Qantas is making big moves to cater for the ski set heading for Japan.
The Australian flag carrier has increased capacity on its popular Sydney-Sapporo route for the 2026-27 season, with flights expanding from three per week to up to five per week in response to increased demand during the current ski season.
The enhanced schedule represents a 50% capacity increase for next season, adding more than 10,000 additional seats to cater for Australians heading to Hokkaido's snow resorts, and a total of nearly 35,000 seats between the two cities.
This comes after new data from the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) revealed that over one million Australians visited Japan in 2025, an increase of 15% on an already record-breaking 2024, with 121,300 visitors visiting the country during the December school holiday rush alone and start of the popular winter season.
Qantas is the only airline to establish a non-stop link between Sydney and Sapporo, with the seasonal service launching in December 2025.
Sapporo also became the 100th destination to join the airline’s international network, boosting tourism in both directions and catering to the increasing demand from Australians looking to experience Japan’s ski slopes.
“Since launching flights from Sydney to Sapporo last month the response from customers has been incredibly strong," says 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.”
Return economy fares from Sydney to Sapporo are available from $1,473 at qantas.com.
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