Japan's airlines are rapidly expanding their European networks. With inbound tourists hitting a record 36.87 million in 2024, JAL and ANA are significantly strengthening their European presence: ANA has launched Japan's first direct flights to Turkey, while JAL is deploying its state-of-the-art A350-1000. Routes postponed during the pandemic are finally taking off.

Record Inbound Demand and the Aviation Industry's Response

In 2024, the number of foreign visitors to Japan reached 36.87 million, surpassing the pre-pandemic record of approximately 31.88 million in 2019 by about 5 million visitors. Tourism spending by foreign visitors also hit a record high of ¥8.14 trillion. Aided by the weak yen, Japan is establishing itself as a premier global tourist destination.

To meet this strong inbound demand, Japan's flagship carriers JAL and ANA are accelerating the expansion of their international networks. Their European routes in particular are seeing aggressive development through new services, frequency increases, and deployment of the latest aircraft.

ANA's European Strategy: First Japanese Carrier to Launch Three New Destinations

From late 2024 through 2025, ANA dramatically expanded its European network. Three new routes that had been postponed due to the pandemic finally materialized after approximately five years.

The Three New Routes

ANA's newly launched European routes are as follows:

The Haneda-Milan route commenced operations on December 3, 2024, with three weekly flights. This marks ANA's first Tokyo-originating service to the city. Through a partnership with Italian railway company Trenitalia, passengers can connect from Milan Malpensa Airport to 25 cities across Italy. The route is expected to be a "well-balanced market" with 60% of demand from Japan and 40% from abroad.

The Haneda-Stockholm route launched on January 31, 2025, with three weekly flights. As the only direct flight from Japan, it significantly improves accessibility to the Nordic region. The airline expects about 50% connecting traffic and aims to position Northern Europe as a new overseas travel option for Japanese travelers.

The Haneda-Istanbul route began service on February 12, 2025, with three weekly flights. This is the first scheduled service by a Japanese carrier to Turkey. Istanbul, located at the crossroads of Asia and Europe, is also attracting attention as a connecting hub for the Middle East and Africa.

Scale of the European Network

In addition to these new routes, ANA increased Paris and Munich services to daily flights in July 2024 and resumed Vienna service in August. As a result, ANA's European network has expanded to 8 countries and 9 cities with 49 weekly flights, making it the largest network connecting Japan and Europe.

ANA President Shin-ichi Inoue commented on the new route launches: "We've finally returned to this point. I'm deeply moved." Regarding Japanese outbound travel sentiment, he noted that "the frozen mindset is gradually beginning to thaw," emphasizing the company's commitment to supporting the revival of overseas travel.

JAL's European Strategy: Latest Aircraft and Joint Business Expansion

JAL operates joint business ventures with British Airways, Finnair, and Iberia Airlines on European routes. Through each carrier's extensive network, passengers can enjoy seamless connections to destinations across Europe.

Deployment of the Latest A350-1000 Aircraft

JAL is deploying its newest international aircraft, the Airbus A350-1000, on European routes. Daily service on the Haneda-London route began on January 2, 2025, with Haneda-Paris service scheduled to commence on November 9, 2025.

The A350-1000 features design built around the "Design Your Story" concept, catering to diverse passenger needs. It offers private suite-style business class seats and premium dining experiences created in collaboration with renowned chefs.

Inbound Tourism Initiatives

JAL has successfully captured strong inbound demand. In the first quarter of FY2024 (April-June), international passenger revenue increased 12.5% year-over-year to ¥165.9 billion, with passenger numbers up 11.4% to approximately 1.75 million.

JAL is also strengthening routes with promising inbound potential, including increasing Narita-Melbourne to daily service and resuming Narita-Shanghai operations. To meet robust winter inbound demand to Hokkaido, the carrier has also increased domestic flight frequencies on the Haneda-Sapporo and Itami-Sapporo routes.

Challenges Facing the Aviation Industry

While European route expansion progresses, Japanese airlines face several challenges.

Impact of Russian Airspace Closure

Due to the Russia-Ukraine situation, aircraft cannot fly over Russian airspace. This results in longer flight times on European routes, creating crew scheduling challenges. JAL and ANA are adapting by using either the southern route via Central Asia or the northern route via Alaska, depending on weather conditions.

Aviation Fuel Supply Issues

Domestic aviation fuel shortages have also been identified as a concern. ANA President Inoue pointed out that this is "an urgent issue for maintaining domestic route networks and expanding international production capacity," calling for the establishment of stable supply systems to achieve government targets for increasing inbound tourism.

Slow Recovery of Japanese Outbound Travel

While inbound demand has hit record highs, Japanese outbound travel remains at about 70% of 2019 levels. The main factor is increased overseas travel costs due to the weak yen. Airlines are working to stimulate Japanese outbound demand through initiatives tied to events like the JAL Honolulu Marathon and by proposing attractive new routes.

Future Outlook

The government has set targets of "60 million foreign visitors and ¥15 trillion in inbound consumption by 2030." The 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo, held from April to October, also helped lift inbound tourism.

JAL and ANA plan to continue expanding their international networks by pursuing both supply expansion to growth markets and enhanced competitiveness. While reducing environmental impact through fuel-efficient aircraft deployment, they aim to fulfill their role as bridges connecting Japan and the world.

In Japan, competition between airlines is making Europe more accessible than ever. How is the international network of your country's airlines? Are there good direct flight options to Japan? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

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