dailynewsnblog
United Airlines will bring back the first direct service from the USA that has flown to New Chitose Airport (CTS) in Sapporo, Japan, when it begins flights from 
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) this December. Serviced by Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, the route will run three times a week.
The itinerary will be the only nonstop option from the states to Japan’s northernmost island. However, it will come on the heels of Air Canada’s new route to CTS that is starting up just ahead of UA out of Vancouver International Airport (YVR).
United Ups The Ante To Expand Its Asia-Pacific Network
United and Delta are locked in a fierce war for Pacific dominance, but they are playing two completely different games. United currently brings in more than double the Pacific revenue of Delta. Adding SFO-CTS gives United the only direct option for stateside customers looking to experience the winter sports and festivities of Hokkaido, which is famous for its record-breaking snowfall.
The transpacific air bridge from SFO to CTS bypasses the usual layover at Tokyo’s Haneda (HND) or Narita (NRT) airports, which adds hours to total travel time along with the inconvenience of shuffling between connections.
Flight Number | Origin | Destination | Start Date | Frequency | Aircraft Type | Departure Time | Arrival Time | Distance | Flight Time | En Route Day Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UA 234 | SFO | CTS | December 11 | Three-times Weekly | Boeing 787-9 | 10:30 AM | 2:15 PM | 4,811 miles (7,741 km) | 10 hours 45 minutes | +1 (Next Day) |
UA 235 | CTS | SFO | December 11 | Three-times Weekly | Boeing 787-9 | 4:15 PM | 8:20 AM | 4,811 miles (7,741 km) | 9 hours 5 minutes | +0 (Same Day) |
Beyond winter sports, the timing of the route allows families and tourists to directly experience cultural highlights like the world-famous Sapporo Snow Festival in February. The route will operate three times a week utilizing a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, offering premium cabins like United Polaris business class to attract premium leisure travelers.
The Japow Experience: Why Adventure Travelers Flock To Sapporo
JAPOW is an abbreviation for ‘Japan Powder,’ as powder snow Hokkaido explains, and represents one of the most important allures for foreign tourists that visit the island every winter. Hokkaido in winter transforms into a surreal, sensory-rich wonderland where world-class powder snow meets world-class culinary experiences and rich traditional events.
Just outside the city are two of the most famous ski resorts in Japan, and the world: Niseko and Rusutsu. Niseko United is the undisputed capital of Japanese luxury skiing. It comprises four interconnected resorts facing the iconic, volcanic peak of Mount Yotei. Rusutsu Resort lies a little further at a 90-minute driving distance from Sapporo. Rusutsu spans three pristine mountains. It offers a much quieter, beautifully groomed alternative to Niseko.
The island is also one of Japan’s agricultural and seafood powerhouses, with plentiful dining options that offer fresh, decadent, and carefully crafted dishes to beat the cold. Hokkaido hosts some of the most visually stunning winter art festivals on the planet, almost all concentrated within an easy radius of Sapporo.
Restoring An Abandoned Air Bridge Across The Pacific
The SFO-CTS itinerary will be the first direct airfare ever made available that flies from mainland American shores to New Chitose Airport. Before the pandemic, the only way to reach Hokkaido from US soil without an exhausting transfer to Tokyo was via Hawaiian Airlines. The last time a US-based carrier provided direct service from the states to Sapporo was in 2020 when flights ran out of Honolulu International (HNL).
When the COVID-19 pandemic ground global aviation to a halt in March 2020, Hawaiian temporarily suspended the route. Prior to that, Guam Airport (GUM) had offered airfare to the island until 2018, which was also flown by United. Hawaiian Airlines’ route was primarily filled by outbound Japanese tourists from Hokkaido traveling to Hawaii for warm-weather vacations, luxury shopping, and honeymoons. United’s new service flips the script. It targets the massive wave of winter sports tourism and premium leisure travel coming out of North America.
Delta has been trying hard to chip away at United’s Pacific dominance by expanding its footprint out of Seattle and Minneapolis. However, Delta’s strategy relies heavily on routing passengers through Tokyo or utilizing its joint venture with Korean Air via Seoul. By anchoring the route at its massive SFO hub, United isn’t just catering to local California travelers. It captures skiers and snow-festival tourists connecting from nearly 80 connected US cities.
