Everything to know about Fukuoka Airport
- Published on : 08/06/2025
- by : Japan Experience
- Youtube
Aircrafts docked at Fukuoka Airport on Kyushu Island
@flickr/ Hideyuki KAMON
Fukuoka Airport is the third busiest airport in Japan and the busiest on the island of Kyushu. It serves as a depot for travel to other parts of Japan as well as many parts of Asia! See everything to know about this prominent international airport!
Kyushu is the southernmost of Japan’s four major islands, with its largest city being Fukuoka in the prefecture of the same name. Fukuoka has historically been a center for travel and exchange with the rest of the Asian continent, and such is still relevant today, as Fukuoka Airport services a large number of international flights largely coming from countries like South Korea, China, Singapore, and more!
Fukuoka Airport is the largest and busiest airport on all of Kyushu, making it a major transportation hub for those looking to explore the prefectures of this island. Additionally, it is the third busiest airport in all of Japan, only behind Haneda Airport and Narita Airport which service Tokyo and the Kanto Region, and one of its best attributes is how easily accessible it is from the city’s center!
For those traveling throughout the southern and western parts of the Japanese archipelago, it is likely that Fukuoka will be a major junction for transportation. Take a look at everything you need to know about Fukuoka Airport before your next trip out!
- Airlines and Terminals
- Access to Fukuoka Airport
- Facilities at Fukuoka Airport
- Accommodation near Fukuoka Airport
- What to do in Fukuoka
Airlines and Terminals
Fukuoka Airport is primarily divided into two different terminals:
- Domestic Terminal
- International Terminal
As their names suggest, the former services flights within Japan, and the latter services flights going out of and into Japan. That being said, there are some airlines that have crossover and operate out of both. Here are some of the major airlines that can be found at Fukuoka Airport:
- Japanese Airlines
- JAL (both domestic and international)
- ANA (both domestic and international)
- Skymark (domestic low cost carrier)
- Peach (domestic low cost carrier)
- And more!
- International Airlines
- Air China (to and from the Chinese mainland)
- Jeju Airlines (to and from Jeju, Busan, and Seoul)
- Cathay Pacific (to and from Hong Kong)
- Philippine Airlines (to and from Manila)
- Singapore Airlines (to and from Singapore)
- And more!
There is a bus that goes from the international terminal to the domestic terminal. It takes around 15 minutes between the two terminals that are often used by those who have transfers. Common domestic flights going to and from Fukuoka Airport include the following:
- Kansai International Airport (KIX)
- Tokyo Haneda (HND) and Narita (NRT)
- New Chitose Airport (CTS) in Sapporo, Hokkaido
- Nagoya's Chubu Centrair Airport (NGO).
Getting to and from Fukuoka Airport
One of the most notable things about Fukuoka Airport is how close in proximity it is to its main city’s center. The city of Fukuoka is largely serviced by Hakata Station in the ward of the same name, and it is a mere 2.6 kilometers (1.6 miles) away from the airport.
Getting to Fukuoka Airport by train
Fukuoka Airport is connected to Hakata Station via the Fukuoka City Subway Kuko Line. The train stop at Fukuoka Airport leads directly into the airport terminal straight from the gates, making this one of the most easily accessible train stations in all of Japan.
The train takes only around 5 minutes from Hakata Station, passing only 2 stops. From Tenjin Station in central Fukuoka, the commute takes around 11 minutes, covering 5 stops.
On most days, the first departure from Hakata Station is at 5:30 AM and the final is at 12:25 AM the next day. The fare between Fukuoka Airport and both Hakata Station and Tenjin Station is 260 yen.
Fukuokakuko (Fukuoka Airport) Station gates leading into the airport international terminal
@Wikimedia
Fukuokakuko (Fukuoka Airport) Station gates leading into the airport domestic terminal
@Wikimedia
Hakata Station at night
@Wikimedia
Getting to Fukuoka Airport by bus
There is a bus connecting Hakata Station and Fukuoka Airport. It takes just under 20 minutes to get from one to the other and costs 260 yen. These buses leave from bus departing platform 11 on the first floor of the terminal.
Alternatively, there are buses that leave from the Tenjin Core Shopping Mall. From here it takes 33 minutes and costs 310 yen.
Getting to Fukuoka Airport by car/taxi
Via car or taxi, the trip out from the city center of Fukuoka to Fukuoka Airport is around 20 minutes, much like the bus. This varies depending on traffic conditions, of course. A taxi from Hakata Station will cost anywhere from 1,500 yen to 2,000 yen.
For those renting a car in Japan, there are a number of car rental offices near the airport. Be aware that for those without Japanese driver’s licenses, most can drive within the country using an international driver’s license. However, those with licenses issued by France, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan will need an official translation to rent and drive an automobile in Japan. See more details and request a translation below.
- Request your driver's license translation here.
Facilities inside Fukuoka Airport
There are a number of different facilities inside Fukuoka Airport to service travelers before they fly out. These include duty-free shops, convenience stores, bookshops, restaurants and more! Other facilities include currency exchange offices and an overseas remittance office.
For dining, some favorite options include Hakata Otowazushi, which features delicious seafood sourced locally from Nagahama Market. It is inside the Domestic Passenger Terminal Building 3. Also inside the Domestic Terminal is Hakata Curry Laboratory, boasting a rich curry with a number of toppings.
Soba and udon noodles, sushi, yakiniku, and traditional Japanese food are available, plus a large selection of Fukuoka's famous Hakata Ramen. Hakata Ikkousha Old Style is a staple in the domestic terminal on the third floor.
There are lounges available throughout the terminals of Fukuoka Airport. The most prominent are as follows:
Hakata Ramen
@flickr/ City Foodsters
- JAL Diamond Premier Lounge
- JAL Sakura Lounge
- ANA Lounge
- Lounge Fukuoka
- TIME Lounge Fukuoka
Accommodation
Most visitors stay in Fukuoka city as it is so close to the airport. Choose from a full list of hotels in Fukuoka, which are located primarily near Hakata Station and in the Tenjin entertainment and dining area.
Recommended places to stay are the Candeo Hotels Hakata Terrace, the Prince Smart Inn Hakata Fukuoka near Hakata Station (convenient for the bullet train from Hiroshima, Osaka, Nagoya or Tokyo), the Toyoko Inn Hakata Nishi-Nakasu, and the upmarket Hotel New Otani Hakata.
What to do in Fukuoka
The island of Kyushu's transportation, culture, and business are still centered in Fukuoka, and the skyscraper-rich skyline of the Hakata and Tenjin districts is constantly growing around their respective JR Hakata Station and Nishitetsu-Fukuoka Tenjin Station.
Visitors may actually experience Japan in a variety of historical eras in Fukuoka, including the high-tech and historical, the cultural and the genuinely modern. Fukuoka has a well-developed subway system that makes getting about the city quick and simple.
Enjoy this cultural hub of a city with easy access from Fukuoka Airport!
View of Fukuoka at night
@Wikimedia
Explore Kyushu and southern Japan!
Getting to the southern island of Kyushu is made easy via Fukuoka Airport, but exploring the rest of the island and more is done best by rail! From culinary delicacies to historic sites and unique natural getaways, the prefectures of Kyushu are ripe for discovering.
With generally less tourism compared to major destinations like Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, these special rail passes provide a great means of seeing parts of the Japanese archipelago most will miss out on! Take a look at some travel options, tours, and activities below!
