United Airlines will soon fly nonstop to Japan’s tropical southern islands, with a new direct route to Osaka as well.

With overseas interest in Japan booming, airlines around the world are increasingly looking for ways to meet the growing demand for flights to the country. Now, United Airlines is ramping up its service to Japan by adding a brand new route to Naha Airport, the main gateway to Okinawa, making it the first scheduled nonstop service between the U.S. mainland and Okinawa since the islands were returned to Japanese sovereignty in 1972, following 27 years of U.S. administration after World War II.

▼ A significant development not just for travellers but the history books as well.

The new service will operate on Boeing 777-200ER aircraft, with flights from Naha to San Francisco taking around 11 hours, and those heading from San Francisco to Okinawa taking approximately 13 hours and 15 minutes.

Flights to Okinawa will depart San Francisco at 10:35 a.m. on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, flying over the International Date Line to arrive in Naha at 3:50 p.m. the following day. The return service will depart Naha at 5:50 p.m. on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, arriving in San Francisco at 12:50 p.m. the same day. The first scheduled nonstop service will depart San Francisco on March 27, 2027.

▼ Okinawa’s beautiful tropical beaches will soon be closer than ever before.

The new direct flight to Okinawa is an important development for travellers, as there is currently no scheduled nonstop service between this part of Japan and the U.S. mainland – travel from the U.S. today involves flying to an international airport in Asia or on Japan’s mainland and then taking another flight. This new route makes things much easier, not just for visitors looking to experience the tropical beaches in the island chain, but for those wanting to visit family and friends stationed at one of the many U.S. military bases in Okinawa.

In addition to the Okinawa route, United will also be adding a daily nonstop connection between Los Angeles and Osaka’s Kansai International Airport, also from March 27 next year.

▼ Japanese news report announcing the new U.S.-to-Okinawa direct service.

These new flights open up new ways to explore Japan outside of Tokyo, with the direct route to Okinawa being particularly helpful for travellers wanting to experience a less-visited part of the country, while also easing some of the pressure on more crowded mainland destinations.

Currently, Naha’s international nonstop network is concentrated in Asia, with direct services to Taiwan, South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia. Singapore is currently the longest nonstop international route from Naha, at about five hours, so the U.S. connection is a major expansion of Naha’s long-haul international network.

Hopefully more airlines will soon follow United’s lead, allowing more visitors from overseas to fly directly to Okinawa in future.

Source: Okinawa Times, Livedoor, OTV via Yahoo! News Japan
Top image: Pakutaso
Insert image: Pakutaso
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