Qantas operates the A330-200 on seasonal Sapporo services. (Image: Qantas)
Qantas is set to dramatically boost capacity on its Sydney-Sapporo route next season.
Citing “strong performance and exceptional demand”, the Flying Kangaroo will increase from the current three A330-200 flights per week to up to five in 2026/27, representing over a 50 per cent capacity increase from the current season.
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This will add more than 10,000 seats, making for around 35,000 total on the route, and comes after Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) data showed over one million Australians visited Japan in 2025, up 15 per cent on 2024.
“Since launching flights from Sydney to Sapporo last month, the response from customers has been incredibly strong,” said Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace.
“We’re only halfway through the current season and already we’ve carried almost 10,000 customers on the route and demand is high for the rest of the season.
“Japan remains a key focus for Qantas in the Asia region. By adding more flights next season, it cements our dedication to strengthening ties between our two countries and gives Australian travellers more choice and seamless direct access to Hokkaido’s snow.”
The Qantas service is the only non-stop connection between Sydney and Sapporo, cutting out the need for a layover in cities such as Tokyo or Osaka, and is operating until 28 March before returning on 7 December this year.
It will initially operate three times per week for the 2026-27 season before increasing to up to five from 16 December, then reducing to four from 1 February 2027 and three on 1 March, ending again for the season on 31 March.
Announcing the seasonal route last year, Wallace said it would “save passengers hours of travel time compared to connecting in Tokyo or other cities and give them more time to enjoy on the slopes”.
“Australians’ love affair with Japan is stronger than ever, so it is fitting that Sapporo will also mark the 100th destination in the Qantas network, following the great new destinations we added [in 2024] like Paris, Palau and Port Vila,” he said.
“We last flew to Sapporo in early 2020 and had extremely positive feedback from customers, so we’re looking forward to operating this route again.”
Qantas last tried to launch the service in December 2019, but it never returned after the end of the pandemic lockdowns in 2021. Before that, the Flying Kangaroo last flew to Sapporo in 1997.
AloJapan.com