The low-cost Japanese airline, Zipair, has announced that they’ll be expanding their service to offer flights between SFO and Tokyo’s Narita airport this summer. The airline currently offers service between San Jose and Tokyo.
Zipair was founded in 2018 and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Japan Airlines, the largest air carrier in Japan. Zipair operates four Boeing 787 aircraft, which can carry 290 passengers on the 11-hour transpacific journey. SFO will be Zipair’s fourth US destination alongside San Jose, Los Angeles, and Honolulu.
US travelers have been eager to visit Japan since they lifted visa restrictions in October 2023. The country had limited tourism and maintained fairly strict rules for travelers since March 2020. Travelers to Japan must have a government-issued vaccine certificate or complete a pre-trip Covid test within 72 hours of departure.
One thing to note is that the distance between Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo and Narita airport is roughly 1.5 hours by car. By comparison, Tokyo’s Haneda airport is a brisk 30 minutes. The travel time might be longer, but the low ticket cost makes them a tempting option if you don’t mind the extra commute.