Japan is United’s most important Asia-Pacific market in its entire network, and with the start of the northern summer the airline is once again connecting to Tokyo from its 7 hubs in the United States, operating 9 daily flights.
During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, the company continued to operate in the Japanese capital to serve stranded passengers and transport medical supplies.
Currently, United operates to Tokyo’s major airports (Haneda and Narita) and is the leading U.S. carrier in the U.S.-Japan market in terms of seats per seat kilometers (ASK).
United returns to Asia from Washington
After a three-year suspension, United resumes operations to Asia from Washington – Dulles (IAD) with the start of operations to Tokyo – Haneda (HND), replacing the pre-pandemic Narita (NRT) service.
Flight UA 803, operated on a Boeing 777 registered as N57016, took off from Dulles International Airport (IAD) at 13:50 local time and landed at Haneda Airport (HND) at 17:08 the following day, after 14 hours and 18 minutes.
Flight Itinerary
- Washington – Tokyo/Haneda Flight UA 803 IAD 12:15 – HND 15:20+1 daily flights.
- Tokyo/Haneda – Washington Flight UA 804 HND 15:50 – IAD 15:50 daily flights.
The route is operated on Boeing 777-200ER aircraft with 276 seats in four classes (50 Polaris Business Class/24 Premium Economy/46 Economy Plus/156 Economy) and through its transpacific partner All Nippon Airways offers connections to destinations such as Nagoya (NGO), Osaka – Kansai (KIX) and Fukuoka (FUK).
United restoring operations in Japan
United has the most destinations and the most weekly seats between the United States and Narita (NRT) according to Cirium, the airline operates long-haul flights from San Francisco (SFO), Houston (IAH), Newark (EWR) and Denver (DEN).
At Haneda Airport (HND), the company offers nonstop service to Los Angeles (LAX), Chicago O’Hare (ORD), San Francisco (SFO), Newark (EWR) and Washington – Dulles (IAD). The company by the northern summer of 2023 has increased its Haneda (HND) presence by more than 480% compared to 2019 levels.
United also offers short/medium haul operations to Tokyo/Narita (NRT) from Guam (GUM) with 25 flights a week and Saipan (SPN) with three flights a week, all of these services are operated on Boeing 737-800 aircraft.
At its Guam (GUM) hub, the airline has services to other Japanese destinations such as Fukuoka (FUK), Nagoya (NGO) and Osaka – Kansai (KIX). At the moment the only long-haul service to Japan that the company has not reactivated is the Honolulu (HNL) – Tokio (NRT) route and recently it suspended operations between Los Angeles (LAX) and Narita (NRT) with no resumption date.
Early in the first quarter of 2023, United became the first airline to connect Osaka – Kansai (KIX) to North America following the pandemic crisis, operating service from San Francisco (SFO).
United’s flight schedule between the U.S. and Haneda (HND)
The airline will have 20,496 weekly seats on offer during the northern summer.
- Newark (EWR): daily Boeing 777-200ER flights.
- Los Angeles (LAX): daily flights on Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner.
- San Francisco (SFO): daily flights on Boeing 777-200ER.
- Chicago O’Hare (ORD): daily flights on Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner.
- Washington – Dulles (IAD): daily Boeing 777-200ER flights.
United’s flight schedule between the U.S. and Narita (NRT)
The airline will offer 15,960 seats per week during the northern summer.
- Newark (EWR): daily Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner flights.
- Houston – Intercontinental (IAH): daily Boeing 777-200ER flights.
- Denver (DEN): daily flights on Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
- San Francisco (SFO): daily Boeing 777-300ER flights.
United’s flight schedule between the U.S. and Osaka (KIX)
- San Francisco (SFO): three weekly flights on Boeing 777-200ER.
See also: United reconnects Denver to Asia with non-stop flights
