United Airlines has announced the first ever nonstop service between the continental United States and Sapporo, Japan, along with a new daily year-round route between Chicago O’Hare and Tokyo-Narita, as the carrier moves to strengthen its position as the leading US airline flying to Japan.
The San Francisco to Sapporo service launches on 11 December, operating three times weekly on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. The Chicago to Tokyo-Narita route begins on 24 October, operating daily on a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.
United will be the only US airline offering nonstop service between Chicago and Tokyo-Narita, subject to government approval. The airline already operates flights between Chicago and Tokyo-Haneda, making it the only US carrier connecting Chicago to the Pacific region nonstop.
Patrick Quayle, Senior Vice President of Network Planning and Global Alliances at United Airlines, said the new routes open up fresh options for both leisure and business travellers.
“Whether customers are dreaming of skiing in Sapporo, planning a business trip to Tokyo with some exploration added in, or an even bigger adventure across Asia, United gives travelers more ways to get there than any US airline,” said Quayle. “Our new nonstop service from San Francisco to Sapporo makes it easier to vacation in one of Japan’s most unique destinations, while our new Chicago to Tokyo-Narita service gives business and leisure travelers a premium onboard experience and the flexibility to continue their journey across Asia.”
Sapporo, the largest city on Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido, is best known internationally for its winter sports and the annual Sapporo Snow Festival. The city draws visitors with world-class ski resorts fed by some of Asia’s heaviest snowfall, as well as a distinctive food culture centred on Sapporo ramen and Hokkaido seafood.
United said it will connect travellers from nearly 80 US cities to Sapporo through its Pacific gateway hub in San Francisco, making the Hokkaido capital reachable from across North America with a single stop.
The Tokyo-Narita route adds significant onward connectivity for passengers travelling beyond Japan. United said the new service unlocks one-stop connections to 21 destinations across the Asia-Pacific region, either on United flights or through joint venture partner ANA. Onward United destinations from Tokyo-Narita include Cebu, Guam, Kaohsiung, Palau, Saipan and Ulaanbaatar, while ANA connections extend to cities including Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur.
United describes itself as the leading carrier between the continental US and Japan. In 2025, the airline carried more than 1.8 million passengers between the two countries, more than all other US carriers combined.
This winter, United will operate up to 13 daily flights from the continental US to four Japanese airports: Sapporo, Tokyo-Narita, Tokyo-Haneda and Osaka. With the two new routes added, the airline will serve five airports across four Japanese cities from its US and Guam hubs, also including Nagoya. United says it offers more flights to Japan than any other US carrier and serves 33 destinations across the Pacific.
Tickets for both new routes are available on united.com and the United app.
AloJapan.com