Japan Airlines Boosts North American Travel with New Daily Flights

Japan Airlines (JAL) is expanding its North American services amidst growing demand for travel to Japan. The airline is introducing new routes and enhancing existing connections to meet the rising interest in Japan's culture and tourism. A weaker yen and a record-breaking number of visitors have driven the surge in demand. JAL has announced a new daily flight between Chicago O'Hare (ORD) and Tokyo Narita (NRT), starting May 31. This flight complements its current daily service between Chicago and Tokyo Haneda (HND), effectively doubling its capacity between the cities. 

The new service will operate under a codeshare agreement with American Airlines, allowing seamless connections to a wide range of destinations. Flight JL055 will depart from Chicago at 12:30 PM CDT and arrive in Tokyo at 3:15 PM JST the following day. The return flight, JL056, will leave Narita at 6:15 PM JST and land in Chicago at 4:00 PM CDT on the same day. Ticket sales for this new route will begin on February 3. 

Japan is experiencing an unprecedented tourism boom, with over 36.6 million visitors recorded last year. The U.S. has been a significant source of these travelers, with more than 900,000 Americans visiting Japan in the first five months of 2024 alone. JAL is also increasing frequencies on several U.S. routes, including expanding its Los Angeles (LAX) to Osaka (KIX) service to daily flights starting July 18. Additionally, it will resume daily flights between Tokyo Narita and San Diego (SAN) from March 30. 

This summer, JAL will introduce the Airbus A350-1000 on its Los Angeles-Haneda route. The aircraft features luxurious Sky Suites in business class, with lie-flat beds, direct aisle access, and private doors. First-class cabins boast opulent train-compartment-style suites with large entertainment screens and versatile seating options. 

JAL is also strengthening its connections to Hawaii, increasing its Honolulu (HNL) to Nagoya (NGO) service to daily flights from July 18 to October 15. Honolulu to Narita flights will also operate twice daily in July. These efforts aim to rebuild air capacity between the U.S. and the Asia-Pacific region, which has lagged behind post-pandemic recovery. 

JAL's competitors, including All Nippon Airways (ANA) and U.S. airlines such as Alaska Airlines and American Airlines, are also expanding their Japan routes. As demand for travel to Japan continues to rise, JAL remains committed to providing convenient and premium travel experiences for its customers.

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