Kitadaito Airport KTD

Kitadaito Airport serves the island of Kitadaito, in the Daito Islands, about 360 km east of Okinawa. It is a third-class airport run by Okinawa Prefecture. It began in 1971 as a 760 m emergency strip of crushed coral, received scheduled flights from 1978 and has had a 1,500 m asphalt runway since 1997. It is very small: about 17,000 passengers in 2015.

Terminals

A single small terminal, with arrivals and departures under the same roof.

Airlines and destinations

The only scheduled service is Ryukyu Air Commuter, flying from Naha, with one flight a day. Since July 2024 the flight linking Kitadaito with Minamidaito, the other island in the group and once Japan’s shortest scheduled route, no longer operates; to go from one island to the other you must go via Naha.

Services

With a single daily flight, do not expect the choice of a large airport. Carry cash in yen and have your accommodation and transport on the island sorted out before you arrive.

Tips

Since there is only one flight a day, book well in advance, especially in high season. The alternative is the boat from Naha, which takes between 12 and 17 hours on an irregular timetable, so do not choose it if your time is tight. If the flight is cancelled, the island is cut off until the next service, so leave some slack on your return journey.