✈️ Flights & Entry: ICN to New Chitose with Two Babies

At a Glance: Direct Flights from Incheon to New Chitose

About 2 hours 45 minutes, with no time difference. Korea and Japan share the same time zone, so there is no jet lag to adjust to. That is a big plus when traveling with babies. (Based on flight data, the flight time is recorded at about 2 hours 47 minutes.)

• Operating airlines (subject to seasonal change; confirm with official sources): Full-service carriers (FSCs) such as Korean Air and Asiana, along with low-cost carriers (LCCs) like Jeju Air, Jin Air, T'way Air, Air Seoul, and Air Busan, all serve this route.
• Number of flights: During peak season, roughly 10 or more flights per day (about 12 by some counts). A common pattern: early-morning flights depart Incheon around 07:20 and arrive at New Chitose around 10:00, while late flights depart around 21:10 and arrive around 00:10 the next day (varies by season and airline).
• Fares (for reference): One-way fares can appear as low as the mid-140,000 KRW range, but December is the winter high season, so round-trip fares of 300,000 to 500,000 KRW per person are common (and vary widely depending on when you book and demand). For a group of 6 across two families, it pays to book your seats together early.

Throughout this guide, currency is converted at 100 yen ≈ 950 KRW (based on an actual mid-2026 rate of about 957 KRW), and the real exchange rate fluctuates constantly (this note appears only once).

How to Book Tickets for Our Two Babies

Fare types split completely depending on age. The benchmark is the child's age as of the first departure date of the itinerary.

• Baby B (16 months, age 1 year 4 months) = infant fare
• Under 2 years old → travels on a guardian's lap with no separate seat.
• International infant fares are usually about 10% of the adult standard fare (Korean Air's standard; taxes and fuel surcharges are extra).
• One infant per adult. (One adult cannot hold two babies on their lap.)

• Baby A (33 months, age 2 years 9 months) = child fare + a separate seat required
• Age 2 or older → must purchase their own seat. Lap travel is not allowed.
• With FSCs (Korean Air, Asiana), child fares are often discounted somewhat from the adult fare (Korean Air's is typically around 75% of the adult standard fare, though child discounts may not apply to special promotional fares), but LCCs often offer little to no child discount, so the fare is similar to an adult's. This varies by fare and route, so confirm when booking.
• Since there is a separate seat, installing an airline-approved car seat on the cabin seat makes the child more secure (inquire in advance).

In the end, a family of 6 plus 2 babies has this basic setup: '4 adults + 1 child seat (Baby A) + 1 infant on lap (Baby B)' = 5 seats.

Bassinet, Stroller, In-flight Meals — Onboard Services for Babies

Even on a short route, a single advance request can make or break a flight when you have babies. (The following is Korean Air's official standard; other airlines are similar, but confirm the conditions with each carrier.)

• Bassinet (baby cradle): Mounted on the bulkhead wall at the front of the cabin. Korean Air's conditions are under 24 months of age, 11 kg or less in weight, and 75 cm or less in height, and you must request it at least 48 hours before departure. Once the seatbelt sign is switched off after takeoff, a flight attendant will set it up. (Asiana's conditions vary by aircraft type — for example, 71–76 cm in height and 10–14 kg in weight — so confirm with each carrier.)
• Infant in-flight meals (baby food): For children under 24 months, usually requested at least 24 hours before departure (check each airline's special-meal deadline). Hot water for formula is provided, and bottle warming of liquid formula is also possible.
• Strollers: Checked at the check-in counter or at the boarding gate. If it is a fully foldable stroller with the sum of its three dimensions at 115 cm or less, you can wheel it to the gate and check it there, and on international flights you receive it back at the gate upon arrival (the return location varies by airport and airline). Under Korean Air's standard, each infant is additionally allowed 1 stroller + 1 car seat (or cradle) + about 10 kg of checked baggage (varies by route and airline).
• Priority boarding: Families traveling with infants are eligible for priority boarding. It buys you time to get settled.

Seat Selection & Tips for Seating 6 People Across Two Families

To keep the two families from being split up, the key is to assign seats early and together.

• Bulkhead (front partition) seats: A bassinet can be installed and there is more space in front, making it easier to soothe a baby. Note, however, that you can't stow bags under the seat in front.
• Securing aisle seats: For diaper changes, restroom trips, and pacing while holding the baby, an aisle seat is close to essential.
• Example layout for 6: With 3-3 seating (e.g., A330, 737), splitting a row by family in an 'adult-baby-adult' pattern makes it easy to look after one another. Place Baby A's separate seat between the parents.
• Rows near a restroom: It's convenient to be near a restroom that has a diaper-changing table (baby seat).

LCCs often charge for seat selection, but when traveling with babies, it's worth paying to lock seats together in advance.

Visit Japan Web & Entry — Visa-free, Passports, QR Codes

Entry into Japan is greatly sped up by pre-registering with Visit Japan Web (VJW).

• Visa-free: Holders of a Korean passport may enter visa-free for tourism purposes for up to 90 days (the visa exemption took effect in 2006). Japan does not specify a particular passport validity requirement for entry (it's possible as long as the passport is valid beyond your stay), but to be safe, a passport with 6 or more months of remaining validity is recommended (to prevent issues at the airline boarding stage).
• Visit Japan Web: A service for pre-registering quarantine, immigration, and customs declarations on the web. Since January 25, 2024, immigration and customs declarations have been processed with a single integrated 2D code (QR), making things even faster.
• When to register and what you need: From 2 weeks before arrival to no later than the day before. You'll need your flight details, passport, and email. Register each family member (including babies) individually, but you can manage your family together under one account.
• Airport flow: Arrival → immigration (passport + QR, fingerprint and facial photo) → baggage claim → customs (present QR) → arrivals hall.

The scope of shared kiosks and the integrated QR is being rolled out in phases and may differ by airport and timing (including how New Chitose operates), so check the official site once more before you depart.

Preparing for Midwinter Snowstorms — A Plan B for Cancellations/Delays

New Chitose has an excellent snow-removal system, but heavy snow from December to February can frequently cause large-scale cancellations and delays. In fact, it was reported that during the record snowfall of late January 2026, 56 flights were canceled at New Chitose Airport in a single day and about 7,000 people spent the night at the airport.

How to prepare: - Build slack into your first-day and last-day plans. If your return flight is canceled, you'll need to be prepared to stay an extra night and have spare budget for it. - Travel insurance (covering flight delay and cancellation compensation) is recommended. Natural disasters like heavy snow are exempt from airline liability, so hotel and meal compensation may be weak. - Keep a baby emergency kit in your carry-on/cabin baggage: plenty of diapers, formula, spare clothes, and snacks. It makes a huge difference during airport waits and delays. - Starting 24 to 48 hours before departure, check the weather and operation status via the airline app and airport flight information.

At a Glance

Timeline

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