Spring Japan baggage fees: December 21 changes explained
Spring Japan will change its paid checked-baggage and seat-selection fees for flights departing on or after Monday, December 21, 2026. Paid baggage moves from 5 kg steps to 10 kg bands, and off-peak and peak prices will apply. The airline is also tightening its oversized-bag test on the same date.
The date matters because Spring Japan first announced December 1. It later moved the change to December 21 because of work on its reservation system. The new rules depend on the flight's departure date, not the day the ticket or extra was bought.
*Original AI-generated OpenSim editorial image. The traveler, airport and luggage are illustrative and do not show Spring Japan, a real booking screen or a specific terminal.*
The practical answer: check that the flight number begins with IJ, weigh every checked bag separately and buy the required weight online before the two-hour cutoff. From December 21, the smallest paid checked-baggage band is 10 kg. Airport and gate prices are higher, while a long but otherwise slim bag can also attract an oversized-bag fee under the new 100 cm test.
What changes on December 21
Spring Japan's corrected notice confirms four changes for IJ flights departing from December 21:
- paid checked baggage is sold in 10 kg, 20 kg and 30 kg bands rather than 5 kg steps;
- baggage and seat prices split into off-peak and peak periods;
- any checked item with one side longer than 100 cm becomes oversized, even when its three sides total no more than 203 cm;
- the separate sports-equipment tariff ends, with large sporting items assessed under the standard oversized-bag rule.
The free checked-baggage allowance still depends on the fare. Lucky Spring includes 0 kg, Spring includes 20 kg and Spring Plus includes 30 kg. The airline allows no more than 30 kg in one checked piece. Buying 30 kg does not permit one 35 kg suitcase.
The airline publishes a color-coded season calendar with its new fee tables. Check the date shown for the actual flight rather than assuming a weekend or holiday is peak. Spring Japan says dates from March 28, 2027 onward will be announced later.
New domestic checked-baggage prices
For a Spring Japan domestic flight within Japan, the new fees are:
| Added allowance | Off-peak online or call center | Off-peak airport | Peak online or call center | Peak airport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 10 kg | JPY 2,000 | JPY 4,000 | JPY 3,000 | JPY 6,000 |
| Up to 20 kg | JPY 3,500 | JPY 7,000 | JPY 4,500 | JPY 9,000 |
| Up to 30 kg | JPY 5,000 | JPY 10,000 | JPY 6,000 | JPY 12,000 |
At the boarding gate, each domestic band costs JPY 1,000 more than the corresponding airport-counter amount. Weight beyond 30 kg costs JPY 500 per kilogram at the counter or gate and cannot be prepaid.
This is a paid allowance, not a per-suitcase price by itself. Spring Japan says the weights of ordinary and oversized checked bags can be combined, but each piece remains subject to the 30 kg limit. An unused allowance cannot be transferred to another traveler.
New international checked-baggage prices
For IJ international flights departing Japan, the online prices rise sharply at the airport:
| Added allowance | Off-peak online or call center | Off-peak airport | Peak online or call center | Peak airport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 10 kg | JPY 5,000 | JPY 10,000 | JPY 6,000 | JPY 12,000 |
| Up to 20 kg | JPY 9,000 | JPY 18,000 | JPY 10,000 | JPY 20,000 |
| Up to 30 kg | JPY 13,000 | JPY 26,000 | JPY 14,000 | JPY 28,000 |
Gate prices are JPY 1,000 above the airport-counter amount in every band. Extra weight beyond 30 kg costs JPY 1,500 per kilogram at the airport and cannot be bought in advance.
Flights departing mainland China use separate CNY prices. Do not convert the Japan-origin table and expect it to match. Open the international baggage page for the departure country and confirm the currency attached to the booking.
Buy the weight once, before the airport
Spring Japan permits one advance baggage purchase per person, excluding infants, through its website or call center. The cutoff is two hours before departure. A traveler who buys 10 kg and later needs 20 kg should not assume a second online purchase will be available.
For a ticket bought on the official site, sign in and use Manage My Reservations, All the Extras, then Excess Baggage. Third-party bookings can require a different path, so settle the allowance with the seller or Spring Japan before the cutoff instead of leaving the problem for the airport.
The checked-baggage fee is nonrefundable. If Spring Japan changes the flight, it says no extra baggage price difference will be charged or refunded. Save the booking confirmation that shows the final allowance.
A 100 cm side can make a bag oversized
Spring Japan's September 18 oversized-baggage notice adds a test that is easy to miss. From December 21, a checked item is oversized when either:
- any single side exceeds 100 cm; or
- the sum of length, width and height exceeds 203 cm.
The maximum accepted dimensions remain a longest side of 277 cm and a three-side total of 320 cm. Acceptance can still depend on available hold space.
The new oversized fee is JPY 2,000 per item on domestic flights and JPY 4,000, or CNY 240, per item on international flights. It is paid at the airport and sits on top of any weight-based baggage charge. A 105 cm ski bag can therefore be oversized even if its three dimensions add up to less than 203 cm.
