Japan Airlines Are Offering Free Domestic Flights for Those Wanting to Explore the Country

25.09.2024 - 14:45 / matadornetwork.com

To encourage travelers to Japan to get off the beaten path, delve deeper into the country’s cultural heritage, and venture beyond the popular tourist destinations, Japan Airlines is offering complimentary domestic flights all across the archipelago.

Reports of overtourism in specific areas of the country could also be a driving force behind the initiative. Places such as Shibuya’s scramble crossing, viewing spots for Mount Fuji, Kiyomizu Temple, and other sites in Kyoto are at capacity.

Photo: Richard Whitcombe/Shutterstock

“Japan may be both experiencing overtourism in some places and witnessing the opposite in others,” says the Japan Times.

By encouraging visitors to travel to other areas of the country, it’s hoped that tourist numbers will be more equally distributed across Japan’s thousands of islands.

The complimentary domestic flight offer has already been launched in some countries, with plans to expand its availability to the remaining destinations throughout September and beyond.

At the moment, the offer is open to passengers departing from the US, Canada, Mexico, Thailand, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand. Those arriving from Vietnam and the Philippines can book from September 25 and Indonesia, India, China, and Taiwan from September 27.

To qualify, travelers must book an international ticket to Japan with Japan Airlines and a corresponding domestic flight in the same reservation. Separate domestic bookings will not be eligible.

A stopover fee of $100 will be applied to travelers coming in from the US, Canada, Mexico, and China if they stay in their first destination in Japan for more than 24 hours. Passengers from other countries will not incur additional charges for the domestic segments.

This could likely be an attempt to get travelers arriving in Tokyo out of the capital and into nature as quickly as possible.

To make the journey out to more remote areas seamless, the offer includes a generous free luggage allowance of 23kg across two bags.

UNESCO World Heritage Site Koyasan temple and Nachi Falls. Photo: fukez84/Shutterstock

The award winning airline recommends several domestic destinations, such as Hokkaido, known for its national parks and skiing resorts, and Wakayama, home to the temple enclave of Koyasan and Japan’s tallest waterfall, Nachi Falls.