News
Seattle to Osaka nonstop from May 2027 on Hawaiian Airlines
Alaska Air Group's Hawaiian Airlines will fly Seattle to Kansai four times a week from 14 May 2027, the only nonstop between the two cities and the airport that serves Kyoto. Launch fares from $1,199 return are on sale until 26 October.
By Spike Travel Editorial Desk, Editorial team
Published Oct 21, 2026. 1 min read
What you need to know
- Hawaiian Airlines will fly Seattle–Osaka Kansai (KIX) nonstop from 14 May 2027, four times a week, year-round, subject to government approval.
- Flights leave Seattle at 12:10pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays and land at Kansai at 4pm the next day. The return leaves at 6pm and reaches Seattle at 12:20pm the same day.
- It will be the only nonstop between Seattle and Osaka. Kansai airport also serves Kyoto, about 75 minutes away on JR West's Haruka express.
- Launch fares start at $1,199 return in Main Cabin from Seattle, on sale until 26 October 2026 and subject to availability.
- The A330-200s have lie-flat business class suites, and Starlink Wi-Fi is free for members of the Atmos Rewards programme.
- A Seattle–Papeete route to Tahiti follows on 11 June 2027, three times a week, from $999 return in the same sale.
Alaska Air Group said on 20 October that its Hawaiian Airlines brand will fly between Seattle and Osaka's Kansai International Airport from 14 May 2027. No airline flies the route nonstop today, and Kansai is the airport for Kyoto, Nara and Kobe as well as Osaka.
The schedule
Flights leave Seattle at 12:10pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays and land at Kansai at 4pm the next day, local time. The return leaves Kansai at 6pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and reaches Seattle at 12:20pm the same day. The airline says the route runs year-round and that schedules are subject to change and to government approval.
The launch fare
Round-trip Main Cabin fares from Seattle start at $1,199 and are on sale at alaskaair.com and hawaiianairlines.com until 26 October, subject to availability. The announcement does not say which travel dates the fare covers, and the airline publishes no regular fare to compare it with, so price your own dates against the Tokyo options before you book.
The aircraft
Hawaiian will use its Airbus A330-200s, which have lie-flat business class suites. Starlink Wi-Fi is free for members of Atmos Rewards, the airlines' loyalty programme. New A330 interiors are due from 2028.
What it means for Kyoto
For Kyoto, Kansai is the practical airport. JR West's Haruka express reaches Kyoto Station in about 75 minutes, and its one-way visitor ticket costs ¥2,200. Landing in Tokyo instead means adding the shinkansen, about two hours and fifteen minutes and ¥14,170 for a reserved Nozomi seat one way in regular season.
The bigger picture
The route is part of Alaska's plan to serve at least 15 long-haul destinations from Seattle by 2030. Osaka joins London, Tokyo, Seoul, Rome and Reykjavík, with Athens and Paris also announced. Hawaiian has flown Honolulu–Osaka since 2011 and will keep that route. Seattle–Papeete, for Tahiti, starts on 11 June 2027 with three flights a week, and its launch fare is $999 return in the same sale.
Sources
Where the facts on this page come from. Dates show when we last checked each one.
- Alaska Airlines newsroom: Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines expand global network with new nonstop service connecting Seattle with Osaka and Papeete (20 October 2026)accessed Oct 21, 2026
- Hawaii News Now: Hawaiian Airlines to launch new nonstop Seattle flights to Osaka, Tahiti (20 October 2026)accessed Oct 21, 2026
- JR West: HARUKA one-way ticket pricesaccessed Oct 21, 2026
- JR Central press release listing the Tokyo to Kyoto Nozomi fare of ¥14,170accessed Oct 21, 2026
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