We echo a current press release that will surely interest more than one traveller interested in getting to know Malaga and the Costa del Sol.
Seville and Malaga airports are competing for a direct connection to Japan by 2028
Japanese airlines are very interested in opening a direct connection route to Andalusia.
As some may know, the main international gateways to Andalusia are the airports of Seville and Malaga.
Seville Airport
Seville Airport, located inland, has international connections. Mainly to countries within the Schengen Area, as well as some non-Schengen flights, such as Morocco.
Its current passenger volume is over 9 million annually. More than twenty airlines operate at Seville Airport. They connect twenty Spanish cities and 57 cities around the world. These are primarily in Western Europe. But also with major cities in Eastern Europe (Athens, Budapest, Bucharest, Istanbul, and Warsaw) and North Africa.
Malaga-Costa del Sol Airport
By comparison, Malaga-Costa del Sol Airport currently has a passenger volume of 24 million in 2024, a figure that it will surpassed again this year. This airport has direct flights to more than 150 cities in 36 countries, operated by more than 50 airlines, and there are direct flights to New York, Morocco, and the Middle East (Doha, Bahrain, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi).
The airport is an important hub for the Costa del Sol region. Tha Spanishgovernment has recently submitted a plan for a significant expansion of Malaga Airport to comfortably handle up to 36 million passengers per year.
Given this powerful infrastructure, it’s likely that these future connections between Japan and Andalusia will be via Malaga.
All Nippon Airways is looking to Andalusia
There will be working group between the Andalusian Regional Government and All Nippon Airways (ANA), and direct flights between Japan and Andalusia will most likely not be operational until at least 2028.
Once this direct connection with Andalusia is operative, it will be the third Spanish destination with direct flights for Japanese tourists.
Japanese tourists
As a matter of fact, in 2024, more than 156,000 Japanese tourists arrived in Andalusia, which is a growth of almost 30% compared to the previous year.
The general profile of Japanese tourists is highly educated, interested in Andalusian culture and history, as opposed to sun-and-beach tourism.
How long is a direct flight from Spain to Japan?
The current direct flight between Spain and Japan departs from Madrid.
The Spanish airline Iberia operates this connection. The flight duration is 14 hours and 10 minutes. There are direct flights on this route three days a week.
All Nippon Airways
All Nippon Airways, or ANA, is Japan’s second-largest airline, with its main international hubs at Tokyo and Osaka airports. It operates flights to 49 destinations in Japan and 22 worldwide.
All Nippon Airways (ANA) consistently ranks among the world’s best airlines and has a 5-star rating from Skytrax. In June of this year, it was again recognized for its exceptional service. It received two top honours at the World Airline Awards.
ANA has a fleet of more than 189 aircraft, such as: Airbus A320, Airbus A321, Boeing 737, Boeing 767, Boeing 777, and Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Its seat options include: First Class, Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy Class.
