Japan Airlines’ (JAL) free domestic flights program officially launched last fall in various countries, but what does “free” actually mean for travelers, and is there a catch?
JAL announced the new flight deal in September, offering tourists who arrive in Japan on international flights inter-country flights, free of charge. This initiative includes 64 domestic airports throughout the country.
In recent years, Japan has been bumped up on travel bucket lists, and has been internationally recognized for its cuisine, culture, history, and beautifully preserved natural landscapes. Places like Osaka and Kyoto, though well-known, still receive less tourists annually than popular Tokyo. However, in total, Japan is receiving around 35 million tourists per year as of 2024.
Afar reports that the tactic is a means of combating overtourism by helping relocate masses of visitors in major cities like Tokyo. The program encourages tourists to explore more of Japan.
Though the program offers an exciting and affordable new way to explore Japan, it is only available to certain travelers at the moment. Travelers must be from the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Thailand, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, India, China, or Taiwan to take advantage of this opportunity. JAL anticipates adding more countries to the list as the program progresses.
Customers must book their international flight to Japan and their domestic flight on the same reservation through JAL’s website, according to Afar. With domestic bookings, checked luggage is included along with two free bags up to 50 pounds each for those in economy and premium economy, and three bags up to 70 pounds in business and first class.
JAL, ranked among some of the best airlines in the world, is known for attention to detail, kind and attentive staff, and quality amenities for first and business class fliers.
You may be thinking this seems to good to be true and you might be right. There’s no such thing as a free lunch, and travelers coming from the U.S., Canada, Mexico and China, will have to pay a $100 stopover fee if they choose to stay in the first Japanese airport they land in for over 24 hours, most commonly Tokyo.
Many major cities around the globe have been suffering from the effects of overtourism, and an influx of tourists has overcrowded cities, pushed housing prices out of reach for locals, and overwhelmed local businesses. Still Japan plans to attract 60 million travelers by 2030.
