American Airlines is getting closer to launching nonstop flights between New York-JFK and Tokyo-Haneda (HND).
On January 26, 2024, the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) granted tentative approval to American Airlines to launch this new direct route to Japan, which will be the only one between JFK and Haneda operated by a US carrier.
At the moment, both Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA) operate two daily flights each between JFK and Tokyo-Haneda, while United Airlines has a daily service between Newark-Liberty (EWR) and Tokyo-Narita (NRT).
When finally confirmed, the new route will be the fourth daily service American Airlines operates to Haneda from the United States, the others being its daily flight from Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) and its twice-daily from Los Angeles (LAX). It will also add 200,000 round trip seats of capacity between the US and Japan.
Coincidentally, Japan Airlines, which is a partner of American Airlines, introduced its new A350-1000 aircraft on the Tokyo-Haneda to New York-JFK route just one day prior to the DoT announcement.
It is not yet clear when the new service will start or which aircraft will operate it, but American Airlines confirmed it would be “within a few months”.