United Airlines Launches New Direct Flights Between Sapporo and San Francisco, and Tokyo/Narita and Chicago

Year-round scheduled flights between Tokyo/Narita and Chicago will begin in October. Winter-only flights between Sapporo and San Francisco will operate 3 times a week from December to March. Six of United Airlines' seven hubs in the mainland U.S. will be connected to Tokyo/Narita. With the opening of these two new routes by United Airlines, the largest carrier connecting Japan and the U.S. mainland, options for travel to the U.S. will be further expanded.

May 18, 2026 (Tokyo) - United Airlines (Headquarters: Chicago, CEO: Scott Kirby) announced today the launch of new winter routes from Sapporo and Tokyo/Narita. This marks the first direct flight from Sapporo to the U.S. mainland, and United Airlines will become the only U.S. carrier to operate direct flights between Tokyo/Narita and Chicago*. As the largest airline connecting Japan and the U.S., United Airlines will further expand travel options for customers across the Asia-Pacific region traveling to North America through these new routes.

Patrick Quayle, United's Senior Vice President of Global Network Planning and Alliances, stated: "We have been expanding our route network to offer customers unparalleled access to our global network. The new routes launching this winter will further strengthen the breadth, convenience, and connectivity of our network. The direct flight between Sapporo and San Francisco provides Japanese customers with a new gateway to San Francisco, a hub of business, technology, and innovation, while offering U.S. customers more convenient access to Sapporo, one of Japan's premier tourist destinations. The new Narita-Chicago route complements our existing Tokyo/Haneda-Chicago service, offering customers more choices and making connections on our routes from various Asia-Pacific locations such as Cebu, Guam, Kaohsiung, Palau, Saipan, and Ulaanbaatar even more convenient."

United Airlines is the largest airline connecting Japan and the U.S. mainland. In 2025, over 1.8 million passengers flew between Japan and the U.S. with United, surpassing the combined total of all other U.S. airlines. This winter, United plans to operate up to 13 daily flights to the U.S. mainland from four airports: Sapporo (CTS), Narita (NRT), Haneda (HND), and Osaka (KIX).

Sapporo - San Francisco Route*
Starting December 12, United Airlines will launch winter-only flights between Sapporo and San Francisco, operating three times a week. This will be the first direct flight connecting Sapporo and the U.S. mainland. The aircraft will be a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner with 257 seats, including 48 United Polaris SM Business Class seats, all of which are fully flat and offer direct aisle access.

Kenichi Kiriyama, United's Managing Director of Sales for Asia and Micronesia, commented: "Sapporo and Hokkaido are increasingly important regions in terms of the premium travel market, innovation, and international business exchange. With growing global attention in areas ranging from tourism and technology to food culture and wine, the demand for seamless access to North America is also rising. We are delighted to introduce a new Japanese travel destination to our U.S. customers. At the same time, by providing customers departing from Sapporo with smooth connections through United's network to San Francisco and cities beyond, we hope to further stimulate both business and leisure demand between the two regions."

Sapporo (CTS) - San Francisco (SFO) Route: Service starting December 12
Flight Number: UA235 | Departure: Sapporo (CTS) 4:15 p.m. | Arrival: San Francisco (SFO) 8:20 a.m. | Frequency: Mon/Thu/Sat
Flight Number: UA234 | Departure: San Francisco (SFO) 10:30 a.m. | Arrival: Sapporo (CTS) 2:15 p.m. | Frequency: Wed/Fri/Sun
Schedules are subject to change without notice.

San Francisco is a vibrant U.S. West Coast gateway for Japanese customers, blending business, innovation, and culture. In addition to access to Silicon Valley and participation in international conferences, visitors can enjoy a highly acclaimed gourmet scene, world-renowned wine regions like Napa Valley and Russian River Valley, and famous waterfront tourist spots such as Fisherman's Wharf and the Golden Gate Bridge. Through San Francisco, a major Pacific hub, United Airlines will offer connections from Sapporo to approximately 80 cities across the U.S.