JAL and ANA Plan Higher Fuel Surcharges From November, Taking Europe Return Trips to 124,000 Yen

Higher charges return after a brief fall

Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways plan to raise international fuel surcharges for tickets issued from November 1 to December 31, 2026, taking the charge on many flights between Japan and Europe or North America to 62,000 yen per passenger in each direction. A return journey with two qualifying flights would carry 124,000 yen in fuel surcharges alone, before the airfare, taxes and other charges.

The increases, announced on October 15, reverse part of the relief passengers received in September and October. JAL's charge for those destinations will rise by 12,000 yen each way from 50,000 yen, while ANA's will rise by 7,000 yen from 55,000 yen. Both will reach the second highest level on record, below the 65,000 yen charged in July and August.

Government support is limiting the increase. JAL says the fuel prices used in its calculation would normally produce a higher charge, but emergency assistance linked to the Middle East situation allows it to apply a lower pricing band. ANA also says its schedule reflects government measures to cushion rising fuel costs.

Both airlines' planned schedules remain subject to government approval, and no approval date has been announced. JAL and its group carrier Japan Transocean Air have asked the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to approve their changes.

For passengers, the immediate dividing line is the ticket issue date. November 1 starts the new charging period. The published dates concern when a ticket is issued, rather than simply when the passenger flies, making the timing of a purchase relevant to the travel budget.

Why fuel and the yen are pushing charges higher

JAL's fuel surcharge announcement sets out the figures behind the increase. Singapore kerosene type jet fuel averaged $159.19 per barrel during August and September 2026. The average exchange rate was 157.61 yen to the dollar, producing a fuel benchmark of 25,089 yen per barrel.

Jet fuel is the fuel aircraft burn, and the Singapore price serves as a market benchmark for the airlines' calculations. Because that price is quoted in dollars, its cost in yen depends on both the fuel market and the exchange rate. A stronger yen can soften a rise in dollar prices; a weaker yen can make the same fuel more expensive.

The previous assessment period, June and July, produced a benchmark of 21,417 yen, based on fuel averaging $132.50 per barrel and an exchange rate of 161.63 yen to the dollar. Fuel became about 20% more expensive in dollar terms between the two periods. The yen strengthened, partly cushioning that increase, but the resulting yen benchmark still rose by 3,672 yen, or about 17.1%.

JAL and ANA review their surcharges every two months. Their use of an earlier average means a change in the fuel market reaches passengers through a later ticketing period, rather than through a new surcharge every day.

Government support lowers the applicable band

JAL assigns fuel benchmarks to pricing bands called zones. The August and September benchmark of 25,089 yen would normally fall in Zone T, covering prices from 25,000 yen to below 26,000 yen. For Europe and North America, that would mean a surcharge of 65,000 yen each way.

Emergency government assistance instead brings the applied level down to Zone S, the band starting at 24,000 yen. The resulting charge is 62,000 yen. For a return journey with two qualifying flights, the support reduces the surcharge by 6,000 yen, from 130,000 yen to 124,000 yen.

ANA is also using the band from 24,000 yen to below 25,000 yen after taking government assistance into account. Passengers therefore face an increase from September and October, while paying less than the fuel benchmark would otherwise require.

How much more will a return journey cost?

JAL passengers taking a qualifying return trip to Europe or North America will pay 24,000 yen more in fuel surcharges than under the September and October schedule. The increase from 100,000 yen to 124,000 yen is 24%.

ANA passengers on the same broad route category face a smaller increase because its previous charge was higher. Two flights will carry 124,000 yen in surcharges instead of 110,000 yen, an increase of 14,000 yen, or about 12.7%.

A family of four paying the full surcharge on two qualifying flights each would face 496,000 yen in fuel charges. Compared with the previous period, that is an additional 96,000 yen on JAL or 56,000 yen on ANA. ANA's rules charge the same fuel surcharge to adults and children, while exempting infants under two who do not occupy a seat.

The 62,000 yen category also covers the Middle East and Oceania in the published schedules. Hawaii has its own lower rate, and ANA lists a separate exception for Tokyo and Mexico City.

China, Taiwan and South Korea see different increases

ANA's charge for China and Taiwan will rise from 14,300 yen to 15,100 yen per flight, an increase of 800 yen. JAL's standard charge for those destinations will rise from 12,400 yen to 16,000 yen, an increase of 3,600 yen.

JAL will therefore charge 900 yen more each way than ANA on routes covered by those standard rates. The position reverses the September and October comparison, when JAL's charge was 1,900 yen lower. For two qualifying flights, the new surcharges total 32,000 yen on JAL and 30,200 yen on ANA.

South Korea charges will converge at 7,100 yen each way. ANA is increasing its rate by 600 yen from 6,500 yen, while JAL is increasing its rate by 1,200 yen from 5,900 yen. JAL also places its Okinawa routes to Taipei and Kaohsiung in the 7,100 yen category, an exception to its standard Taiwan rate.

