British Airways is increasing its London Heathrow (LHR) to Tokyo Haneda (HND) service to twice daily from 30 March 2025*, marking a significant boost in capacity and connectivity between the UK and Japan ahead of the summer season.
The airline has seen over 1.4 million searches for the London to Tokyo route in the past year. According to VisitBritain, its latest forecast estimates more than 393,000 visits from Japan to the UK in 2025, reflecting a 16% increase compared to the 2024 estimate. In terms of spending, Japanese visitors are expected to contribute £445 million to the UK economy in 2025, a 34% rise from the spend estimated in 2024**.
Meeting this growing demand, British Airways will now operate 14 flights a week across the Pacific, including flights operated by the airline’s A350 fleet once a day. This fuel-efficient aircraft features a three-class cabin including World Traveller (economy), World Traveller Plus (premium economy), Club World (business class). The aircraft features British Airways’ Club Suite, which is the airline’s latest business class seat, offering an elevated experience designed for comfort and privacy at 35,000ft.
Neil Chernoff, Chief Planning and Strategy Officer at British Airways, commented: “We’re delighted to resume our second daily flight service between London Heathrow and Tokyo Haneda as the route is one of our longest-served and most valued destinations.
“This increased frequency combined with our modern fleet and premium Club Suite highlights our commitment to providing our customers with exceptional comfort and connectivity, making travel between the UK and Japan, as well as across our extensive network more convenient than ever.”
Customers can also benefit from the airline’s expanded codeshare partnership with Japan Airlines, offering an additional 14 weekly flights, bringing the total to 28 flights on this the route, offering extended transit options and enhanced connections to a wider range of destinations across Japan, the UK and beyond.
VisitBritain’s CEO, Patricia Yates, said: “Japan is a very important visitor market for the UK. Growing airline connectivity and seat capacity is crucial to our competitive tourism offer for our Japanese visitors, so its great to see British Airways increase its service.
“We’re inspiring visitors from Japan to choose Britain for their next trip with our recently launched ‘Starring GREAT Britain’ campaign, using the powerful draw of locations used in filming and seen-on-screen to encourage visitors to discover more, stay longer and to visit now. The upcoming Osaka World Expo in Japan is also a valuable opportunity to showcase our welcome and to tell our story about all the great reasons to book a trip to Britain.”
With the upcoming Easter holidays and summer months soon on the horizon, customers can travel with British Airways to experience the best of the UK’s seasonal highlights, from the elegance of the Chelsea Flower Show to the thrilling tennis matches at Wimbledon watched globally. Travellers can immerse themselves in the vibrant energy of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, soak up the sun at Cornwall’s Boardmasters festival or indulge in gourmet delights at The Big Feastival in the Cotswolds.
This summer, customers can book a return ticket from Tokyo to London to make most of these iconic summer experiences set against stunning landscapes, starting from JPY 85,000***.
ENDS
* The flight departs London Heathrow on 30 March 2025, and from Tokyo Haneda on 31 March 2025.
** Source: VisitBritain/Oxford Economics, January 2025 forecasts, indicative only, and subject to change
***Fares exclude taxes, fees and carrier charges. For more information and to book, visit ba.com.
Notes to Editors
About British Airways’ Club Suite
British Airways’ Club Suite offers a new level of luxury in business class, featuring direct-aisle access, a suite door for greater privacy and luxurious flat-bed seats in a 1-2-1 configuration. Boasting 40 per cent more storage, including a vanity unit and mirror, Wi-Fi and enviable 18.5-inch inflight entertainment screens.
Across the Club World cabin, customers enjoy a luxurious plush pillow and warm quilt from The White Company, an amenity kit and an elevated dining experience.
AloJapan.com