International Access to New Chitose Airport Increased Throughout March

A recent announcement from Japanese Ministry of Transport is bringing a welcome wave of relief to travellers looking to come to Niseko during the spring. A new contract involving 11 airlines in China, South Korea and Japan is set to bring in an additional 79 round trip flights to bolster the already busy flight schedule until the end of March. This will increase the current roster of 159 round trips to an impressive 238 with the average hourly arrivals and departures increasing from 32 to 42 per hour during peak travel times.

New Chitose Airport is the gateway for many international travellers to Hokkaido and as such it serves as a bit of a bottleneck for many. While international flight schedules are at peak capacity over the months of December, January and February, they have traditionally tapered off during the spring. With Niseko's increasing popularity during the final months of the skiing season this has become a real hindrance for many travellers looking to time their trips in line with their children's school holidays.

The Japanese government is anticipating that the increase in flights will assist over 3.2 million fliers get into Hokkaido over the month of March. All of this is good news for anyone hoping to get in some time on the slopes in the Niseko area!