Cebu Pacific to mount direct flights to Sapporo

MANILA, Philippines — Filipinos can reach Sapporo through direct flights again, but this time with low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific, marking the airline’s fifth destination in Japan.

Cebu Pacific, arguably the most aggressive Philippine carrier right now in terms of expansion, is mounting weekly flights between Manila and Sapporo starting next year.

By Jan. 16, 2025, Cebu Pacific will fly between the two cities thrice a week, every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, becoming the only carrier to connect Manila and Sapporo.

Previously, flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) operated direct flights from Manila to Sapporo using an Airbus A321neo. However, PAL has yet to reopen the route since the pandemic, but it is eyeing to make a comeback in Sapporo as well.

For Cebu Pacific, this marks the first time it is landing in Sapporo, one of the northernmost cities in Japan. Sapporo also opens up the airline’s fifth destination in the country, joining the company of Fukuoka, Nagoya, Osaka and Tokyo.

Cebu Pacific president and chief commercial officer Alexander Lao said the airline is deploying an A320neo in serving the Sapporo flight, maximizing the aircraft it has the most number of.

Lao said travelers would save travel time of as long as five hours if they take the direct service to Sapporo, sparing them of the cost and hassle of layovers.

Right now, Filipinos reach Sapporo through connecting flights, which takes 10 hours, whereas a direct flight to the city is completed in just five hours.

“We are thrilled to be the only carrier to offer nonstop flights between Manila and Sapporo. The launch of this route is testament to Cebu Pacific’s mission of expanding its international network and making air travel accessible to a wider range of passengers,” Lao said.

Sapporo has become a popular destination among Filipinos since 2017, as it served as the setting for sleeper hit Kita Kita, starring Alessandra de Rossi and Empoy Marquez. Sapporo is popular for its snowy weather, and it hosts its own snow festival every February.

Recently, Cebu Pacific opened direct flights to niche markets such as Chiang Mai and Da Nang, gambling that these routes, although new, would soon become popular among travelers.

Once its Manila flight to Sapporo is launched, Cebu Pacific would increase its flight coverage to 35 domestic routes and 27 international cities, spanning Asia, Australia and the Middle East.