Spring Japan is abolishing its separate sports-equipment fees. Golf bags, skis, snowboards, surfboards, diving equipment and bicycles use the same size test from December 21. That does not make sporting equipment free: its weight must fit the checked allowance, and an oversized item attracts the per-piece fee.
Seat prices also split by season
The revised domestic online or call-center seat prices are JPY 800 for a standard seat, JPY 1,200 for a legroom or exit-row seat and JPY 1,500 for a comfort seat during off-peak periods. Peak prices are JPY 1,300, JPY 1,700 and JPY 2,000 respectively. Airport selection costs JPY 400 more in each domestic category.
For IJ international flights departing Japan, off-peak online prices are JPY 900 for a standard seat, JPY 1,500 for legroom or an exit row and JPY 2,300 for a comfort seat. Peak prices are JPY 1,500, JPY 2,100 and JPY 2,900. Airport prices add JPY 600.
If a flight change is made, the selected seat does not carry across and the original seat fee is not refunded. A new selection must be bought. Check the fare's included benefits before paying, because Spring Plus includes an initial seat selection.
Check that the operator is Spring Japan
The shared booking site displays both Spring Japan and Spring Airlines information. These are not interchangeable baggage tables.
Use the flight number as the quickest check:
- IJ means a Spring Japan-operated flight and is the scope of this guide.
- 9C means a Spring Airlines-operated flight, with separate rules and prices.
Public traveler questions frequently mix the two carriers, especially on international routes. Read the operating-carrier line in the booking instead of relying only on the brand name shown by a third-party seller.
The IJ cabin allowance remains one personal item plus one carry-on bag with a combined weight of 7 kg. The December notice changes paid checked baggage and seat selection, not that cabin limit.
Mobile data for a Spring Japan trip
For airport messages, maps and ground transport after arrival, compare the Japan OpenSim eSIM. Check the live allowance, validity, speed, hotspot terms and top-up field for the selected package before checkout. Not every plan should be assumed reloadable.
Install the eSIM on reliable Wi-Fi before travel and follow the selected plan's activation instructions. Save the IJ booking reference, baggage receipt and fee table offline as well. Mobile data can help with booking changes and airport access, but it cannot change the baggage allowance or guarantee that an oversized item will fit in the aircraft hold.
Before buying, check whether the phone supports eSIM and review when to install a travel eSIM.
Ten questions about Spring Japan's new fees
Do the new fees start on December 1 or December 21?
December 21, 2026. Spring Japan moved the date from December 1 because of reservation-system work. The fee structure itself did not change when the date moved.
What if I bought the ticket before December 21?
The departure date controls the rule. A ticket bought earlier for a flight departing on or after December 21 uses the new fees and seasonal structure.
Can I still buy only 5 kg of checked baggage?
Not for a flight departing from December 21. The new paid bands are 10 kg, 20 kg and 30 kg. The airline continues to show the older 5 kg steps only for flights through December 20.
Is baggage cheaper online than at the airport?
Yes. For example, an off-peak 20 kg domestic allowance is JPY 3,500 online or through the call center and JPY 7,000 at the airport. The international Japan-origin equivalent is JPY 9,000 online and JPY 18,000 at the airport.
Can I add checked baggage online more than once?
No. Spring Japan says each traveler, excluding infants, gets one advance purchase. Choose the final required band before paying and complete it at least two hours before departure.
Does a Spring fare still include 20 kg?
Yes. Spring Japan lists 0 kg with Lucky Spring, 20 kg with Spring and 30 kg with Spring Plus. Check the individual booking confirmation because the fare name and operating carrier must match.
Can two travelers share one 20 kg allowance?
Do not plan on it. Spring Japan says unused additional allowance cannot be transferred to a companion. Each traveler should have the required allowance recorded in their own booking.
When is a suitcase or sports bag oversized?
From December 21, it is oversized if any side is longer than 100 cm or the three sides total more than 203 cm. It must still remain within the 277 cm longest-side and 320 cm total maximums.
Is sports equipment free after its special fee ends?
No. It uses the ordinary weight allowance and the revised size rule. An item that exceeds either size threshold attracts the oversized fee, and excess weight can create a separate checked-baggage charge.
What happens to a paid seat if the flight changes?
Spring Japan says the seat selection does not carry over and the fee is not refunded. A new seat selection is required, so review the replacement flight before paying again.
Final check before an IJ flight
Open the booking and confirm the IJ flight number, departure date, fare allowance, season, checked weight and seat. Measure the longest side as well as the three-side total. If more baggage is needed, make the one permitted advance purchase before the two-hour cutoff and save its receipt.
The lowest total comes from deciding before the airport. From December 21, that means choosing the correct 10 kg band, checking whether the day is peak and measuring any long suitcase or sporting item against the new 100 cm threshold.
*Spring Japan notices, fee tables, baggage pages, public traveler questions and the OpenSim catalog were checked on September 28, 2026. Update this guide if the airline revises the effective date, season calendar, fees, dimensions, fare inclusions or purchase process.*
