If aviation agreement between the U.S. and Japan is sealed this year, six new United Airlines daily flights directly to Japan from Guam and mainland hubs are set to begin by summer of 2020.
United has filed an application with the U.S. Department of Transportation for daily nonstop flights to Tokyo Haneda Airport from Newark Liberty International Airport, Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Guam’s A.B. Won Pat International Airport.
United has presented a proposal maximized to meet consumer demand and benefit U.S. travelers.
The flights from five U.S. mainland hub cities and Guam will connect Tokyo Haneda with 112 U.S. airports, representing approximately two thirds of U.S.-Tokyo demand, or more than three million annual Tokyo bookings.
With United’s proposed routes representing five of the six largest metropolitan areas in the U.S. mainland and a combined population of nearly 56 million, the new flights requested in this proceeding will provide consumers with more choices and more convenient options when selecting Tokyo Haneda for their travel plans.
“If awarded by the DOT, these new nonstop flights would expand United’s best-in-class Japan route network to better meet demand from U.S. consumers and businesses,” said United president Scott Kirby.
“Tokyo is a hub of 21st century global commerce and innovation and one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations,” Kirby said. “Today’s filing demonstrates United’s unparalleled commitment to helping more Americans travel between our nation and Japan’s capital city. Our proposed flights to Tokyo Haneda will offer an unrivaled experience and maximize choice and convenience for our customers traveling between the United States and Tokyo for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and beyond.”
United’s proposed daily flights from Newark/New York, Los Angeles and Guam would supplement the airline’s existing daily flights between those hubs and Tokyo’s Narita International Airport, while United would shift existing daily nonstop Chicago, Washington D.C. and Houston flights from Tokyo Narita to Tokyo Haneda.
United’s application will also support American businesses and help grow the U.S. economy by offering direct flights from key business, government and cultural hubs where demand for flights to Haneda, the closest airport to central Tokyo, is the highest. With these new flights in place, United would provide Haneda service from:
• The largest market for travel demand between the U.S. mainland and Tokyo (Los Angeles);
• The two largest markets for travel demand between the East Coast and Tokyo (Newark/New York and Washington, D.C.);
• The two largest markets for travel demand between the central U.S. and Tokyo (Chicago and Houston); and
• Guam, a market with significant travel demand from a Japanese tourist base that is critical to the island’s tourism industry, economy and job market.
United said itsproposal would help realize the full potential of these new routes for U.S. consumers and businesses by expanding United’s broad-based and end-to-end network between the United States and Japan.
United's proposed flights to Haneda would allow U.S. consumers to make connections to 37 points in Japan via United’s joint venture partner All Nippon Airways, strengthening United’s existing comprehensive network when combined with nonstop or single-connection service from 112 U.S. airports.
United has proven its long-term commitment to Tokyo as a key gateway in Asia, serving Tokyo from 100 percent of its U.S. hubs. United also serves 31 markets in the Asia/Pacific region, more than any other U.S. carrier, and has successfully launched 11 new nonstop flights from the U.S. mainland to destinations throughout the Asia/Pacific region since 2014.
United’s application is in response to the U.S. DOT instituting a competitive route proceeding to allocate slot pairs.