Singapore Airlines boosts Japan flights from October

Singapore Airlines is continuing to add capacity to and from Japan, now that pre-COVID border measures have been restored and travellers can make hassle-free trips without the worry of providing triple-dose vaccination certificates or undergoing pre-departure PCR testing.

As we recently reported, the Tokyo Narita route will see its daily Airbus A380 service returning from 29th October 2023, but there’s now confirmation of an additional daily Tokyo Haneda flight on the cards, four weeks earlier than that.

There are also frequency increases planned for the airline’s Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka routes, which will see overall Japan capacity back at 95% of pre-COVID levels by March 2024, compared to just 62% today.

Tokyo Narita

Singapore Airlines is currently operating two daily flights to and from Tokyo Narita, one of which continues to Los Angeles.

That’s the same flight frequency as pre-COVID, but currently seat capacity is down because the SQ638/637 service is using the Boeing 787-10, instead of the Airbus A380.

Singapore Tokyo Narita
Now – 28th October 2023

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ12 777-300ER
SIN 09:25		NRT 17:30
	SQ638 787-10
SIN 23:55		NRT 08:00*
	SQ637 787-10
NRT 11:10		SIN 17:20
	SQ11 777-300ER
NRT 19:00		SIN 01:15*

* Next day

That’s happily rectified come 29th October 2023, with the superjumbo back on the flight, returning full pre-pandemic flight frequency and seat capacity on the Narita route for the northern winter season through to the end of March 2024.

Singapore Tokyo Narita
29th October 2023 – 30th March 2024

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ12 777-300ER
SIN 09:20		NRT 17:05
	SQ638 A380
SIN 23:55		NRT 07:30*
	SQ637 A380
NRT 10:00		SIN 16:55
	SQ11 777-300ER
NRT 18:40		SIN 01:20*

* Next day

This will restore full pre-COVID seat capacity of 10,290 per week between Singapore and Tokyo Narita from 29th October 2023, as shown below.

Tokyo Haneda

SIA’s Tokyo Haneda route has been lagging behind on capacity restoration, with only two daily flights currently operating instead of the four daily services seen before the pandemic, a situation that continues through to the end of September 2023.

Singapore Tokyo Haneda
Now – 30th September 2023

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ634 A350 MH
SIN 13:55		HND 21:50
	SQ636 777-300ER
SIN 22:50		HND 06:45*
	SQ631 777-300ER
HND 09:10		SIN 15:15
	SQ635 A350 MH
HND 22:55		SIN 04:55*

* Next day

From 1st October 2023, the Tokyo Haneda route jumps to three times daily service, with the reintroduction of SQ632/633 flights using the Airbus A350 Medium Haul, as highlighted below.

Singapore Tokyo Haneda
1st October 2023 – 30th March 2024

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ632 A350 MH
SIN 08:00		HND 15:55
	SQ634 A350 MH
SIN 13:55		HND 21:50
	SQ636 777-300ER
SIN 22:50		HND 06:45*
	SQ631 777-300ER
HND 09:10		SIN 15:15
	SQ633 A350 MH
HND 17:05		SIN 23:05
	SQ635 A350 MH
HND 22:55		SIN 04:55*

* Next day
Note: Minor timing changes to the above apply from 29th October 2024

This adds a morning service out of Singapore and an evening return flight, both popular timings for those wanting to avoid overnight services to and from Japan, which tend to be too short to allow a decent sleep.

The return of SQ632/633 will restore 75% of pre-COVID flight frequency on SIA’s Tokyo Haneda route, and 82% of pre-COVID seat capacity, thanks to the use of 303-seat Airbus A350 Medium Haul aircraft (prior to the pandemic, the service used 253-seat A350 Long Haul jets).

Unfortunately First Class is where the Haneda route takes a big hit, with only a single daily Boeing 777-300ER service (4 seats each day) between now and late March 2024, compared with two daily Boeing 777-300ERs and a single daily 777-300 in the mix before the pandemic (offering a total of 16 seats per day).

