Incheon-Sapporo route reopens after 28 months of suspension

The Incheon-Sapporo route has been resumed after more than two years of suspension due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Incheon International Airport Corporation announced on Monday that the Incheon-Sapporo route has been resumed at Incheon International Airport Terminal 2 on Sunday. The route has been reopened after two years and four months since it shut down in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. On the Incheon-Sapporo route, Korean Air will operate B737-800 for two flights a week, Wednesday and Sunday.

Since the pandemic, there were only four regular flights between Incheon and Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, and Fukuoka. Thanks to the resumption of the Incheon-Sapporo route, travelers have more options of visiting Hokkaido. The northernmost of Japan’s main islands is one of the most popular summer vacation destinations with its beautiful scenery and cool weather even in summer. Sapporo is the biggest city in Hokkaido, as of 2019, about 900,000 travelers used the Incheon-Sapporo route.

On Saturday, the Japanese delegation, which includes Vice Governor of Hokkaido Motohito Uramoto, visited Korea from Sapporo. The delegation will stay in Korea until Tuesday to discuss ways to expand exchanges and the friendship between Korea and Hokkaido with Incheon International Airport Corporation.

“We are looking forward to the recovery of demand on the Korea-Japan routes during this summer peak season driven by the possible resumption of visa-free exchanges and reopening routes,” said Kim Bum-Ho, the chief of the Future Business Division at Incheon International Airport Corporation. “We will work closely with airlines and relevant agencies to recover demand as early as possible.”


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