Direct Flights from South Korea to Japan — New & Resumed Routes

From Busan — Gimhae International Airport (PUS)

Airlines to Japan

Jin Air (진에어)

Korean LCC, subsidiary of Korean Air. Jin Air operates the Busan–Fukuoka route — a workhorse corridor of roughly 200 km, popular for weekend trips in both directions. Flight time is about 50 minutes. The route competes with a fast ferry service (Beetle/Kobee), so pricing is aggressive. Jin Air also opened an island resort route from Busan to Shimojishima (Miyako Islands, Okinawa), catering to Korean beach tourism to the remote Ryukyu Islands.

Air Busan (에어부산)

LCC based at Gimhae Airport — Busan's hometown carrier, affiliated with Asiana Airlines (now part of Korean Air group). Air Busan has made Japan the centerpiece of its international expansion. The Nagasaki route (January 2026) gives Busan travelers a direct link to one of Kyushu's most historic port cities — no other carrier serves this pair. Takamatsu (March 2026) on Shikoku island is similarly unique: Air Busan is the only carrier connecting Busan directly to Shikoku's gateway airport. These "new city pair" routes reflect the trend of Korean LCCs targeting underserved Japan destinations rather than competing head-on at Tokyo.

T'way Air (티웨이항공)

Mid-size Korean LCC based in Seoul, but with significant operations from Busan. T'way launched two Japan routes from Busan simultaneously on October 26, 2025: Fukuoka (adding to Jin Air on the same day, intensifying competition) and New Chitose/Sapporo. The Busan–Sapporo route targets Korean skiers and powder-snow enthusiasts who had previously needed to fly via Seoul or Tokyo to reach Hokkaido. Direct access from Busan cuts total travel time significantly. T'way then added Busan–Narita (March 2026), giving Busan travelers a direct LCC option to Tokyo's main international airport.

Easter Air / Eastar Jet (이스타항공)

Revived Korean LCC, relaunched after earlier bankruptcy proceedings. Easter Air entered the Busan–Fukuoka market on October 26, 2025 — the same date as T'way Air. Three carriers (Jin Air, T'way, Easter Air) now compete on the Busan–Fukuoka route, reflecting how hotly contested Japan is for Korean LCCs. The carrier simultaneously resumed Seoul–Kagoshima (November 2025), a route that had been dormant since COVID.

From Seoul — Incheon International Airport (ICN)

Airlines to Japan

AeroK (에어로케이) — Seoul routes

Young Korean LCC primarily based at Cheongju (see below), but also operating from Incheon. AeroK resumed Seoul–Ibaraki in November 2025 — Ibaraki Airport is a secondary gateway north of Tokyo, about 80 km from the city, popular for access to Mito and northern Kanto. The route had been suspended since COVID.

Peach Aviation (ピーチ・アビエーション)

Japan's largest LCC (fully owned by ANA Holdings). Peach added Seoul/Incheon to its Kansai (Osaka) and Chubu (Nagoya) networks simultaneously in April 2025 — a Japanese carrier entering the Korea–Japan market from both its Osaka home base and Nagoya. This is noteworthy: where Korean LCCs have been flooding Japan routes from Korea, Peach is making the same move in the other direction, targeting Korean travelers coming to Japan. Peach's Osaka focus gives Koreans a budget option into Kansai beyond the dominant Korean carriers.

Korean Air (대한항공)

South Korea's flag carrier and full-service airline (FSC). Korean Air's new Kobe service (April 2025) is part of a wave of carriers that opened at Kobe Airport simultaneously as Kobe expanded its international slots. Korean Air brings premium cabin options to the Seoul–Kobe route — catering to business travelers bound for Kobe, Osaka, and the broader Kinki region who prefer FSC service. Korean Air is one of the world's largest airlines and a founding member of SkyTeam; its Japan network already includes Narita, Haneda, Fukuoka, and Sapporo.

Jin Air (진에어) — Ishigaki (ISG)

Jin Air's Seoul–Ishigaki route (April 2025) gives Korean travelers a direct budget option to Okinawa's most scenic outer island. Ishigaki, gateway to the Yaeyama Islands, had previously required a connection via Naha or Tokyo. The route is predominantly leisure: Korean tourists drawn to Ishigaki's coral reefs and subtropical scenery. Flight time is about 2.5 hours.

Jeju Air (제주항공)

South Korea's largest LCC by passengers. The Seoul–Hakodate service (June 2025) is Hakodate Airport's first scheduled international route to Korea. Hakodate is Hokkaido's historic southern port city, known for its night view, Victorian-era streets, and fresh seafood — a strong draw for Korean tourists. Previously, Koreans had to fly to New Chitose and take the Shinkansen south. Jeju Air provides a direct option, positioning Hakodate as a stand-alone destination rather than just a stop on a Hokkaido circuit.

