AirAsia Connects Taiwan and Japan with New Direct Flights from Taipei and Kaohsiung

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

AirAsia is broadening its reach into the Northeast Asian sector by introducing three new fifth-freedom flight routes that link Taipei and Kaohsiung with Japan.

Starting from May 31, 2024, AirAsia X, under the flight code D7, will commence flights from Taipei to Tokyo (Narita). Additionally, Thai AirAsia, with the flight code FD, is set to initiate flights from Taipei to Okinawa on June 15, 2024, and from Kaohsiung to Tokyo (Narita) on June 16, 2024.

The Taipei to Tokyo (Narita) route will be serviced by AAX using the Airbus A330 family wide-body aircrafts, which can accommodate up to 377 passengers and includes 12 Premium Flatbed seats. On the other hand, Thai AirAsia will utilize an A320 aircraft for its flights, featuring 180 seats with 42 Hot Seats available.

The initiation of these fifth-freedom flights is part of the airline’s strategy to use Taiwan as a key hub, thereby offering passengers increased connectivity to a wider array of destinations throughout Southeast Asia and the Northeast Asian region, leveraging its vast network that spans 130 locations.

AirAsia X CEO, Benyamin Ismail said: ”We are proud to launch our first fifth-freedom route this year from Taipei to Tokyo, highlighting the remarkable recovery for AAX. Japan has always been the top destination for AAX, and this launch stands as a strong testament to our commitment to the competitive market and to facilitating more convenient and affordable travel for our guests. Additionally, our guests between Taipei and Japan can enjoy an enhanced travel experience with our award-winning Premium Flatbed onboard. We believe that the launch of this new route can boost tourism opportunities between Taipei and Japan, and we look forward to more route expansion in the future.”

Thai AirAsia CEO, Santisuk Klongchaiya added: “Thai AirAsia has been actively expanding our routes connecting Taipei and Kaohsiung with Japan this year, including the recent launch of the Kaohsiung-Bangkok route. We thank our Taiwanese guests for their constant support along this journey and we look forward to exploring additional routes to Thailand and Japan.”

Data from the Japan National Tourism Organization indicates that the region’s tourism sector has rebounded to 80% of its levels before the pandemic, attracting 25 million international tourists last year. Of these, 4.2 million were from Taiwan, underscoring Japan’s status as the preferred travel destination for Taiwanese travelers.

Aya Kashiwagi, the Director of the Economic Department at the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, also stated that the number of Taiwanese tourists travelling to Japan has reached new highs in the post-pandemic period. In accommodation statistics for foreign tourists across Japan’s 47 prefectures, Taiwanese consistently rank one of the top visitors, prompting profound gratitude for Taiwan’s support of Japanese tourism. In light of this, she congratulated AirAsia for opening three new routes to Japan and expressed hope that Taiwanese travellers will continue to explore and discover more hidden charms of Japan through these new connections.

To mark the introduction of its new flight paths, AirAsia is offering special fares for its passengers. Travelers can secure tickets from Taipei to Tokyo (Narita) starting at TWD 1,888 for a one-way journey, with travel dates ranging from May 31, 2024, to October 26, 2024. Additionally, promotional rates start at TWD 888 for one-way trips from Taipei to Okinawa, valid for the travel period from June 15, 2024, to October 26, 2024. Moreover, one-way tickets from Kaohsiung to Tokyo are available from TWD 1,888, for travels scheduled between June 16, 2024, and October 25, 2024.

These special offers kick off today, March 19, 2024, at 16:00 and will run until March 31, 2024. Bookings can be made through airasia.com and the AirAsia MOVE app, formerly known as the ‘airasia Superapp’.

Presently, the AirAsia Group serves nine routes originating from Taiwan, connecting Taipei with destinations like Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Manila, and Cebu, and linking Kaohsiung with Kuala Lumpur, Manila, and Bangkok. The addition of these three new flight routes elevates AirAsia’s offering to a total of 12 direct flights from Taiwan.

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