New Japanese Budget Airline Provides Direct Flights from the U.S. to Tokyo Starting at $325 One-Way

Truth be told, Zipair—a budget airline under Japan Airlines (JAL Group)—isn’t completely new. It made its debut in 2020 amid the pandemic and has been gradually expanding its domestic, regional, and more recently, international flight offerings. The newest route is set to commence in early summer, connecting San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Tokyo’s Narita International Airport (NRT), with one-way fares starting at $325.

The new San Francisco service will operate five times a week, beginning June 2, with tickets now open for booking. Departures from SFO are scheduled for 5 p.m. local time, arriving in Tokyo the following day at 8:05 p.m. local time. Return flights will leave Tokyo at 9:35 p.m. local time and reach San Francisco at 3 p.m. local time.

This San Francisco route adds to Zipair’s current flights to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in Southern California and San José Mineta International Airport (SJC) in Northern California. The airline also operates flights to and from Honolulu International Airport in Hawai’i.

Zipair operates its transpacific flights using Boeing 787-8 aircraft and offers three fare classes: the “Zip Full-Flat Value,” which is their business class equivalent featuring lie-flat seats (with one-way fares starting at $885); “Standard Value,” comparable to economy class (with one-way fares starting at $325); and “U6 Standard Value,” which provides discounted fares for children ages 2-6 (with one-way tickets between the U.S. and Tokyo starting as low as $91).

As with many budget airlines, Zipair adopts a traditional “à la carte” model, meaning the base fare includes very few amenities. Passengers can choose to add extras such as seat selection, inflight meals, and checked luggage—each for an additional fee.

It’s worth mentioning that it took us several attempts to successfully book a flight. Here’s what finally worked: using the Firefox browser proved most effective. We first created an account by clicking the “Login” tab on the Zipair website and selecting “new member sign-up.” Once we logged in, we managed to complete the booking process, although prices were displayed in Japanese yen, which your U.S. account will convert into dollars, according to Dinogo’s associate editor for destinations, Chloe Arrojado, who recently flew Zipair from Tokyo to Los Angeles.

Here’s her feedback: “Zipair is an excellent, no-frills option for traveling between the United States and Asia. My one-way Standard Value ticket from Tokyo to Los Angeles cost just $458.70, which included about $50 for a checked bag. I was pleasantly surprised by the legroom, even without opting for any extra flight perks like seat selection,” says Arrojado.

Although there were no complimentary meals or drinks, Arrojado remarked that “the attentive crew and the comfort of the aircraft felt vastly superior to many other budget airlines.”

However, some amenities fell short of Arrojado’s expectations. For instance, the only internet option was the carrier's complimentary in-flight Wi-Fi, which was operational for just a few minutes during the entire 10-hour flight.

On her journey, Zipair allowed two free carry-on bags per passenger without any additional charges, but the check-in staff were quite strict about ensuring that the combined weight didn’t exceed 7 kg [15.4 pounds]. Many passengers had to reorganize their bags at the counter—so pack light or dress in layers,” advises Arrojado.

Equipped with a sleep mask, some snacks, and a good selection of books, “you should enjoy a smooth flight,” she suggests.

Zipair also services routes to Seoul, South Korea; Bangkok, Thailand; and Singapore.

Zipair’s global expansion is occurring as Japan eases its border restrictions. Beginning May 8, 2023, travelers to Japan will no longer need to show proof of vaccination or present a negative COVID-19 test upon arrival. This change follows last fall's measures, when Japan removed the tourist visa requirement for U.S. visitors. (When Japan reopened in June 2022, all travelers were required to obtain a visa, which U.S. leisure travelers had been exempt from before the pandemic.)