Jetstar announced on Jul. 12 that it will once again be operating flights from Changi Airport to Okinawa’s Naha airport later in 2023, becoming the only airline offering direct services between Singapore and the Japanese island.
According to the announcement, the service will commence on Nov. 30, “just in time for year-end holiday period”, with three flights a week.
The resumption of flights is a result of support from the Okinawa Prefectural Government (OPG) and the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO).
According to Hatsume Nagai, JNTO Singapore Representative Office Executive Director, a recent survey showed that Okinawa was the second most popular Japanese destination among Singaporeans.
Tickets starting from S$159
To celebrate the re-launch, Jetstar has announced special one-way fares from Singapore to Okinawa, starting from just S$159.
Jetstar first launched Singapore-Okinawa direct services in 2017, and had promotional S$66 one-way tickets to celebrate its inauguration.
Ordinary tickets in November 2017, according to screenshots, were priced from S$135.
However, the service ended in 2020, with the last flight on Mar. 20, due to travel restrictions that arose in response to the pandemic.
On Jetstar’s website, regular tickets for Nov. 30 are priced starting from S$300.
Screenshot from Jetstar's website.
However, the current promotion lets you snag tickets at S$159 if you book your tickets between Jul. 12 and 16.
Screenshot from Jetstar's website.
On Singapore Airline's website, a trip to Okinawa on Nov. 30 would cost over S$1,500 and requires a layover in another Japanese airport.
On Skyscanner, no other services provide a lower price than Jetstar's direct flight, and all require a layover in some airport or the other.
Okinawa
Okinawa is located southwest of Japan’s four main islands, and is the country’s fifth largest island.
It is located between Japan and Taiwan, and a flight there from Singapore takes just over five hours.
It is slightly bigger than Singapore, but only has a population of around 1.5 million people.
It is famous for its beautiful coasts and beaches, and just like many other Japanese places, its local cuisine, which locals say contribute to their longevity.
You can visit the official Okinawa Travel Guide for more information on the Japanese island.
In the announcement, Jetstar also said it will resume a second Japan route with services from Singapore to Osaka (Kansai International Airport) via Manila starting Nov. 24 this year.
Top photo from Unsplash