Minamidaito Airport MMD

Minamidaito Airport serves the island of Minamidaito, in the Daito Islands, about 360 km east of Okinawa. It is a third-class airport run by Okinawa Prefecture. It began as a military facility in 1934, became civilian in 1961 and moved to its current site in 1997, with a 1,500 m asphalt runway. It is small: about 42,000 passengers in 2015.

Terminals

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

Airlines and destinations

Scheduled service is provided by Ryukyu Air Commuter, with flights from Naha of a little over an hour. Since July 2024 the flight linking Minamidaito with Kitadaito, once Japan’s shortest scheduled route, no longer operates; to go from one island to the other you must go via Naha.

Services

This is an island airport with very limited scheduled service, so 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

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