Japan Airlines is returning to Dallas, starting with four weekly flights between Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Tokyo Narita (NRT) Airport. Service will resume in November, with the possibility of daily flights in the spring of 2016.
The airline suspended service on this route after the events of September 11, 2001, but in cooperation with its oneworld alliance partner American Airlines, it has decided that it’s time to come back to DFW. Japan Airlines will be flying Boeing 787 Dreamliners on the route.
Both American and Japan Airlines will benefit from the new service. DFW is one of American’s hubs, giving passengers a lot of options for connecting flights. American is also interested in strengthening its presence in Asia.
“This new service complements American’s existing service and brings more choice for our customers traveling between Asia and America, providing more opportunities to connect Asia to South America,” said Andrew Nocella, American’s chief marketing officer.
The addition of the new route means that Japan Airlines now flies out of eight hubs in North America. It’s the fourth time that they’ve launched a new service in the U.S. in the last three years.
DFW Is Growing by Leaps and Bounds
Japan Airlines is the 10th international airline to start offering flights from DFW’s 10-year-old terminal D. The airport has also increased its reach, by adding 20 new destinations. Not surprisingly, the number of international travelers passing through the airport has also increased over the last decade. At a 38 percent increase, there are 2 million more international travelers annually.
Overall, 63.5 million travelers pass through the airport every year, and it now serves 148 domestic and 56 international destinations.