New Chitose Airport (CTS) is the main airport of Hokkaido, located near Chitose about 45 km south-east of central Sapporo, and the usual arrival point for skiers bound for Niseko, around 2 to 2.5 hours away by road. It has two parallel civil runways, each 3,000 metres (9,843 feet) long, and sits at an elevation of 70 feet (21 metres) at coordinates 42.7753° N, 141.6925° E. The civil runways lie alongside Chitose Air Base, operated by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.
The airport is one of Japan’s 24-hour airports, although night movements between 10 pm and 7 am are limited in number because of noise. Coordination with the neighbouring air base also shapes the timetable, so private flights, particularly those arriving from abroad, should be planned and approved well in advance. Winter is the busy season: snow clearing and de-icing are routine, and demand from ski travellers peaks over Christmas, New Year and Chinese New Year. The runways accommodate every category of business jet, including long-range types arriving non-stop from Asia. The Jet Collection handles permits, ground handling and onward transfers to Sapporo or the Niseko resorts.