Parata Air (파라타항공)

Newly established Korean carrier that debuted Japan routes in late 2025, launching Seoul–Narita (November 2025) and Seoul–Kansai (December 2025), and continuing expansion with Seoul–New Chitose (July 2026). As a new entrant, Parata aims to compete on price on major Korea–Japan corridors. The New Chitose route adds a Hokkaido option, targeting Korean tourists drawn to Sapporo and the surrounding ski resorts. The carrier adds to an already competitive Seoul–Japan market, but the scale of Korean demand leaves room for additional capacity.

Easter Air / Eastar Jet (이스타항공) — Kagoshima (KOJ)

Seoul–Kagoshima resumed in November 2025 after the route went dark during COVID. Kagoshima is the gateway to Sakurajima volcano, Ibusuki sand baths, and the Satsuma Peninsula — a destination with loyal Korean fans. Easter Air's resumption restores a pre-COVID connection on a route that had no other direct Korea operator.

From Cheongju — Cheongju International Airport (CJJ)

Airlines to Japan

AeroK (에어로케이) — the Cheongju–Japan network

AeroK is a relatively young Korean LCC — launched in 2021 — whose entire international strategy is built around Japan. Operating from Cheongju rather than the saturated Incheon hub, AeroK offers central-Korea residents direct access to Japan that previously required a transit via Seoul. The carrier opened six Japan routes in 2025 alone:

Chubu/Nagoya (January 2025): The first AeroK Japan route from Cheongju. Nagoya is a natural fit — central Japan for central Korea — and Chubu Airport serves travellers bound for the Toyota/Tokai industrial belt as well as leisure trips to the Japanese Alps.

Fukuoka (May 2025): Connecting central Korea directly to Kyushu's largest city. Fukuoka's proximity and popularity make it one of the most in-demand routes for any Korean airport.

Obihiro (May 2025): A striking route — Cheongju to Obihiro Airport in central Hokkaido. Obihiro is a small agricultural city surrounded by the vast Tokachi Plain, and the route targets Korean tourists seeking pastoral Hokkaido (lavender fields, dairy farms, "Biei-style" scenery) without flying through Sapporo. Flight time is roughly 2 hours.

Kitakyushu (September 2025): Kitakyushu Airport (Kitakyushu's ocean airport) gives Cheongju passengers access to northern Kyushu's industrial city and its surroundings. Kitakyushu is less visited by foreign tourists than Fukuoka, but is close enough to Fukuoka to be used as a flexible gateway.

Naha/Okinawa (October 2025): Direct access to Okinawa from central Korea without transiting through Narita or Haneda. Korean demand for Okinawa (beaches, subtropical climate, US military history) is extremely strong.

AeroK's point-to-point approach — bypassing Incheon entirely — reflects a broader trend of Korean carriers building regional networks that connect the Korean countryside directly to Japanese destinations, capturing demand that was previously invisible to major hub carriers.

From Daegu — Daegu International Airport (TAE)

Airlines to Japan

T'way Air (티웨이항공) — Daegu to Sapporo

T'way Air launched Daegu–New Chitose in January 2026, timed to the Hokkaido ski season. The route mirrors T'way's Busan–New Chitose service that launched a few months earlier, extending direct Hokkaido access to southeastern Korea without a Seoul stopover. New Chitose Airport serves Sapporo and the surrounding ski resorts (Niseko, Furano, Rusutsu) that have become enormously popular with Korean skiers for their legendary powder snow. Flight time is approximately 2.5 hours.

T'way Air (established 2010) is a mid-size Korean LCC headquartered in Seoul with a growing regional footprint. Its simultaneous expansion from both Busan and Daegu to Hokkaido signals an intent to capture all of Korea's main population centers as sources for Japan ski tourism.

From Jeju Island — Jeju International Airport (CJU)

Airlines to Japan

T'way Air (티웨이항공) — Jeju to Fukuoka

T'way Air launched Jeju–Fukuoka in December 2025. It is among the first regular scheduled international routes from Jeju Island to Japan. The route is around 1 hour in the air and serves both inbound (Japanese travelers to Jeju) and outbound (Jeju residents and Korean tourists traveling to Fukuoka/Kyushu). Given the enormous volume of domestic flights through Jeju Airport, even a small share connecting onward to Japan represents meaningful demand.

Note: The nearby Shimojishima Airport (Miyako Islands, Okinawa) also receives flights from Busan (Jin Air), and Korea-based airlines have been eyeing Jeju → Okinawa connections given the proximity and the shared "island resort" travel profile. Further Jeju international route development is expected.

The Bigger Picture: Why So Many Korean Airlines Fly to Japan

Japanese Airports Now Served from South Korea (2025–2026)