United Airlines Adds Nonstop Flights from Chicago and San Francisco to Japan's Key Ski Gateways
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United Airlines has announced two new nonstop routes to Japan, with both airports serving as primary gateways to the country's most popular ski regions.
The carrier confirmed the new services on 21 May. A year-round daily flight from Chicago O'Hare (ORD) to Tokyo Narita (NRT) launches on 24 October, operated on a Boeing 787-8. A seasonal service from San Francisco (SFO) to Sapporo's New Chitose Airport (CTS) will run three times a week from December through March on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
Chicago to Tokyo Narita - the Nagano gateway
Tokyo Narita is the more useful airport for skiers heading to the mountains of Nagano Prefecture. It sits on the eastern side of greater Tokyo and connects directly into Japan's Shinkansen network, making resorts like Hakuba Valley accessible without an overnight in the city.
The new Chicago-Narita route complements United's existing Chicago to Tokyo Haneda (HND) service. Haneda is the more convenient option for travellers staying in central Tokyo; Narita is the better choice for anyone heading straight to the snow.
San Francisco to Sapporo - direct to Hokkaido
The San Francisco to New Chitose Airport route is the more significant announcement for ski-focused travellers. Hokkaido - Japan's northernmost main island - is home to Niseko, Rusutsu, and Furano, and has built a substantial international following on the back of its consistent powder snowfall and relatively uncrowded slopes compared to the main island's more accessible resorts.
Until now, travellers from North America typically routed through Tokyo or Osaka to reach Hokkaido, adding time and a connecting flight to an already long journey. The new seasonal service removes that friction entirely for passengers departing San Francisco.
New Chitose Airport sits south of Sapporo and is the main arrival point for the island, with Niseko around two hours by road and Furano roughly two hours in the other direction.
Why this matters for access to Japan skiing
Japan skiing has surged in popularity over the past decade, particularly among travellers from Australia, North America, and Southeast Asia. That demand has driven investment across multiple resort towns and pushed accommodation costs up considerably in places like Niseko.
More direct routing from North America - and the competitive pressure that additional capacity tends to create - is a meaningful development for a destination where the cost of getting there has long been one of the bigger line items in a trip budget.
United's stated rationale for the Hokkaido seasonal service is explicitly targeting international winter visitors. The Chicago-Narita route is framed more broadly around business and leisure travel, though its utility for ski travellers connecting onward to Nagano is clear.
Both routes are available to book now, with the Chicago service departing from 24 October.