Spring Airlines Japan
Spring Airlines Japan (SPRING JAPAN) is a privately held Japanese low-cost carrier headquartered in Narita, operating a Boeing 737 point-to-point network of domestic Japan routes and international services to China and Korea as a subsidiary of China's Spring Airlines.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersNarita, Japan
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Spring Airlines Japan does
Spring Airlines Japan (SPRING JAPAN, IATA code IJ) is a Japanese low-cost carrier headquartered in Narita and founded in 2012 as the Japan-based operating subsidiary of China's Spring Airlines (Shanghai Spring Travel Co., Ltd., operator of the CH.com brand). The carrier runs a point-to-point network from its Narita hub serving domestic Japanese destinations — Sapporo (New Chitose), Hakodate, Nagoya (Chubu), Hiroshima, and Saga — and international routes into China and Korea, including Shanghai, Harbin, Nanjing, Tianjin, Changzhou, and Jeju. Operations are standardized on a Boeing 737 fleet, simplifying training, maintenance, and crew rotations.
The business follows a classic unbundled LCC model: passengers purchase a base fare starting from 4,880 yen one-way on selected domestic routes (and 4,650–13,490 yen on international sectors), then optionally add checked baggage, in-flight meals, seat selection, and Chubb-underwritten travel insurance. Three fare categories provide different flexibility/amenity tiers, and a SPRING Pass membership program targets repeat customers. Distribution is direct-to-consumer-led through jp.ch.com and a Japanese call center (0570-666-118), supplemented by the Shanghai parent's cross-booking line (0570-666-188 / +86 21 95524) and third-party resellers including JTB, Booking.com, Travelco, Spring Tour, Rentalcars.com, and Sunparking. Ancillary revenue from baggage, meals, seats, insurance referrals, and bundled flight-plus-hotel/Disney/Universal packages is an explicit growth lever alongside base ticket sales.
Revenue mechanics are almost entirely transactional ticket and ancillary sales; the company is privately held, employs 251–500 people, and reports no public revenue, no patents, no AI/ML capabilities, and no institutional PE/VC investors beyond a 2016 Venture Labo Investment entry (disclosed at $0). Strategic direction is shaped by the Chinese parent — the website explicitly distinguishes between SPRING JAPAN (IJ) and 春秋航空 (9C) operating conditions — and by recent domestic network expansion (Hakodate, New Chitose) and 2026 summer schedule capacity additions.
Spring Airlines Japan firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Spring Airlines Japan
- Legal name
- Spring Airlines Japan Co., Ltd.
- Website
- https://jp.ch.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Spring Airlines Japan (SPRING JAPAN) is a privately held Japanese low-cost carrier headquartered in Narita, operating a Boeing 737 point-to-point network of domestic Japan routes and international services to China and Korea as a subsidiary of China's Spring Airlines.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Spring Airlines Japan industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Low-Cost Airline Passenger Transportation
- NAICS
- Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation (481111)
- SIC
- Air Transportation, Scheduled (4512)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Low-Cost Carriers (LCC) (THABABAB)
Keywords
Where Spring Airlines Japan is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Narita
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Spring Airlines Japan business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Airline ticket sales: Primary revenue from selling passenger air tickets on domestic Japan routes and international routes to China, Korea, and other Asian destinations. Revenue is generated through direct online bookings, call center bookings, and third-party distribution channels with commission or referral fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Low-cost carrier fares starting from 4,880 yen one-way |
| Subscription | Annual | Three fare types with different flexibility and services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels6 records
Spring Airlines Japan product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Spring Airlines Japan is a Japanese low-cost carrier (LCC) that sells domestic and international airline tickets, primarily connecting Japan with cities in China, Korea, and other Asian destinations. It operates on an unbundled fare model, where passengers purchase base airfare and then add optional paid services such as checked baggage, in-flight meals, seat selection, and travel insurance. The company is the Japanese subsidiary of Shanghai-based Spring Airlines (春秋航空) and operates from Narita Airport as its primary hub with a Boeing 737 fleet.
Product overview
Spring Airlines Japan is a low-cost carrier (LCC) offering a single integrated airline platform with two core products: domestic and international flight tickets. The service operates on an unbundled model where passengers purchase base airfare and add optional services as needed. Ancillary products include checked baggage, in-flight meals, travel insurance, and seat selection, all available for separate purchase. The company also offers package deals combining flights and hotels through partner tour operators, and provides three distinct fare types to accommodate different traveler needs and budgets. All services are accessible through the company's website and mobile booking platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Flight Tickets (Domestic)
- Flight Tickets (International)
- Checked Baggage Service
- In-Flight Meals
- Seat Selection
- Travel Insurance
- Flight + Hotel Packages
Quantifiable outcome
- Discounted fares from 4,880 yen one-way on select domestic routes
Companies that use Spring Airlines Japan
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Spring Airlines Japan technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Spring Airlines Japan partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- JTBminorMajor Japanese travel agency partnership for ticket distribution. JTB handles travel bookings and packages including Spring Airlines Japan flights.
