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JAL Increasing Flights Between San Diego and Tokyo

The route will expand from four days a week to seven

If you're based on the west coast of the United States, getting to Japan is set to become even easier. Japan Airlines has announced that it will be expanding its nonstop service from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to Narita International Airport (NRT), offering daily flights for the upcoming summer season.

Starting on March 30th and running through October 25th, the airline will operate the flight every day, increasing from its current schedule of four days a week. This expansion comes in response to growing demand for travel to and from Asia, making it a fantastic opportunity for those planning to explore Japan in 2025.

A JAL plane coming in to land at Narita Airport
A JAL plane coming in to land at Narita Airport (Photo: Nanashinodensyaku / CC BY-SA 3.0)

The route, which originally debuted in 2012, started with three weekly flights and gradually increased to four. Now, with demand soaring—passenger traffic between San Diego and Asia surged by about 25% between 2023 and 2024—the airline is expanding to daily service. It's worth noting that while the daily schedule will remain in place until October 25th, Japan Airlines has not confirmed plans for the service beyond that date, and it’s unclear whether the flight will return to its four-day schedule afterward.

A JAL plane arriving at San Diego International Airport
A JAL plane arriving at San Diego International Airport (Photo: Steve Knight / CC BY 2.0)

For now, this is a fantastic opportunity for those looking to take advantage of direct flights to Tokyo, but if Japan's popularity as a travel destination continues to grow it’s possible we could see even more flexibility and frequency in the future. Only time will tell whether these daily flights become a staple of the airline's schedule beyond October.

Getting there

Narita International Airport (NRT) is located in neighboring Chiba Prefecture. Travelers can reach central Tokyo from the airport in several ways, including via the Narita Express (N'EX), the Keisei Skyliner, or various airport bus services. For a point of reference, the bus travel time is just over one hour, so taxis end up being significantly expensive.

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