Hawaii and Southeast Asia have their own rates

Both airlines will charge 38,500 yen per flight for Hawaii, India and Indonesia. JAL also places Sri Lanka in that category. Two qualifying flights will carry 77,000 yen in fuel surcharges, up from 61,800 yen on JAL and 71,600 yen on ANA.

Travelers to Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia will pay different amounts depending on the airline. ANA's charge will be 32,000 yen each way, while JAL's will be 33,200 yen. ANA also includes Myanmar and Cambodia in its 32,000 yen group; JAL includes Brunei in its 33,200 yen group.

Both airlines list 21,500 yen for Vietnam, the Philippines, Guam and Palau. ANA includes Mongolia in that category, while JAL names Ulaanbaatar. A return journey with two flights at that rate carries 43,000 yen in surcharges.

Destination categories matter because the airlines do not apply a single flat fee to every international journey. Even where their headline Europe and North America charges match, their rates elsewhere can differ.

The rise follows a summer peak and an autumn decline

Fuel surcharges have remained high since sharp increases began in May amid rising fuel costs linked to the Iran situation. Prices later fell following a preliminary agreement between the United States and Iran in mid-June to end their war, contributing to lower surcharges for September and October.

The main stages show how the relief was partly reversed:

• Mid-June 2026: A preliminary United States and Iran agreement was followed by a decline in fuel prices.
• July and August: Europe and North America surcharges reached a record 65,000 yen each way at both airlines.
• September and October: JAL reduced that charge to 50,000 yen and ANA to 55,000 yen.
• October 15: The airlines announced their planned November and December increases.
• November 1 to December 31: The proposed 62,000 yen rate applies to tickets issued during this period, subject to approval.

The new charge sits 3,000 yen below the summer peak each way. For JAL, it reverses 12,000 yen of the previous 15,000 yen reduction; for ANA, it reverses 7,000 yen of the previous 10,000 yen reduction.

Ticket changes and overseas departures need a closer look

ANA's published surcharge rules explain what happens after purchase. If a ticket remains unchanged, ANA does not adjust the fuel surcharge balance when rates change before departure. If a wholly unused ticket is changed, it adjusts the charge to account for the difference between the original and revised surcharge.

ANA makes no fuel surcharge adjustment when a partially used ticket is changed. Its definition of a change includes an altered itinerary, departure date or flight number, as well as making a reservation on an open dated ticket. When an unused flight portion is presented for a refund, the associated surcharge is refunded in full.

ANA also applies fuel surcharges to award tickets obtained through its mileage programme. Its schedule covers international flights to and from Japan, including codeshare flights operated by partner airlines. JAL says its surcharge likewise applies to its own flights and codeshare services, where a ticket carries one airline's flight code but another airline operates the aircraft.

Passengers starting outside Japan need to check the schedule for their place of origin. ANA lists separate overseas charges, including 366 euros for Europe excluding England and Switzerland, 315 pounds for England and 583 Canadian dollars for Canada. It lists 264 Singapore dollars for Singapore and 646 Australian dollars for Australia. ANA's specific Tokyo and Mexico City rule sets the charge at 38,500 yen per flight for itineraries originating in Japan from November 1.

What could affect the next revision?

October fuel prices were around $175 per barrel, with the exchange rate around 158 yen to the dollar. Multiplying those figures gives roughly 27,650 yen per barrel, above the 25,089 yen benchmark used for November and December.

If those market levels persisted through the next assessment period, and government assistance again lowered JAL's applicable band by one step, its pricing table would point to 68,000 yen each way for Europe and North America. That would produce a return surcharge of 136,000 yen for January and February 2027. This is a conditional calculation; the final charge depends on the assessment period's average fuel price, exchange rate and applicable government support.

Passengers comparing tickets now face a more immediate calculation: the total price after adding the airfare, route specific fuel surcharge and other charges. The November increase adds a known amount to many journeys, while airline choice, ticket conditions and the itinerary's starting point determine how that amount applies.

Key Points

• JAL and ANA plan higher surcharges for tickets issued from November 1 to December 31, 2026, subject to government approval.
• Many Europe and North America routes will carry a charge of 62,000 yen each way, or 124,000 yen for two qualifying flights.
• The return journey increase is 24,000 yen on JAL and 14,000 yen on ANA compared with September and October.
• Government assistance reduces JAL's Europe and North America surcharge by 6,000 yen per return journey.
• China and Taiwan rates will be 16,000 yen on JAL's standard routes and 15,100 yen on ANA; both airlines will charge 7,100 yen for South Korea.
• Ticket issue dates, itinerary origin, route exceptions and later ticket changes can affect the amount payable.