That sadly means only a quarter of the usual First Class SIA seats are plying the Haneda route each day for the foreseeable future, despite a full return for this cabin to and from Narita from late October.

Looking at Tokyo Narita and Haneda flights combined, flight frequencies to and from the city will be restored to 83% of pre-COVID levels, while seat capacity will return to 89%.

Osaka

Currently Singapore Airlines is operating twice daily to and from Osaka, instead of three times daily before the pandemic, as shown in the following schedule.

Singapore Osaka
Now – 28th October 2023

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ618 787-10
SIN 01:25		KIX 08:50
	SQ622 787-10
SIN 13:55		KIX 21:35
	SQ619 787-10
KIX 10:55		SIN 16:40
	SQ623 787-10
KIX 23:25		SIN 04:40*

* Next day

Thankfully from the start of the winter season SIA is restoring its third daily Osaka flight, SQ620/621, with a nice civilised morning departure out of Changi arriving in Japan before 4pm, and a 5pm departure returning to Singapore just after 11pm.

The return direction in particular allows you to maximise the last day of your trip and still be at work the following morning, rather than the either/or choice currently posed by SQ619 and SQ623.

Here’s how the winter schedule looks, with the new flight highlighted.

Singapore Osaka
29th October 2023 – 30th March 2024

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ618 787-10
SIN 01:30		KIX 08:35
	SQ620 787-10
SIN 08:25		KIX 15:40
	SQ622 787-10
SIN 14:05		KIX 21:10
	SQ619 787-10
KIX 11:00		SIN 16:55
	SQ621 787-10
KIX 16:55		SIN 23:05
	SQ623 787-10
KIX 23:20		SIN 05:10*

* Next day

This not only restores full pre-COVID frequencies to and from Osaka, but actually exceeds pre-COVID seat capacity, thanks to the use of larger Boeing 787-10 aircraft on all three daily flights (prior to the pandemic, SQ620/621 used the smaller A350 Medium Haul).

Fukuoka

Prior to COVID-19, Singapore Airlines was operating daily Boeing 787-10 flights to and from Fukuoka.

Currently flights have only been reinstated on this route three times weekly, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, as shown below, in a schedule that continues to the end of October 2023.

Singapore Fukuoka
Now – 28th October 2023

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ656 787-10
SIN 01:20		FUK 08:20
	SQ655 787-10
FUK 10:00		SIN 15:00

From 29th October 2023, service picks up to five times weekly, as shown below, with newly added flights on Mondays and Sundays highlighted.

Singapore Fukuoka
29th October 2023 – 29th February 2024

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ656 787-10
SIN 01:20		FUK 08:10
	SQ655 787-10
FUK 09:45		SIN 15:20

Finally from 1st March 2024 the route’s pre-COVID daily frequencies are restored, with Wednesday and Friday services back on the schedule, as shown below with new flights highlighted.

Singapore Fukuoka
1st March 2024 – 30th March 2024

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ656 787-10
SIN 01:20		FUK 08:10
	SQ655 787-10
FUK 09:45		SIN 15:20

These additional flights will progressively restore 100% of pre-COVID frequencies and seat capacity on the Fukuoka route, as shown below.

Nagoya

Prior to COVID-19, Singapore Airlines was operating daily Boeing 787-10 flights to and from Nagoya.

Currently flights have only been reinstated on this route three times weekly, on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, as shown below, in a schedule that continues to the end of October 2023.

Singapore Nagoya
Now – 28th October 2023

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ672 787-10
SIN 01:20		NGO 09:05
	SQ671 787-10
NGO 10:30		SIN 16:05

From 29th October 2023, service picks up to five times weekly, as shown below, with newly added flights on Mondays and Saturdays highlighted.