- Booking.comminorPartnership for offering flight + hotel package combinations. Spring Airlines Japan flights bundled with Booking.com hotel accommodations.
- Chubb Travel InsuranceminorPartnership with Chubb for travel insurance products. Domestic and international travel insurance offered through Spring Airlines Japan booking platform with broker code 'spring'.
- Travelco (トラベルコ)minorJapanese travel comparison and booking platform partnership for hotel and travel package offerings.
- Spring Tour (スプリントур)minoraffiliated tour operator for bundled flight + hotel packages. Marketing code 'sjotopbanner' used for tracking referrals.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Spring Airlines Japan competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Spring Airlines: The Chinese parent of Spring Airlines Japan and the largest LCC in China by domestic capacity; comparable LCC operating model and cost structure, but operates a far larger fleet and route network across mainland China and outbound from China.
- Japan Airlines (JAL): Japan's flag carrier and parent/partner of Jetstar Japan and ZIPAIR; competes with Spring Japan across domestic and international Asia routes and provides the dominant slot allocation at Narita that constrains Spring Japan's growth.
- AirAsia: The largest pan-Asian LCC group operating across Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Japan (AirAsia Japan), and other markets; comparable LCC model, ancillary strategy, and cost discipline at a much larger group scale.
- ANA Holdings: Japan's largest full-service carrier and parent of Peach Aviation; competes with Spring Japan on international Japan-China and Japan-Korea routes as well as domestic trunk routes, while providing network feed at Narita.
Direct peers
- T'way Air: South Korean LCC operating scheduled international services between Korea and Japan (and broader Asia) with a focus on price-sensitive leisure travelers — directly comparable to Spring Japan on Korea-Japan routes.
- Peach Aviation: Japan's largest LCC, majority-owned by ANA, operating both domestic Japanese routes and international services to China, Korea, and Southeast Asia from bases including Narita, Kansai, and Chubu — directly competing with Spring Airlines Japan for the same price-sensitive traveler.
- Jetstar Japan: LCC joint venture between JAL and Qantas operating domestic and short-haul international routes from Narita and other Japanese bases; competes head-to-head with Spring Japan on price points and route overlap.
- Cebu Pacific: Philippines-based low-cost carrier operating a large domestic and short-haul international network across Southeast Asia with similar LCC unit economics, fleet standardization (Airbus A320 family), and unbundled ancillary model — a benchmark Asian LCC comparable.
- ZIPAIR Tokyo: JAL-subsidiary LCC based at Narita offering low-cost international service from Tokyo, including routes to Asia and the US; competes with Spring Japan for the same Narita-based international leisure and visiting-friends-and-relatives demand.
Regional players
- Tigerair Taiwan: Taiwan-based LCC serving intra-Asia routes including Japan, Korea, and mainland China with a similar narrowbody fleet and unbundled fare model; comparable Asian LCC competitor in adjacent geographies.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Spring Airlines Japan social profiles
Digital presenceSpring Airlines Japan financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Spring Airlines Japan leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Spring Airlines Japan funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Spring Airlines Japan M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Spring Airlines Japan
What does Spring Airlines Japan do?
Spring Airlines Japan is a Japanese low-cost carrier (LCC) that sells domestic and international airline tickets, primarily connecting Japan with cities in China, Korea, and other Asian destinations. It operates on an unbundled fare model, where passengers purchase base airfare and then add optional paid services such as checked baggage, in-flight meals, seat selection, and travel insurance. The company is the Japanese subsidiary of Shanghai-based Spring Airlines (春秋航空) and operates from Narita Airport as its primary hub with a Boeing 737 fleet.
Is Spring Airlines Japan a public or private company?
Spring Airlines Japan is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Spring Airlines Japan founded?
Spring Airlines Japan was founded in 2012. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Spring Airlines Japan based?
Spring Airlines Japan is headquartered in Narita, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Spring Airlines Japan make money?
One revenue line is on record: airline ticket sales.
Who are Spring Airlines Japan's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Spring Airlines, Japan Airlines (JAL), AirAsia and ANA Holdings. Direct peers are T'way Air, Peach Aviation, Jetstar Japan, Cebu Pacific and ZIPAIR Tokyo. Tigerair Taiwan is listed as a regional player.
Does Spring Airlines Japan have an API?
No public API is recorded for Spring Airlines Japan.
What industry is Spring Airlines Japan in?
Spring Airlines Japan's product category is Low-Cost Airline Passenger Transportation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THABABAB, Low-Cost Carriers (LCC). Its NAICS code is 481111 and its SIC code is 4512.