United Airlines has announced a new daily year-round nonstop route between Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Tokyo Narita Airport, set to begin on October 24, 2026. The service will be operated using the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, adding more travel options between the United States and Japan.
The airline already operates flights from Chicago to Tokyo Haneda Airport, which is located closer to central Tokyo. However, this newly announced Narita service will provide travelers with an additional nonstop option rather than replacing the existing route. Narita Airport serves as one of Japan’s largest international gateways and offers wider connectivity across Asia-Pacific destinations.
Through its partnership with ANA, United says the new Narita route will allow passengers to connect to 21 destinations across the Asia-Pacific region with a single stop. Cities including Cebu, Palau, Saipan, and Ulaanbaatar will become easier to access for travelers departing from Chicago. United also stated that it will be the only US airline offering nonstop connectivity from Chicago to the Pacific region.
The new service is part of United’s broader Japan expansion strategy. Alongside the Chicago–Narita launch, the airline is also introducing the first-ever nonstop flights between the mainland United States and Sapporo this winter. With these additions, United plans to serve five airports across four Japanese cities and operate up to 13 daily flights between the mainland US and Japan during the winter season. In 2025 alone, the carrier transported more than 1.8 million passengers between the two countries.
