Just in time for the Tokyo Olympics, Japan Airlines is giving away 50,000 domestic flights to international visitors in 2020.

To help visitors get off-the-beaten track and explore the lesser-known destinations of Japan, outside of the major tourist centres in Tokyo and Kyoto, Japan Airlines (JAL) will give away 100,000 domestic seats this year. The promotion is part of the 'Your Japan 2020' campaign, launched this year in partnership with the Japan Tourism Agency and the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO).
The catch? Passengers won't be able to choose the exact destination. Instead, JAL will present four possible options from either Tokyo Haneda, Osaka Itami or Osaka Kansai airports. To avail of the offer, passengers must be visiting Japan between 1 June, 2020 and 31 October, 2020 and be available to fly on the domestic round-trips between 1 July, 2020 and 30 September, 2020. Passengers must live outside of Japan and be signed up to JAL's loyalty programme.

Applications will open in late February and free tickets will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis. Winners will be notified via email within three days regarding which of the four locations they will be flying to. Passengers who want to travel as part of a group should apply together to ensure that they can travel on the same flight. More information, including the date the promotion will launch, will be released in late January.
According to statistics from JNTO), Japan received a record 31.2 million tourists in 2018 and that number is expected to swell this year. Summer is already a busy period but in 2020 the country is also hosting the 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games. According to the New York Times, an additional 600,000 visitors are expected to travel to Japan specifically for the big events.

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