Fuel surcharges will decrease from September! Is now the time to travel abroad? We've compiled a list by airline.
When booking international travel, do you only look at the airfare price?
Actually, international flights have a "fuel surcharge" in addition to the airfare.
Some airlines are significantly reducing this fuel surcharge for tickets issued from September 2026.
JAL and ANA are particularly noteworthy.
For long-haul routes to Europe and North America, the price can drop by several thousand yen to 15,000 yen per person, one way.
If you're thinking about taking an international trip soon, it's worth checking airfares for September and beyond.
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How much cheaper will it be from September?
First, let's do a quick comparison of some major airlines.
JAL
For long-haul routes departing from Japan:
August: 65,000 yen → September: 50,000 yen
That's a price reduction of 15,000 yen one way!
For a round trip, that's a difference of 30,000 yen. The affected areas are:
· North America
· Europe
· Middle East
· Oceania
and others.
JAL has lowered fuel surcharges for tickets issued in September and October, taking into account the government's measures to mitigate rising fuel prices. (JAPAN AIRLINES (JAL) Official Site)
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ANA also significantly reduces fares
ANA fares will also decrease from September.
For long-haul routes departing from Japan:
August: ¥65,000 → September: ¥55,000
This represents a ¥10,000 reduction for one-way trips.
For round trips, the difference is ¥20,000.
The affected areas are:
· Europe
· North America
· Middle East
· Oceania
and others. (ANA)
For ANA, fares to Southeast Asia will also decrease:
¥33,500 → ¥27,300
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Finnair also cuts prices by 15,000 yen
For those considering a trip to Europe, Finnair is also worth considering.
International flights to and from Japan:
65,000 yen → 50,000 yen
This is also a 15,000 yen reduction for one-way trips. (Finnair)
For those traveling to various European destinations via Helsinki, the reduction in fuel surcharges is a significant advantage.
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KLM also cuts prices by 15,000 yen
KLM, based in the Netherlands, is also reducing its fuel surcharge on Japan-Amsterdam routes from September:
65,600 yen → 50,600 yen
This is also a 15,000 yen reduction for one-way trips. (KLM Royal Dutch Airlines - Book your flights online - KLM JP)
If you're considering a trip to Europe, you should definitely check out KLM's offerings from September onwards.
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Summary of Airline Price Reductions Starting in September
Here's a rough summary:
Airline Main Routes August September Price Reduction
JAL North America/Europe, etc. ¥65,000 ¥50,000 ▲¥15,000
ANA North America/Europe, etc. ¥65,000 ¥55,000 ▲¥10,000
Finnair Departing from/Arriving in Japan ¥65,000 ¥50,000 ▲¥15,000
KLM Japan - Amsterdam ¥65,600 ¥50,600 ▲¥15,000
*These are representative prices per one-way segment departing from Japan. Conditions vary depending on the route and airline. (JAPAN AIRLINES (JAL) Official Site)
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Europe is a particularly attractive target
With these price reductions, Europe is a particularly noteworthy destination.
With JAL:
¥65,000 → ¥50,000
With ANA:
¥65,000 → ¥55,000
With Finnair:
¥65,000 → ¥50,000
With KLM:
¥65,600 → ¥50,600
The price drops significantly.
For example, if you fly round trip from Tokyo to London with JAL, the fuel surcharge alone would be:
August ticketing:
→ ¥65,000 × 2 = ¥130,000
September ticketing:
→ ¥50,000 × 2 = ¥100,000
This is a simple calculation showing a saving of ¥30,000.
If the base airfare is the same, this difference is quite significant.
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Southeast Asia routes are also cheaper.
This isn't limited to long-haul routes.
From September, ANA will lower the following prices:
Thailand, Singapore, etc.
¥33,500 → ¥27,300
Vietnam, Guam, Philippines, etc.
¥22,500 → ¥19,300
South Korea
¥7,400 → ¥6,500
(ANA)
JAL will also lower the following prices:
Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, etc.
¥35,000 → ¥26,000
Vietnam, Philippines, Guam, etc.
¥22,500 → ¥17,500
South Korea
¥7,400 → ¥5,900
(JAPAN AIRLINES (JAL) Official Site)
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You don't need to "travel in September"
This is surprisingly important.
This fuel surcharge is basically determined by "when you issue your ticket," not "when you travel."
For example, in the case of JAL, the new fare applies to tickets issued between September 1st and October 31st. (JAPAN AIRLINES (JAL) Official Site)
This means that
Even in cases where you issue a ticket in September and travel in December,
the fuel surcharge for September is still applicable.
Note that "lower surcharges from September" does not necessarily mean "September departures are cheaper."
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Mileage and Award Tickets Also Affected
Some people may think, "If I book a ticket with miles, fuel surcharges don't apply."
However, JAL applies fuel surcharges even to international award tickets. (JAPAN AIRLINES (JAL) Official Site)
Therefore, even when using miles to travel to Europe, the timing of the fuel surcharge reduction is important.
Those aiming for award tickets should also check the ticketing conditions from September onwards.
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However, a decrease in surcharges doesn't necessarily mean cheaper airfares.
This is something to be aware of.
Airfare prices are determined by:
Airfare + Fuel Surcharge + Airport Taxes, etc.
Even if the fuel surcharge decreases by 15,000 yen, if the base airfare increases by 20,000 yen, the total price won't be cheaper.
Also, airfares for popular dates can be higher.
Therefore,
Instead of "I'll definitely book in September,"
it's recommended to check both August and September prices.
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Summary: September is a good time to consider overseas travel.
From September 2026, fuel surcharges will decrease for several airlines.
Of particular note are the significant price reductions:
JAL: Long-haul routes -¥15,000
ANA: Long-haul routes -¥10,000
Finnair: -¥15,000
KLM: -¥15,000
For European travel, fuel surcharges alone can change round-trip fares by tens of thousands of yen.
Furthermore, JAL and ANA are also lowering fares for flights to South Korea and Southeast Asia.
When searching for airline tickets, it's recommended to check not only the price of the ticket itself, but also the fuel surcharge.
Especially with award tickets using miles, the difference in surcharges can have a surprisingly large impact.
September presents a chance to slightly reduce the cost of overseas travel.
It might be a good idea to start looking for your next overseas trip now that summer vacation is over.