Thai AirAsia X, the long-haul unit of Thai AirAsia, has unveiled plans to launch a new service to Sapporo.

Flights commence on 1 May 2015 and will operate daily, direct from Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport to Sapporo’s New Chitose Airport. Services depart the Thai capital at 2310, arriving in the northern Japanese city at 0750 the next morning. The return flights will then leave Sapporo at 0855 and get back into Bangkok at 1410.

The route will be operated using a 377-seat Airbus A330-300 aircraft offering business and economy classes.

Thai AirAsia X launched last year with services to Seoul, Tokyo and Osaka. And it will expand further in the coming months, moving its Bangkok-Tokyo Narita service to twice daily and its Osaka route to daily. Both of these increases will take effect on 26 March 2015.

“This year, we are ready to fully enter the Japanese market through our new route from Bangkok to Sapporo on Hokkaido Island, which is a dream destination many have been waiting for,” said Nadda Buranasiri, the airline’s CEO.

Passengers from Japan will also be able to use Thai AirAsia’s ‘Fly-Thru’ service to connect to other Thai destinations, including Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Krabi.