Hawaiian Airlines has announced that it will add Sapporo as its fourth gateway in Japan. Service between Honolulu International Airport and New Chitose Airport will begin three times per week in November 2012, pending Japanese government approval.
The Sapporo service follows Hawaiian’s launch of service to Tokyo in November 2010, Osaka in July 2011 and Fukuoka in April 2012. It will be the airline’s sixth new destination overall in two years.
"The addition of Sapporo to our network will allow our customers in Japan to fly directly to Hawaii from Japan's three largest islands and, at the same time, give our customers in Hawaii a convenient connection to one of Japan's largest inbound tourist markets,” said Mark Dunkerly, Hawaiian’s president and CEO.
Sapporo is Japan’s fifth-largest city. The capital city of Hokkaido, it is known for its ski resorts and the Sapporo Snow Festival.
The Hawaii Tourism Authority estimates that the new flight will provide $61 million in direct visitor spending, $6.7 million in tax revenue and support 700 jobs for Hawaii residents annually.
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