✈️ Winter 2026 International Flight Schedule Set

❓ What's changing?

Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) approved the scheduled international service plans for the winter 2026 season, which runs from October 25, 2026 to March 27, 2027. Applications came from 130 airlines — 9 Japanese and 121 foreign carriers. International timetables in Japan switch twice a year, in summer and winter, with the winter block running from the last Sunday of October to the last Saturday of the following March. For the opening week (Oct 25–31), approved plans total 6,094.5 flights per week: 5,524.5 passenger flights and 570 cargo flights. Against the same point in the 2025 winter season that is down 2% overall — passenger flights down 3%, cargo flights up 2%. The striking part is how uneven the picture is by region. China routes fall sharply, by 49%, while other Asian markets grow: Korea +18%, Taiwan +11%, Hong Kong +10%, Malaysia +25%, India +52%. Europe also grows, with the UK up 13% and Finland up 36%. The two groups of carriers move in opposite directions as well: foreign airlines are down 5% (222 fewer flights a week) while Japanese airlines are up 6% (67.5 more flights a week). By airport, Narita is up 4%, Haneda up 2% and Fukuoka up 5%, but Kansai is down 17% and Chubu down 16%; regional airports as a whole are up 4%. All figures are first-week plans as of the approval date of October 23, 2026, and may rise or fall during the season.

👥 Who is affected?

• ●Foreign residents flying to or from Japan between Oct 25, 2026 and Mar 27, 2027
• ●Anyone planning a trip home over the year-end holidays or Lunar New Year
• ●Travelers using regional airports such as New Chitose, Hiroshima, Kumamoto, Kagoshima and Naha
• ●People who normally fly via Kansai or Chubu airport
• ●Anyone flying to and from mainland China, and visitors coming to Japan this winter

🌏 Impact on foreign residents and visitors

For foreign residents, the biggest gain is more choice from regional airports. Korean Air starts Incheon–Hiroshima on December 23 with 7 flights a week, giving people around Hiroshima a daily connection through Seoul. Aero K adds Cheongju–Kumamoto (Dec 23, 3 flights/week), Air Busan adds Busan–Kagoshima (Oct 25, 3/week), Air Premia adds Incheon–New Chitose (Dec 2, 4/week) and Tigerair Taiwan adds Kaohsiung–Kumamoto (Oct 27, 2/week). On North American routes, United starts San Francisco–New Chitose (Dec 11, 3/week) and Air Canada starts Vancouver–New Chitose (Dec 18, 3/week). On the other side of the ledger, Kansai is down 17% and Chubu down 16% even among the major airports, and China routes fall 49% overall — 86% at regional airports. If you travel to and from mainland China, check early whether your nonstop still operates. For visitors, new inbound options include Air New Zealand's Christchurch–Narita (Nov 27, 4/week), VietJet Air's Da Nang–Kansai (Dec 20, 4/week) and Starlux's Taichung–Chubu (Oct 25, 5/week, rising to 7/week from Nov 1) and Kaohsiung–Naha (Jan 1, 2027, 7/week).