Three weekly flights on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays

Japan route passengers up 29% in first three quarters this year

Naruko Gorge in Sendai, Japan. [Provided by Jejuair]
Naruko Gorge in Sendai, Japan. [Provided by Jejuair]

Jejuair announced Friday it will launch three weekly flights on the Incheon–Sendai route starting Jan. 8, operating on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Flights will depart Incheon International Airport at 8:35 a.m. and arrive at Sendai Airport at 10:30 a.m. (local time), with the return leg departing Sendai at 11:30 a.m. and landing in Incheon at 2:40 p.m. (local time).

Sendai, the largest city in Japan's Tohoku region, is known as the "City of Trees" for the tree-lined boulevards and parks throughout its downtown. It is the home of gyutan — grilled beef tongue — and sits near Matsushima, ranked among Japan's three most scenic views, as well as the Akiu and Sakunami hot spring resorts.

Jejuair carried more than 3.7 million passengers on Japan routes in the first three quarters of this year, up 29 percent from about 2.87 million in the same period last year. Smaller Japanese city routes have also gained traction: passenger numbers on the Incheon–Hiroshima route rose 42 percent year on year, while the Incheon–Shizuoka route climbed 40 percent. Passengers on smaller Japanese city routes grew from about 610,000 in 2024 to about 760,000 in 2025, and have already reached about 700,000 through the third quarter of this year.

Jejuair currently operates 16 Japan routes — 11 from Incheon, one from Gimpo and four from Busan. It plans to resume the Incheon–Kagoshima route Sunday and the Incheon–Hakodate route on Dec. 1.

To mark the new service, Jejuair is offering discounts of up to 20 percent on tickets booked through its website and mobile app through Nov. 8. Pre-purchased baggage allowances will be discounted by up to 50 percent, and travel and accommodation partner discount coupons will also be available.

"The launch of Sendai service broadens the options for customers planning trips to smaller Japanese cities and makes it possible to enjoy multi-city itineraries such as Incheon–Sendai combined with Tokyo (Narita)–Incheon," a Jejuair official said. "We will continue working to offer a wider variety of routes so customers can experience ever more diverse travel."


eyre@heraldcorp.com