Jeju Air adds summer Japan flights, urges travelers to buy tickets in June

Jeju Air said Monday it will increase flights on major Japan routes — including Tokyo (Narita), Osaka, Fukuoka, Nagoya and Matsuyama — to accommodate customers planning summer travel to Japan in July and August.

The Incheon–Nagoya route will add seven weekly flights from July 10 through Aug. 18, while the Incheon–Matsuyama route will receive the same expansion from Aug. 1 through Aug. 18. Both routes will grow from 14 to 21 weekly flights.

Three routes already operating on expanded schedules since May — Incheon–Tokyo (Narita), Incheon–Fukuoka and Busan–Osaka — will continue their increased service through the peak summer season. Incheon–Tokyo (Narita) flights will rise from 35 per week to 43 in July and 46 in August. Incheon–Fukuoka will go from 28 weekly flights to 30 in July and 36 in August, while Busan–Osaka will expand from 14 to 17 weekly flights across both months.

Jeju Air has been expanding capacity on Japan routes since May in anticipation of rising short-haul international travel demand. The carrier served approximately 410,000 passengers on Japan routes last May, up 28.7 percent from about 318,000 in the same period last year.

The airline said June is an advantageous time to book Japan travel. Fuel surcharges on Japan routes fell as much as 18.2 percent from the previous month, and the Japanese government is set to raise its international tourism passenger tax — known as the departure tax — starting in July.

Japan will triple the departure tax from 1,000 yen to 3,000 yen (about $19) in July. Because the tax is applied based on the ticket purchase date rather than the actual departure date, tickets bought in June will be subject to the lower rate.

"July and August in Japan bring large-scale fireworks festivals and traditional matsuri, offering a summer experience unique to Japan," a Jeju Air official said. "Buying tickets in advance in June, before peak-season bookings pick up in earnest, gives travelers more flexibility in choosing departure times and seats."