Kansai International Airport
Also known as: Kansai Airport, Osaka Kansai Airport, Kansai International Airport Osaka.
Private transfer from KIXSee pricesSee pricesAbout Kansai International Airport
Kansai International Airport (KIX) is the main international airport for Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe, in the Kansai region of Japan. It is built on an artificial island in Osaka Bay, about 38 km (24 miles) southwest of Osaka Station, and is linked to the mainland by the Sky Gate Bridge. In 2025 it handled about 34 million passengers, around 80% of them on international flights.
ANA and Japan Airlines both use Kansai as a hub, and Peach, the low-cost airline, is based here. Dozens of foreign airlines connect Kansai with China, South Korea, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, Australia, North America and Europe. For domestic flights within Japan, many travelers use Osaka's other airport, Itami.
Kansai was Japan's first airport to operate 24 hours a day. Terminal 1, designed by Renzo Piano, is about 1.7 km long and handles most flights. Terminal 2 is a smaller, single-storey building for low-cost airlines such as Peach, Spring Airlines and Jeju Air, linked to Terminal 1 and the station by free shuttle buses.
From the airport, most travelers head into Osaka, to Namba, Umeda and Shin-Osaka, on to Kyoto and Nara, or to Kobe. Trains leave from Kansai Airport Station next to Terminal 1.
Airport operator, runways and traffic
- Operator
Kansai Airports (Orix and Vinci Airports)
- Runways
Two (06R/24L and 06L/24R)
- Passengers per year
About 34.1 million in 2025, about 27.5 million of them international
- Hours
Open 24 hours
Arrival tips for Kansai International Airport
Check whether you land at Terminal 1 or Terminal 2 before anyone comes to meet you; Peach, Spring Airlines and Jeju Air use Terminal 2, which is a shuttle-bus ride from Terminal 1 and the station.
On international flights you go through quarantine, then immigration, where foreign visitors have their fingerprints and photo taken, and then customs. Filling in your details on Visit Japan Web before you fly can speed things up.
In the arrivals lobby, follow the signs for trains, buses or taxis. Kansai Airport Station is next to Terminal 1: Nankai trains, including the rapi:t, run to Namba, and JR trains, including the Haruka limited express, run to Tennōji, Shin-Osaka and Kyoto, while JR Kansai Airport Rapid trains run to Osaka Station. Airport Limousine buses run to hotels and stations across Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe. Pre-booked drivers usually meet you in the arrivals lobby.
The airport is open 24 hours, but trains stop around midnight, so plan a taxi or pre-booked car for late arrivals. Japan is on Japan Standard Time (UTC+9) all year and uses the yen.
Ground transportation
Trains are quickest into Osaka and Kyoto; a pre-booked car or limousine bus is easier with luggage, at night or for hotels away from the stations.
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Book a transfer from KIXNankai Line to Namba
Nankai trains, including the rapi:t express, run from Kansai Airport Station to Namba in south Osaka.
JR Haruka to Kyoto
The JR Haruka limited express runs to Tennōji, Shin-Osaka and Kyoto; JR Kansai Airport Rapid trains run to Osaka Station.
Airport Limousine bus
Coaches to hotels and stations in Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe. Easy with luggage, slower in traffic.
Taxi from Kansai airport
Taxis wait outside the terminals. Door to door, but expensive over the long drive into Osaka.
Private transfer
A pre-booked car meets you in the arrivals lobby, useful for families, groups, Kyoto hotels and late arrivals after the trains stop.
Moving between terminals
- 1
Free shuttle bus
Free buses link Terminal 2 with Terminal 1, Kansai Airport Station and the ferry pier.
- 2
Walking through KIX Sora Park
You can also walk between the terminals through KIX Sora Park.
Terminals
Terminal 1
The main terminal, designed by Renzo Piano and about 1.7 km long, for most international and domestic flights. Kansai Airport Station is next to it.
Airlines commonly assigned here: All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines
Terminal 2
A single-storey low-cost terminal with no jet bridges, used by Peach, Spring Airlines and Jeju Air. Not directly connected to Terminal 1 or the station.
Airlines commonly assigned here: Jeju Air, Peach, Spring Airlines
Airlines and destinations
Frequently asked questions
How far is Kansai Airport from Osaka?
Kansai International Airport is on an island in Osaka Bay, about 38 km (24 miles) southwest of Osaka Station. Nankai trains run to Namba, JR trains to Osaka Station, Shin-Osaka and Kyoto, and limousine buses, taxis and pre-booked cars are also available.
How do I get from Kansai Airport to Kyoto?
Take the JR Haruka limited express from Kansai Airport Station straight to Kyoto Station, or an Airport Limousine bus. A pre-booked car goes door to door, which is easier with luggage or for hotels away from Kyoto Station.
Kansai or Itami: which Osaka airport?
Kansai (KIX) handles Osaka's international flights and some domestic routes. Osaka Itami (ITM), closer to the city, has domestic flights only. If you are flying in from abroad, you will almost always land at Kansai.
Is Kansai Airport open 24 hours?
Yes. Kansai was the first airport in Japan to operate 24 hours a day. Trains and most buses stop around midnight, though, so for late arrivals a taxi or pre-booked car is the practical way to Osaka or Kyoto.
How do I get from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1 at Kansai?
Take the free shuttle bus, which links Terminal 2 with Terminal 1, Kansai Airport Station and the ferry pier. You can also walk through KIX Sora Park. Terminal 2 is used by low-cost airlines such as Peach.
What should I do before landing in Japan?
Register your passport and customs details on Visit Japan Web before you fly; it can speed up immigration and customs at Kansai. At immigration, foreign visitors have their fingerprints and photo taken.