Costa del Sol to Japan: New direct flights

Costa del Sol plans to create a new gateway to Japan for tourists. A direct flight deal is on its way to being signed. 

During a recent trip to Japan by Andalusia’s regional president Juanma Moreno, Arturo Bernal (regional tourism minister) met Naohiro Terakawa, global operations Vice President of All Nippon Airways. ANA is Japan’s largest airline in terms of fleet size and cargo capability. The Tokyo meeting was a major step in the establishment of direct air routes between Japan, Andalusia and Seville. With a working group now formed to advance these plans, the Junta de Andalucía expects an agreement could be reached shortly.

New Japan flights can be a game changer for Costa del Sol’s economy

A direct flight would be a major boost for Andalusian travel. Japanese visitors are known for having a high level of spending power and they have an interest in the holiday potential that Andalusia offers with its culture authenticity safety, and warmth. In 2024, over 156,000 Japanese tourists visited Andalusia, a 30 per cent increase from 2023, spending an average of €500 per person per day during their almost six-day stays on average, a number that overtook the averages of British, German, and Belgian visitors. Andalusia can use the Japanese as a target to attract tourists who are high-value and come throughout the year.

Direct flights to Costa del Sol from Japan

Bernal expressed his optimism regarding the collaboration. He said that a direct line would not only increase connectivity, but create a culture exchange between two regions who share values like respect for tradition and workmanship. Bernal explained that Japanese tourists are interested in our heritage, nature, and essence. Andalusia is a great cultural and economic gateway to Europe. The proposed route will save Japanese tourists time and money by eliminating the need to spend long layovers at major European airports.

The strategic partnership between Andalusia and ANA follows the same path as Andalusia’s broader efforts to internationalise, with the aim of connecting with key markets in Asia or the Americas. Bernal said that ANA’s participation in the meeting, under the direction of their vice president global, demonstrates how they view Andalusia. This working group is now focused on transforming this vision into reality by 2027. Malaga and Seville are competing to be Japan’s gateway to southern Spain.