Air Premia adds Sapporo route for winter travelers
An Air Premia aircraft takes off / Courtesy of Air Premia
Air Premia is adding Sapporo to its Japan network this winter, betting on demand for snow, winter festivals and Hokkaido travel with four weekly flights from Incheon.
The airline said Monday it will begin operating the Incheon-Sapporo route Dec. 2, making it its second destination in Japan after Narita.
Flights will operate Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays using Boeing 787-9 aircraft, with departures from Incheon at 9:40 am and arrivals at New Chitose Airport at 12:20 pm.
Return flights will leave Sapporo at 1:45 p.m. and arrive in Incheon at 5:15 p.m., according to Air Premia.
Sapporo, Hokkaido’s largest city and regional center, becomes Air Premia’s gateway to northern Japan as the airline expands beyond its existing connection to the Tokyo area.
The new route is scheduled to begin as the winter travel season gets underway, offering access to Sapporo’s winter events and illuminations as well as destinations including Otaru and Biei, the airline said.
Air Premia said tickets for the new route will go on sale at 10 a.m. Monday through its website and mobile app.
A promotional fare campaign for the Sapporo service is scheduled to begin Sept. 21, giving travelers planning winter trips another incentive to book early.
An Air Premia representative said the airline would offer passengers traveling to Sapporo comfortable seats and competitive fares while giving winter travelers more choices.
The airline’s expansion comes with Sapporo joining Narita as its second Japanese destination, broadening its network to two of Japan’s major travel markets.
The four-times-weekly service will connect Incheon with Hokkaido throughout the winter season, according to the airline.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.