2; JAL, Skymark and StarFlyer use Terminal 1 (opens in a new tab). Check your terminal before you set off, because the train stations differ.

How to book a domestic flight in Japan

The steps are the same on every airline. Most mistakes happen at steps 2 to 6, before you pay.

  1. Decide whether the trip really needs a flight, using the route verdicts above.
  2. Compare airport pairs, not only cities: Haneda or Narita, and Itami, Kansai or Kobe.
  3. Add up the total: fare, checked bags, seat selection, and the airport transfer at both ends.
  4. Check what the fare includes. ANA's cheapest Economy fares still include one 23 kg bag; Peach's Minimum fare includes none.
  5. Read the change and refund rules. ANA Simple and Sale fares, and Peach Minimum and Standard fares, cannot be changed.
  6. Note the operating airline and the terminal. A flight sold by ANA may be operated by AIRDO, Solaseed Air or StarFlyer.
  7. Book, ideally on the airline’s own website or app, and keep the confirmation.
  8. Check in online or in the app where the airline offers it, or at an airport kiosk.
  9. Drop bags and clear security before the airline’s deadlines.
  10. Be at the boarding gate on time. The gate can close before the departure time on your ticket.

Airline website or comparison site?

Comparison sites are useful for seeing which airlines fly a route. Booking on the airline's own website or app keeps changes, seat selection and help during disruption with one company.

Fares for overseas visitors

JAL sells the JAL Japan Explorer Pass (opens in a new tab) to people who live outside Japan and hold an international ticket to and from Japan. These fares cannot be changed or refunded and include two 23 kg bags. ANA offers its own visitor fares under the ANA Discover JAPAN Fare name. Compare either with the airline's regular sale fares for your dates before assuming it is cheaper.

Baggage: the hidden part of a cheap fare

Checked bags are where a low headline fare and the real price split apart.

On full-service airlines a checked bag is usually part of the fare. JAL and Skymark include 20 kg, and even ANA's cheapest Economy fares include one 23 kg bag. On Peach, the Minimum fare includes no checked bag, and Standard adds one of up to 20 kg. Carry-on limits are tighter on low-cost carriers too: Peach allows two bags weighing 7 kg in total, where JAL and Skymark allow 10 kg.

How to compare two fares fairly

  1. Add a checked bag for each traveler who needs one.
  2. Add seat selection if you need to sit together.
  3. Add the airport train or bus at both ends.
  4. Only then compare the totals, and the change rules.

Power banks

Keep them in your carry-on. Since 24 April 2026 (opens in a new tab) you may bring no more than two, each 160 Wh or less, and you cannot use them or charge them from the seat power on board. They are never allowed in checked bags.

Traveling with large suitcases? Sending them ahead by luggage forwarding can cost less than excess baggage on a basic fare, and leaves you free on the travel day.

Check-in, security and boarding deadlines

Japanese airlines enforce their deadlines. Miss one and you can lose the seat even with a ticket.

Minutes before departure by which bags, security and the gate must be cleared, by airline
AirlineBag drop closesClear security byAt the gate by
ANA30 min at HanedaCheck the airline10 min
JAL30 min20 min10 min
Skymark30 min at HanedaCheck the airlineCheck the airline
Peach30 min25 min20 min

Bottom line: Arrive about an hour before departure. At peak times JAL asks for 1½ to 2 hours at New Chitose and 2 hours at Naha, and reports check-in waits of up to 40 minutes at Haneda and up to an hour at New Chitose.

From September 2026, bag drop at Haneda closes 30 minutes before departure on ANA and Skymark as well as JAL. If your flight is a codeshare, check in with the airline that operates it: an ANA ticket on an AIRDO or Solaseed Air flight means the AIRDO or Solaseed Air counter.

Carry your passport. Japanese law requires foreign visitors to carry it at all times (opens in a new tab), visitor fares are bought with it, and ANA lists a passport among the documents it accepts when ID must be shown. JAL's travel-day page (opens in a new tab) has more on each airport.

Flying with children or needing assistance

  • Seats together. ANA Simple and Sale fares open seat selection only 24 hours before departure. To choose seats together with children in advance, book a fare that allows advance seat reservation.
  • Strollers. On JAL a stroller cannot be used in the cabin and must be folded before the boarding gate. Alongside it you can bring only personal items such as a handbag or camera.
  • Priority boarding. Peach boards pregnant passengers and families with children under 2 first.
  • Wheelchair support. Tell the airline when you book. Peach asks passengers who need wheelchair support to contact it in advance and be at the counter 60 minutes before departure.

More in the family travel and accessible travel guides.

Common domestic flight mistakes

  • Comparing flight time with train time

    Instead: Compare hotel to hotel. Add the airport transfer at both ends, about an hour at the airport, and baggage claim.

  • Booking the cheapest low-cost fare with a suitcase

    Instead: Add the checked bag before comparing. Peach Minimum fares include no checked bag.

  • Assuming a Tokyo flight leaves from Haneda

    Instead: Check the airport code. Peach and Jetstar Japan fly from Narita, much farther from central Tokyo.

  • Heading to the wrong Haneda terminal

    Instead: ANA, AIRDO and Solaseed Air use Terminal 2. JAL, Skymark and StarFlyer use Terminal 1.

  • Queuing at the ANA counter for a codeshare flight

    Instead: Check in at the counter of the airline that operates the flight, such as AIRDO or Solaseed Air.

  • Flying back to Tokyo or Osaka on the day you leave Japan

    Instead: Leave a margin, ideally a night, before an international departure. Typhoons can delay domestic flights (opens in a new tab), and bad weather can cancel them.

  • Packing a power bank in a checked bag

    Instead: Keep power banks in your carry-on, no more than two, and do not use them on board.

Domestic flight checklist

Before you book

  • Confirm the route is one where flying wins or is worth comparing.
  • Compare airports at both ends, not only the city names.
  • Add the cost of bags and seat selection to every fare.
  • Read the change and refund rules for the fare type.
  • Note the operating airline and terminal.

On the day

  • Arrive about an hour early, or up to 2 hours at Naha and New Chitose at busy times.
  • Go to the right terminal and the operating airline’s counter.
  • Drop bags 30 minutes before departure at the latest at Haneda.
  • Power banks in your carry-on, no more than two.
  • Carry your passport.

Domestic flight questions

References

View references

Narita International Airport Corporation

Japan National Tourism Organization

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