Singapore Nagoya
29th October 2023 – 29th February 2024

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ672 787-10
SIN 01:20		NGO 08:10
	SQ671 787-10
NGO 09:45		SIN 15:20

Finally from 1st March 2024 the route’s pre-COVID daily frequencies are restored, with Tuesday and Thursday flights back on the schedule, as shown below with new flights highlighted.

Singapore Nagoya
1st March 2024 – 30th March 2024

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ672 787-10
SIN 01:20		NGO 08:10
	SQ671 787-10
NGO 09:45		SIN 15:20

These additional flights will progressively restore 100% of pre-COVID frequencies and seat capacity on the Nagoya route, as shown below.

Overall Japan capacity increases

As a result of these changes, Singapore Airlines will progressively increase its seat capacity to and from Japan from 62% of pre-COVID levels today to 95% by March 2024, with 140 weekly flights in both directions by then, compared to 154 before the pandemic (91% frequency restoration).

Japan Flight Statistics
July 2023 – March 2024

Period	Weekly statistics All Japan routes
	Seats	As % of pre-COVID*	Flights	As % of pre-COVID*
Jul 2023 Sep 2023	29,832	62%	96	62%
Oct 2023	34,074	71%	110	71%
Nov 2023 Feb 2024	43,364	90%	132	86%
Mar 2024	46,060	95%	140	91%

* Based on January 2020 schedules

This will be achieved by increasing frequencies and using larger aircraft types, including the welcome return of the Airbus A380 to Tokyo Narita from late October this year.

The only missing link by March 2024 will be the daily SQ630/639 flight to and from Tokyo Haneda, which before the pandemic used a three-class 284-seat Boeing 777-300 (non-ER) aircraft, since retired from the fleet, a type that had the added benefit of eight First Class seats.

As such it’s that flagship cabin class that will still suffer the biggest void on Japan flights, with Haneda passengers left to fight over only four of the 2013 F seats per day in each direction, certainly curtailing potential award space.

What about Hiroshima?

SilkAir, SIA’s regional subsidiary, operated to and from Hiroshima with a service that launched in October 2017, but was culled due to weak demand in early March 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic was starting to have an impact.

So far there has been no indication of a return to this route by SIA.

What about Sapporo?

Prior to the pandemic, Singapore Airlines operated seasonal non-stop flights to and from Sapporo, typically from early December until early January each year, to tap demand during the peak holiday ski season.

The last such service was on 6th January 2020, using the airline’s Airbus A330, but there is no planned return to Hokkaido for the full-service carrier at the time of writing.

Instead, Scoot now operates four times weekly year-round to Sapporo via Taipei using Boeing 787-8s.

This was supplemented by some non-stop flights from the low-cost carrier between November 2022 and February 2023, but there is no confirmation these will return this coming winter (watch this space – last year the flights were announced in mid-August).

Award rates

Here are the one-way redemption rates you’ll pay by cabin class on SIA’s Singapore – Japan routes, in either direction, using the KrisFlyer program for a full flight redemption.

KrisFlyer Redemption Singapore ⇄ Japan
	Saver	Advantage
Economy	27,000	45,000
Premium Economy	37,500	n/a
Business	52,000	70,000
First / Suites	77,000	120,000

Saver award space has certainly been hard to come by recently given current capacity constraints, especially during peak seasons, but hopefully this return to almost a full Singapore – Japan flying programme from SIA will improve availability.

Japan was one of the last countries to reopen its borders after the COVID-19 pandemic subsided, and its popularity coupled with a slow restoration of capacity by many airlines including SIA has led to some very high fares and limited award space over the last few months.

Even today, SIA is only flying 62% of its usual seat volume to and from Japan, but the good news is a big hike is in store from October 2023 through to March 2024, which will see almost a full restoration of pre-pandemic capacity.

Let’s hope that will translate to more competitive pricing and more award space in the months ahead.

(Cover Photo: Shutterstock)