Heavy snowfall and blizzard conditions across parts of Japan this winter have forced major airlines, including Emirates, All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japan Airlines (JAL), to cancel and delay flights, particularly on popular routes serving Sapporo, Hokkaido and the Sea of Japan coast. With thousands of passengers already affected in January and early February 2026, travelers heading to or through Japan in the coming days and weeks should expect disruptions, tighter capacity on key domestic routes, and a greater need for flexible plans.
What Is Happening in Japan Right Now
Japan is in the grip of a colder than usual mid-winter pattern, with the Japan Meteorological Agency repeatedly warning of heavy snow and strong winds affecting northern and western regions along the Sea of Japan coast. Recent systems have brought intense snowfall to Hokkaido, Hokuriku and parts of the Chugoku region, with accumulations high enough to disrupt both air and ground transport. The weather outlook issued in late January suggested several episodes of severe conditions running through at least late January and periodically into February.
The impact has been particularly severe in areas that are gateways to ski resorts and winter tourism hubs. New Chitose Airport, serving Sapporo and acting as the main access point for Niseko and other Hokkaido ski areas, has repeatedly been singled out as one of the worst hit by cancellations. Similar problems have been reported at smaller regional airports such as Tottori, Yonago and Izumo when localized blizzards sweep through the Sanin coast.
While Tokyo itself does not always receive heavy snow, cold snaps and occasional flurries can still cause complications at Haneda and Narita, especially when combined with wider network issues. Many long-haul international flights connect through these hubs onto busy domestic routes to the north, so when snow affects Hokkaido and the Sea of Japan coast, the consequences ripple across the system and can quickly trap international travelers in long queues or overnight airport stays.
How Major Japanese Airlines Are Affected
ANA and JAL, Japan’s largest carriers, have been at the center of the current disruption. On several days in January 2026, each airline announced dozens of cancellations in response to blizzard conditions on the northwestern coast and in Hokkaido. On one day alone, ANA canceled more than 50 flights and JAL more than 30, with New Chitose accounting for the vast majority of affected services. The number of passengers disrupted from these single-day events ran into the thousands.
In early February 2026, a further cold snap led to another wave of cancellations and delays. Domestic flights to and from Haneda, Tottori, Yonago, Izumo and Tajima were particularly hard hit, with media reports putting the total number of affected ANA and JAL passengers in the high thousands over just a short period. For travelers, this has translated into missed connections, long rebooking queues and the need to scramble for last-minute hotel rooms when late-night arrivals turned into after-midnight landings.
To manage the situation and reduce chaos at airports, both airlines have activated what they describe as “special handling” or “special measures” for tickets. This allows passengers booked on specified dates and routes to change, rebook or refund their tickets without the usual penalties. ANA has rolled out such measures across networks involving more than twenty airports at a time during earlier snow events, while JAL has repeatedly extended special handling for flights to and from Sapporo and other Hokkaido destinations as forecasts shifted.
The Knock-On Effect for International Carriers like Emirates
While Japanese domestic carriers bear the brunt of regional cancellations, international airlines such as Emirates, which operate long-haul flights into major Japanese gateways, are also indirectly affected. Emirates connects cities like Dubai with Tokyo’s Haneda and Narita, as well as Osaka and sometimes other Japanese destinations depending on seasonal schedules. When snow causes delays in domestic operations or temporarily reduces airport capacity, it can lead to revised departure and arrival times for these long-haul services, even if the aircraft themselves are not flying into the snow belts.
One of the biggest challenges for Emirates passengers is missed or tight connections onto domestic flights operated by ANA, JAL or other partners. A late arrival into Haneda because of de-icing delays or congestion, for instance, can easily cause a missed onward flight to Sapporo, Asahikawa or Komatsu, where schedules are already strained by weather-induced cancellations. Even travelers on through-tickets may find that same-day alternatives are fully booked, forcing overnight stays in Tokyo or re-routes via less direct paths.
International carriers also need to manage crew rest and aircraft rotations very carefully when winter weather strikes. Prolonged delays on the ground caused by runway clearance or limited slot availability can push crews up against their maximum duty hours, leading airlines to reschedule or in extreme cases cancel sectors to maintain safety. While Emirates and other major Gulf and European carriers generally try to keep their long-haul schedules running, even modest shifts in departure times can disrupt a carefully planned multi-leg journey that includes domestic Japanese sectors.
Where and When Travelers Should Expect the Most Disruption
The most persistent disruption this season has been concentrated around New Chitose Airport near Sapporo. The airport is the key gateway for Hokkaido’s world-famous powder snow resorts, which have seen surging international demand thanks to a weaker yen and Japan’s reopened borders. High traffic combined with heavy snow and strong winds has made operations there particularly vulnerable. On some days in January, a majority of the canceled ANA flights were linked to New Chitose, and JAL has repeatedly limited services and suspended standby and same-day upgrade options at the airport when snow piled up.
The Sea of Japan coast, including Hokuriku and the Sanin region, has also faced recurring problems. Airports like Toyama, Komatsu, Tottori and Yonago are smaller and can be more easily overwhelmed by full-day closures or repeated runway clearances. When blizzards sweep along the coast, airlines often preemptively cancel complete daily schedules at these airports to avoid stranded aircraft and crew. For visitors heading to lesser-known ski areas or on regional sightseeing trips, that can translate into very limited alternative options on the same day.
From a timing perspective, travelers visiting Japan between late January and mid-February face the highest likelihood of weather-related disruption, particularly if they are targeting northern destinations. Meteorologists have warned that severe cold snaps can occur in multiple waves, and recent guidance has suggested that heavy snow could repeat across several five-day windows during this period. Even if a specific day’s forecast looks moderate, the residual effects of earlier storms can linger in the form of backlog, displaced aircraft and full rebooked flights.
