Japan Domestic Travel Tip - LCC List Part 1

1. Skymark Airlines

Founded in 1996, Skymark Airlines was the first LCC established in Japan. Based in Haneda Airport, Skymark is the only LCC offering domestic flights from here, breaking the duopoly of All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japan Airlines (JAL). In addition, it has one of the most extensive route networks among budget airlines in Japan, with Kobe Airport as another dominant base. Other destinations that Skymark Airlines fly to include Naha airport in Okinawa, New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido, and Fukuoka Airport.

If you are looking to travel to a city off the beaten path in Japan, consider flying to Ibaraki Airport in the city of Omitama with Skymark Airlines. It is the only domestic airline operating at Ibaraki Airport north of Tokyo. From Kobe Airport, you will reach Omitama quickly in 1 hour 15 minutes, as opposed to a tiring journey of over 5 hours that involves taking the train to Tokyo then transferring to a bus. From Ibaraki Airport, you may also take flights on Skymark Airlines to other Japanese cities conveniently.

Skymark Airlines

2. Jetstar Japan

Based in Tokyo, Jetstar Japan is jointly owned by the Australian carrier Qantas, JAL, Mitsubishi Corporation and Century Tokyo Leasing Corporation. Jetstar Japan flies to 11 destinations within the country as well as 3 international destinations - Hong Kong, Manila and Taipei. Visitors from these international destinations can look forward to a heavily discounted and easy travel experience in Japan.

Peach Aviation and Vanilla Air are Jetstar’s main competitors as they all fly to similar destinations in the country. Amongst its 11 domestic destinations, there are two lesser-known but equally charming destinations that travellers looking for interesting countryside experiences will love. From Narita Airport, make your way to Takamatsu in Shikoku and Kumamoto in Kyushu with Jetstar Japan with less than two hours of flight. These two destinations are hidden gems waiting for you to create unforgettable travel memories in Japan!

Jetstar Japan

Where Jetstar Japan flies domestically:

New Chitose (Sapporo, Hokkaido)

Fukuoka (Fukuoka)

Itami (Osaka)

Kumamoto

Kagoshima

Matsuyama (Ehime pref.)

Oita

Naha (Okinawa pref.)

Takamatsu (Kagawa pref.)

3. Solaseed Air

Previously established as Pan Asia Airlines when it was founded in 1997, this low-cost airline was rebranded as Solaseed Air in July 2011. Solaseed Air operates services mainly to cities in Kyushu including Okinawa as well as Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. Compared to other LCCs in Japan, Solaseed boasts a relatively generous baggage allowance for all passengers at 20 kilograms (44 pounds) of free checked baggage. In addition, there is some cabin service on board your flight, such as serving complimentary drinks to all passengers.

Foreign visitors are also eligible to purchase a special Visit Japan Fare at 10,500 JPY (91.40) for any domestic flight fare on Solaseed. From Tokyo to Kagoshima, it takes about 7 hours to travel on the shinkansen at a cost of around 30,000 JPY (261.55 USD). On the other hand, a direct flight on Solaseed Air for the same route takes only 1 hour 40 minutes at almost one-third of the price. So you can certainly consider this relatively cheaper option if you are planning a trip between Tokyo and Kyushu region.

Solaseed Air

Where Solaseed Air flies domestically:

Haneda (Tokyo)

Nagoya

Kobe

Oita

Kumamoto

Miyazaki

Nagasaki

Kagoshima

Naha (Okinawa pref.)

Inagaki (Okinawa pref.)

4. Starflyer

Founded with the aim to offer customers an entirely new type of air transport service that is not available on other airlines, Starflyer is a Japanese LCC based in Kitakyushu Airport in Fukuoka Prefecture. Just like Solaseed Air, it also provides its passengers with up to 20 kilograms of free checked baggage. Besides operating daily frequent services from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport to Fukuoka, Kitakyushu, Yamaguchi, Nagoya and Osaka’s Kansai Airport, Seoul and Busan in South Korea are two foreign destinations that Starflyer’s customers can head to conveniently.

In line with the company mission, Starflyer’s seats are spacious, and come with an individual video system for every passenger to enjoy entertainment during the flight, alongside complimentary drinks. Such comfort level easily rivals that of a full-service carrier and is certainly a value-for-money deal to consider when traveling in Japan. You can also take advantage of its special Fly Japan Value Fare, available only to foreign visitors, from just 7,000 JPY (60.95 USD) per domestic flight!

Starflyer

Where Staarflyer flies domestically:

Tokyo(Haneda) to/from Kitakyushu

Tokyo(Haneda) to/from Fukuoka

Tokyo(Haneda) to/from Osaka(Kansai airport)

Nagoya(Chubu) to/from Fukuoka

Tokyo(Haneda) to/from Yamaguchi-Ube

5. Air Busan

Alongside the above three Japanese LCCs, Air Busan is also a prominent low-cost airline you can check out in Japan. In March 2010, the subsidiary of Asiana Airlines based in Busan, South Korea began its first flight to Fukuoka from Busan. Now, it also operates regular services from Busan to Osaka, Sapporo and Tokyo in Japan at lower fares compared to full-service carriers.

Air Busan is definitely a great alternative compared to full-service carriers, as it offers similar cabin service with food and beverages and checked baggage at a lower cost for international air travel to and from Japan. After your flight, do not be in a hurry to discard your Air Busan boarding pass. This is because under the airlines Fly and Fun program, you can enjoy a variety of discounts when you present your boarding pass to hotels, restaurants, shops and entertainment joints affiliated with the airline. Be a smart traveler and enjoy these attractive savings!

Air Busan

Cut your travel costs with these cool LCCs

Air travel is no longer as expensive as it used to be before the influx of low cost airlines. With increasing competition by these LCCs offering huge discounts and special perks, domestic air travel in Japan has not only become more affordable, but it has also injected some fun into travelling within the country. Be a smart traveller and watch out for the frequent promotions of these discount airlines to cut your travel costs, so that you can spend your money on other aspects of your trip!

Continue to Japan Domestic Travel Tip - LCC List Part 2