UK and EU travellers can get free domestic flights in Japan this winter as ANA launches regional-tourism push
November 27, 2025
Travellers from the UK and across Europe visiting Japan this winter can access free domestic flights on All Nippon Airways (ANA) under a new campaign designed to boost regional tourism and ease pressure on Japan’s most-visited cities.
The offer — launched by ANA on November 24 — allows international visitors from Europe (including the UK) to add up to two domestic sectors at zero base airfare when booking their trip to Japan.
The campaign is supported by the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) as part of a wider initiative to redirect inbound travellers away from overcrowded hotspots such as Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto, and towards lesser-visited prefectures.
How the ANA free domestic flights offer works
According to ANA’s announcement, the deal applies to passengers who:
- Book an international ANA flight to Japan from Europe
- Add domestic flights within the same itinerary
- Travel in economy class on domestic flights
- Book between 24 November 2025 and 31 January 2026
The airline states that the promotion unlocks its entire 40-plus-city domestic network, including destinations such as Sapporo, Hakodate, Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Nagasaki, Okinawa and Ishigaki.
The stopover rule also allows visitors to spend time in Tokyo before continuing to a regional destination, with the domestic legs priced at “no additional airfare” when booked together with the international ticket.
The airline offers a “multiple cities” flight search tool to help travellers find available flights and plan their trip.
ANA notes that taxes, fees, and surcharges apply — meaning the domestic flights are not entirely cost-free, but still cheaper than normal domestic fares during winter high season.
Why ANA is offering free domestic flights in Japan
The initiative reflects Japan’s intensifying efforts to rebalance inbound tourism flows. While demand from Europe has surged — especially from the UK, France, Germany and Spain — much of the visitor pressure remains concentrated in the “Golden Route” corridor between Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto and Osaka.
Government strategy now explicitly aims to encourage travellers to explore other regions, from northern Hokkaido’s winter landscapes to Kyushu’s hot springs, Okinawa’s subtropical islands and rural prefectures that have seen far fewer international arrivals..
JNTO is supporting ANA’s campaign as part of a coordinated push to promote regional dispersal, longer stays, and higher spending in local economies outside major metros.
What the ANA free domestic flights offer means for UK and EU visitors
For winter travellers, the offer offers a chance to build a two- to three-stop itinerary across Japan without paying domestic airfare.
The timing also aligns with peak seasonal experiences that visitors can enjoy:
- Hokkaido for snow festivals and skiing
- Tohoku for remote hot-spring towns
- Kyushu for volcanic landscapes and food culture
- Okinawa for warm-weather island breaks
- Shikoku and Chugoku for quieter cultural sites and hiking routes
The inclusion of Japan’s far-flung islands — which can be more expensive to reach — may be particularly appealing to travellers.
Conditions and limitations of the ANA free domestic flight offer
There are some conditions and limitations to ANA’s free domestic flight offer:
- Domestic flights must be included in the itinerary when booking the international ticket.
- The free airfare applies only to ANA-operated itineraries.
- Economy class seats are limited and subject to availability on each route.
- Taxes and airport charges are collected at the time of booking.
- Additional transportation costs (like rail connections between cities) are not included in the offer.
While the booking deadline for the offer is January 31, 2026, travel may take place after that date. The airline notes that international airfare may vary depending on domestic flight availability. On the plus side, free domestic flights don’t have to arrive/depart from the same airport, so that travellers can design a flexible itinerary.
An attractive and comprehensive stopover package
Airlines have worked with tourism boards to promote domestic tourism before, including stopover campaigns for passengers who would otherwise only be connecting through. But free domestic flights tied to an international booking are rare. For European travellers planning a winter trip, the ANA promotion offers value, encouraging them to see more of Japan.
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Featured Image: pjs2005 | Wikimedia Commons