What This Means for Your Itinerary and Bookings
For anyone planning to fly with Emirates into Japan, then connect to ANA, JAL or other domestic carriers, the main takeaway is that itineraries need to be built with more slack than usual. A tightly timed connection that might be acceptable in autumn or spring may be unwise in the heart of winter. If you are heading for ski resorts in Hokkaido or the Sea of Japan coast between now and late February, consider scheduling at least several hours between your international arrival and your domestic departure, or even an overnight in Tokyo to avoid missed flights due to weather.
Another important factor is flexibility in your booking class and fare conditions. Because ANA and JAL have been introducing special measures that allow rebooking or refunds without penalties on selected routes and dates, passengers with flexible or regular economy tickets sometimes find it easier to take advantage of these policies than those on the most restrictive discount fares or separate tickets. Whenever possible, book domestic segments on the same ticket as your international Emirates flight, or use partner arrangements that at least allow through-checking of baggage and coordinated rebooking support.
Travelers should also assume that popular flights around storm windows may be fully booked with people who were disrupted earlier. If your flight is canceled, you might be offered a seat one or even two days later, particularly on heavily trafficked routes like Tokyo to Sapporo. Building some itinerary resilience, such as allowing an extra buffer day before fixed-date activities like ski lessons, events or onward cruises, can reduce stress and financial loss if weather does intervene.
How Airlines Are Trying to Keep You Moving
The wave of snow-related disruption has prompted ANA, JAL and other carriers operating in Japan to lean heavily on their special handling frameworks. These typically kick in when the Japan Meteorological Agency and airline operations teams determine that snowfall, blizzards or related ground transport problems are very likely to affect specific airports. Once activated, passengers traveling to or from those airports on designated dates can usually change flights, request refunds or alter routes without incurring standard change fees.
Japan Airlines has used these tools repeatedly this winter for Sapporo and other Hokkaido destinations, even suspending airport standby and same-day upgrade services at New Chitose on days when demand outstripped available seats due to earlier cancellations. ANA has made similar moves, both by formally announcing special measures and by proactively canceling flights where the risk of disruption was highest, in order to give passengers time to rebook. Although frustrating, these strategies are intended to prevent people from arriving at the airport only to spend all day queuing in uncertainty.
International airlines such as Emirates coordinate closely with their Japanese partners and airport authorities during such periods. That can include adjusting departure times to match limited slot windows, holding flights for inbound connections when operationally and legally possible, and deploying larger aircraft or additional services once weather systems pass. For passengers, however, these efforts are not always visible; what you experience is often simply a delayed departure, a gate change or, in the worst cases, an overnight delay that is attributed broadly to “weather” or “airport congestion.”
Practical Steps to Protect Your Japan Travel Plans
There are several straightforward steps you can take to reduce the impact of Japan’s snow disruptions on your trip. First, monitor the forecast for both your arrival airport and your onward destinations starting about five to seven days ahead of travel. Pay particular attention if you are heading to or from New Chitose, other Hokkaido airports, or regional airports along the Sea of Japan coast. When new warnings are issued, airlines often update their special measures and cancellation lists within hours.
Second, use airline apps and official channels rather than solely relying on third-party booking sites. ANA, JAL and Emirates all push real-time updates through their own platforms faster than many intermediaries can. Enabling push notifications, confirming that your contact details are current and checking your booking the day before and morning of travel can give you crucial extra minutes to rebook if seats are disappearing fast. If your ticket is eligible under special handling rules, you may be able to change flights online without needing to queue at an airport counter.
Third, have a contingency plan for accommodation and ground transport. If your late evening flight to Sapporo is delayed into the early hours, trains and subways may no longer be running. Booking a flexible hotel near the airport that can be canceled on the day of arrival, or at least identifying nearby options within your budget, can spare you an expensive last-minute taxi ride into the city. In some cases, it may be wiser to plan an overnight stop in the gateway city from the outset, especially if you are traveling with children, ski gear or elderly relatives.
Should You Change or Postpone Your Trip?
For most travelers, the snowfall disruptions in Japan this winter do not mean that a trip must be canceled outright, but they do warrant a careful, realistic look at timing and routing. If your main goal is to enjoy Hokkaido’s ski slopes or other winter activities, the heavy snow that is causing flight problems is the same snow that creates superb conditions on the mountain. The key is accepting that you may lose some time in transit or need to adjust dates by a day or two, and planning accordingly with flexible bookings and travel insurance that specifically covers weather disruptions.
On the other hand, if your schedule is extremely tight or your plans depend on multiple precise, time-sensitive connections within Japan, you may want to consider shifting your trip outside the peak winter disruption window, especially if you are traveling in late January or early to mid-February. Spring, autumn and early December generally see far fewer snow-related issues, although typhoon season later in the year can introduce different kinds of weather risks. Discussing your options with your airline or travel agent before making final commitments can help you decide whether to proceed or adjust.
Ultimately, the current situation in Japan is a reminder that, in a country where winter can still be severe, even some of the world’s most efficient airlines and airports are at the mercy of the elements. Emirates, ANA, JAL and other major carriers are working to keep as many flights operating as safely as possible, but for travelers, the most effective response is preparation: build in buffer time, stay informed and be ready to adapt. If you approach your trip with that mindset, there is every chance you will still make your powder turns in Niseko or enjoy your winter city break in Sapporo, even if the journey takes a few unexpected twists along the way.