Qantas has announced a major capacity lift on its Sydney–Sapporo seasonal service, expanding from three to up to five weekly Boeing 787 flights for the 2026/27 northern-winter. The move follows record Japanese visitation: more than one million Australians travelled to Japan in 2025, a 15 % year-on-year rise.
The additional rotations add over 10,000 seats and make Sapporo the 100th destination in the Qantas international network, reinforcing the carrier’s strategy to target leisure routes with strong premium-economy demand and freight potential (notably seafood exports bound for Sydney).
![Qantas to Boost Sydney–Sapporo Flights by 50 % for 2026/27 Ski Season]()
For corporate travel managers, the extra capacity offers better inventory during Australia’s December-January holiday peak and could moderate fares that spiked after Japan fully reopened its borders. Qantas said the service has performed “well above forecast” in its first month, with average load factors exceeding 90 %.
Travellers looking to capitalise on the expanded schedule should also ensure their paperwork is in order. VisaHQ’s Australian portal (https://www.visahq.com/australia/) offers fast, step-by-step support for Japanese tourist, business and Working Holiday visas, streamlining applications and courier logistics so passengers can focus on booking those new seats rather than navigating consulate queues.
Tourism officials in both countries expect wider economic benefits: Japanese ski resorts rely on Australian instructors and hospitality staff who typically travel on Working Holiday or Skilled 408 visas. More seat supply should ease pressure on those visa holders and their employers. The schedule will be filed with regulators in February and tickets go on sale next week.
The additional rotations add over 10,000 seats and make Sapporo the 100th destination in the Qantas international network, reinforcing the carrier’s strategy to target leisure routes with strong premium-economy demand and freight potential (notably seafood exports bound for Sydney).
For corporate travel managers, the extra capacity offers better inventory during Australia’s December-January holiday peak and could moderate fares that spiked after Japan fully reopened its borders. Qantas said the service has performed “well above forecast” in its first month, with average load factors exceeding 90 %.
Travellers looking to capitalise on the expanded schedule should also ensure their paperwork is in order. VisaHQ’s Australian portal (https://www.visahq.com/australia/) offers fast, step-by-step support for Japanese tourist, business and Working Holiday visas, streamlining applications and courier logistics so passengers can focus on booking those new seats rather than navigating consulate queues.
Tourism officials in both countries expect wider economic benefits: Japanese ski resorts rely on Australian instructors and hospitality staff who typically travel on Working Holiday or Skilled 408 visas. More seat supply should ease pressure on those visa holders and their employers. The schedule will be filed with regulators in February and tickets go on sale next week.
