American Airlines Gets Tentative Approval for New York-JFK to Tokyo Flights

On January 26, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) gave tentative approval for American Airlines to launch nonstop flights between John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND). This service will join existing routes between New York-JFK and Tokyo-Haneda offered by All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines. American will be the only U.S. carrier connecting JFK and Tokyo, with United Airlines also serving Tokyo's two airports from nearby Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). 

The Route

American Airlines will launch its New York-JFK to Tokyo route sometime this year. This route will be the carrier's third nonstop service between the U.S. and Tokyo-Haneda. The airline offers one daily flight from Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) and two daily flights from Los Angeles (LAX). American also flies from DFW to Tokyo's other airport, Narita International Airport (NRT).

American's existing routes between the U.S. and Tokyo use the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. This aircraft serves passengers in four cabin classes for international flights: Flagship Business, Premium Economy, Main Cabin Extra, and Main Cabin. The airline has not yet revealed which aircraft it will use for flights between New York-JFK and Tokyo. 

Robert Isom, CEO of American Airlines, said about the route:

"We are grateful to the DOT and thankful to our partner Japan Airlines for supporting our application. Together, we are well-positioned to offer customers a comprehensive network between two of the most robust economies in the world. This new service will add nearly 200,000 additional round-trip seats annually between the U.S. and Japan, offering customers more ways to conduct business in the global marketplace or connect with family and friends."

Strong Travel Demand Between New York and Tokyo

There is a strong demand for business travel between New York and Tokyo since both cities are among the world's largest financial centers. Many Japanese banks, including Mizuho and Nomura, have their U.S. headquarters in New York. Meanwhile, many large American financial services firms have offices in Tokyo to serve their Japanese clients. Furthermore, there is the Consulate-General of Japan in New York and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of New York for people conducting business between New York and Japan. An additional route between New York-JFK and Tokyo will give passengers more opportunities for business travel.

Aside from business opportunities, the New York metropolitan area is home to one of the world's largest Japanese communities outside Japan. The city has approximately 25,000 Japanese expatriates and 15,000 Japanese-Americans. There is also a strong demand for leisure travel, with Japan ranking near the top of many passengers' travel bucket lists. The eventual launch of American's route connecting New York and Tokyo is expected to be well-received among business and leisure travelers.