Nonstop options from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Cairns and Perth to Tokyo and Osaka, Qantas's seasonal Sydney-Sapporo flight, and how each airline treats a ski bag.
Sydney has nonstop flights to Tokyo Haneda on Qantas, JAL and ANA. Qantas also flies Brisbane and Melbourne to Narita, Jetstar flies Brisbane and Cairns to Narita and Brisbane, Cairns and Sydney to Osaka Kansai, and ANA flies Perth to Narita. For Hokkaido, Qantas runs a seasonal nonstop Sydney to Sapporo flight, increased to up to five a week for 2026-27. Your choice of airline matters most for the ski bag: full-service carriers include it in the normal allowance, while low-cost fares charge for every checked bag.
| From | To | Airlines |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney | Tokyo Haneda | Qantas, JAL, ANA |
| Sydney | Sapporo New Chitose | Qantas (winter only) |
| Sydney | Osaka Kansai | Jetstar |
| Melbourne | Tokyo Narita | Qantas |
| Brisbane | Tokyo Narita | Qantas, Jetstar |
| Brisbane | Osaka Kansai | Jetstar |
| Cairns | Tokyo Narita, Osaka Kansai | Jetstar |
| Perth | Tokyo Narita | ANA |
Route list based on the airport timetables summarised on Wikipedia for Haneda, Narita and Kansai. Airlines add and drop routes each season, so confirm on the airline's own site before you plan around one.
Yes, in winter. Qantas started a seasonal Sydney to Sapporo (New Chitose) service in December 2025 with three flights a week on an A330, and the airline is the only one flying the route nonstop. For the 2026-27 season Qantas announced an increase to up to five flights a week, adding more than 10,000 seats (aeroTELEGRAPH, January 2026; Aviacionline). From New Chitose it is a bus or car transfer to Niseko, Rusutsu or Kiroro.
Without that flight, the usual route is Australia to Haneda, then a domestic flight to Sapporo. International flights at Haneda use Terminal 3 and domestic flights use Terminals 1 and 2. A free shuttle bus links them, running every 4 minutes from 5am to 8pm and every 8 minutes until midnight (Haneda Airport). Whether your bags are checked through depends on your ticket, so ask at check-in in Australia.
| Airline | Economy allowance to Japan | Ski or snowboard bag |
|---|---|---|
| Qantas | Up to 30 kg total, no piece over 32 kg | Counts toward the 30 kg; one ski set per passenger, in a ski bag |
| ANA | Up to 2 pieces of 23 kg, depending on fare | Free within the allowance; no oversize fee for ski items between 158 and 292 cm |
| Singapore Airlines (via Singapore) | 25 kg (Value, Lite) or 30 kg (Standard, Flexi) | Counts toward the weight allowance |
| Jetstar | Depends on the bag you buy | Must be added to the booking; check current fees |
| JAL | Check the fare | Check JAL's sporting equipment page |
Sources: Qantas checked baggage, Qantas sporting equipment, ANA, Singapore Airlines. Qantas defines a set as skis, poles and boots, or a board and boots. ANA notes that ski items packed separately are charged as extra pieces, and ski bags cannot go through self-service bag drop.
On a weight-based allowance like Qantas's, a ski bag with two pairs of skis and boots can use 15 kg or more of your 30 kg before you pack clothes. If that does not work, our guide to bringing your gear or renting compares the costs, and Yamato airport counters can send the bag on to your hotel once you land.
Sydney to Tokyo is an overnight or long daytime flight of roughly 9 to 10 hours. Jet lag is minimal: Japan is one hour behind Brisbane and two hours behind Sydney and Melbourne during Australian daylight saving time, which covers the whole Japanese ski season.
Late December and January overlap with Australian summer school holidays, so fares and ski-town accommodation for those weeks sell out first. Book them early. If you are heading to Nagano, read the Hakuba access guide before choosing between Haneda and Narita. For dates in January and February, see skiing Japan from Australia in January and February. Travelling from South Africa instead? See skiing in Japan from South Africa for flights, visa and costs in rand.
Haneda is closer to central Tokyo and has more domestic connections, which helps if you continue to Hokkaido. For Hakuba or Nagano by train, either works; Narita adds about an hour to reach Tokyo Station.
Many skiers carry boots in the cabin so the most important item never goes missing. They count toward your carry-on weight, so check the airline's cabin baggage limit.