Japan Airlines offering free domestic flights to international tourists

Japan Airlines (JAL) is offering international travellers free complimentary domestic flights to any destination within Japan to combat overtourism.

How it works

Customers must book a JAL international flight and a corresponding domestic flight in the same booking reservation, according to a press release by JAL.

For instance, travellers can book a flight from Singapore to Tokyo, before transferring to a domestic flight from Tokyo to Sapporo.

The fees for the flight from Tokyo to Sapporo will be waived.

Bookings for the international and domestic flights must be made in the same reservation. Separate bookings for domestic flights are not eligible for the promotion.

Making a booking

Let's say you want to visit Miyazaki, which is located on the southeastern coast of Kyushu and is famous for its beautiful beaches and forests.

A round-trip flight from Singapore to Miyazaki, and transiting at Haneda Airport in Tokyo, will cost about S$914.50.

Meanwhile, a trip from Singapore to Tokyo costs around the same price.

And if you book separate flights from Singapore to Tokyo, and then Tokyo to Miyazaki, the trip will cost you S$1,438.10 in total.

Promotions ongoing since September last year

The deal is currently available for travellers from Singapore, U.S., Canada, Mexico, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, India, China, and Taiwan.

The promotion has been ongoing since September last year.

JAL stated there are plans to expand this to more countries.

Overtourism

Japan saw a record-high 36 million foreign visitors in 2024, Kyodo News reported.

A total of 691,100 Singaporeans visited Japan in 2024.

According to the World Economic Forum, approximately 73 per cent of overnight stays are concentrated in five prefectures — Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Hokkaido, and Fukuoka.

This created a significant geographic imbalance.

JAL's promotion is aimed at mitigating overtourism while also contributing to regional revitalisation.

It also encouraged tourists to consider exploring regions they may not have considered otherwise.

Top image via Christiano Sinisterra and Guohua Song/Pexels