Hokkaido is the northernmost island of Japan, and most of the transportation from Tokyo and Osaka is by air. The Gateway for international flights is New Chitose Airport, Asahikawa Airport, and Hakodate Airport, with 21 routes in regular service, mainly to Asia. Domestic routes include 26 routes at New Chitose Airport, 2 routes at Asahikawa Airport, 3 routes at Hakodate Airport, 1 route at Wakkanai Airport, 1 route at Obihiro Airport, 4 routes at Kushiro Airport, 3 routes at Memanbetsu Airport and 1 route at Nakashibetsu Airport, and 1 route at Monbetsu Airport, for a total of 42 routes at 9 airports. There are 8 routes in Hokkaido: 4 routes at Wakkanai, Memanbetsu, Hakodate, and Kushiro airports connected to New Chitose Airport, 3 routes at Rishiri, Hakodate, and Kushiro airports connected to Sapporo Okadama Airport, and 1 route at Okushiri Airport connected to Hakodate Airport.
What would take 10 to 12 hours by land takes only about 40 minutes by air.
There are also four ferry routes connecting to the mainland: Hakodate, Muroran, Tomakomai, and Otaru.