Airfares to Tokyo fall, but prices up for Japan's regional cities Fukuoka and Nagoya

Airfare trends from Singapore to Japan are shifting, with regional cities Nagoya and Fukuoka, once overshadowed by the Japanese capital, emerging as rising destinations among travellers here.

- Sarah Stanley

Comparing the third quarters of 2024 and 2025, average airfares from Singapore to Tokyo dropped by around 10 per cent, while fares to Fukuoka and Nagoya rose by 15 to 25 per cent, according to online travel booking company Expedia.

One-way airfare to Tokyo starts at around $190, while one-way airfare to Fukuoka starts at around $1,190, based on checks by The Straits Times for flights in November.

Competition fuels the large disparity in prices. Data from aviation analytics company Cirium shows that Tokyo is served by at least six airlines from Changi Airport, including full-service carriers like Singapore Airlines (SIA) and All Nippon Airways and low-cost carriers like Scoot and Zipair. Direct flights to Fukuoka are served only by SIA.

Based on Expedia's flight data from January to July, Singapore is among the top five inbound markets to Japan, alongside the United States, Canada, Britain and South Korea.