Houston will soon be getting a new long haul airline, offering affordable flights across the Pacific…
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ZIPAIR adding Tokyo Narita to Houston route
Japanese low cost carrier, and Japan Airlines subsidiary, will be launching flights between Tokyo Narita (NRT) and Houston (IAH). Specifically, the service will launch as of March 4, 2025, and will operate 4x weekly, on Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, with the following schedule:
ZG16 Tokyo Narita to Houston departing 10:00AM arriving 6:45AM
ZG15 Houston to Tokyo Narita departing 8:45AM arriving 1:50PM (+1 day)
The 6,643-mile flight is blocked at 11hr45min eastbound and 14hr5min westbound. The airline will use a Boeing 787-8 for the route, featuring 290 seats, including 18 flat beds, and 272 standard economy seats.
Flights on the route are already on sale. Economy fares seem to start at just over $300 one-way, while seats in the carrier’s fully flat product start at just over $1,300 one-way.
The Tokyo to Houston market is already served by both All Nippon Airways and United Airlines, which partner with one another. So clearly this is a way for rival Japan Airlines to enter the market, through its low cost carrier subsidiary. It’s an interesting way to compete, focusing on price sensitive customers.
Currently ZIPAIR’s destinations in the United States include Honolulu (HNL), Los Angeles (LAX), and San Francisco (SFO), on a year-round basis, and San Jose (SJC) on a seasonal basis. This will be the carrier’s longest route yet.
Flying with ZIPAIR is a unique experience
ZIPAIR is a fascinating little airline. The airline currently has eight Boeing 787-8s, with plans to grow the fleet by at least two more jets. The airline has acquired aircraft both through leases from Japan Airlines, as well as through other means.
I’ve reviewed ZIPAIR’s full flat product (sort of business class), and it was unlike anything I’ve experienced. The seats are pretty great, as they’re reverse herringbone, and in a 1-2-1 configuration. However, there’s no seat back entertainment, but rather there’s free Wi-Fi (which I’d consider to be a good tradeoff, personally).
What’s so interesting is the extent to which the product is unbundled. It’s not like a premium economy product on another airline, where some services are included. But rather you have to pay for everything individually, from a bottle of water, to a snack, to a pillow.
For those of us into miles & points, I tend to think that redeeming miles on a full service carrier is a better option. That being said, if you value a flat bed, don’t have miles, and don’t want to totally break the bank, ZIPAIR’s premium product is a solid value.
Bottom line
Japan Airlines’ low cost carrier, ZIPAIR, will be launching flights between Tokyo Narita and Houston using Boeing 787-8s. The service will operate 4x weekly, and will bring some competition in the market to the Star Alliance carriers.
The ZIPAIR experience is pretty no frills, but it can represent a great deal, and the free Wi-Fi helps with passing the time. Since we’re talking about a Japanese airline, you can at least trust that the crew will be friendly and plane will be clean.
What do you make of ZIPAIR’s Houston service?
Mason is a clown. lmao peak comedy.
No changes, no refund.
I feel like an idiot for loving the USA now that I've learned it's a sh+th*le. What a rube I am.
Off topic, but today United announced 3 new routes from Tokyo/Narita - Kaohsiung ,Ulaanbaatar, and Koror!
https://www.united.com/en/us/newsroom/announcements/cision-125351
Given the popularity of their lie-flat product (it seems always sold out by departure time), you wonder if they should consider increasing the size of their business class cabin?
Of course hard to change cabin config, but that seems to be what's keeping their airline afloat?
Would it be like taking a Shinkansen? Plenty of travelers just buy bento boxes and other nibbles from a convenience store right before their journey. As long as Wi-Fi is usable, clean seats and toilets, it actually wouldn't be that bad!
I think ZIPAir is a great concept. For me the most important thing about business is being able to have space and lie down. I have my own NC headphones and a laptop which goes everywhere with me so I don't mind downloading films (which I actually want to watch) for the journey. When you look at the cost of NH/UA on that sector at around >$5000... I am prepared to miss out on mediocre...
I think ZIPAir is a great concept. For me the most important thing about business is being able to have space and lie down. I have my own NC headphones and a laptop which goes everywhere with me so I don't mind downloading films (which I actually want to watch) for the journey. When you look at the cost of NH/UA on that sector at around >$5000... I am prepared to miss out on mediocre airline food and bedding and use the $4000 saving to stay in a top end luxury hotel for a real sleep and michelin starred restaurants for real food.
given that UA tried w/o success to move their IAH-NRT flight to HND, this new flight is bound to reduce the economics of UA's own flight.
They do serve relatively different markets though: the UA flight serves corporate contracts, which ZipAir won't, and also leverages the UA hub at IAH, which ZipAir doesn't have access to
Think about all the countries or cultures where you cannot say the same. Those countries and cultures have a problem for the next generation to address. Friendliness should be table stakes. It’s a shame and a moral failing to be known as inhospitable.
One thing to note is that most of the countries where you cannot say the same are in a progressive/liberal society, meanwhile where you can say the same are in conservative society.
Liberals don't give a damn or deny about this, but the current status of Japan or whatever they admire was only achievable because the LDP constructed a safe and stable society based on their conservative thoughts.
Liberalism ruined the Western world....
One thing to note is that most of the countries where you cannot say the same are in a progressive/liberal society, meanwhile where you can say the same are in conservative society.
Liberals don't give a damn or deny about this, but the current status of Japan or whatever they admire was only achievable because the LDP constructed a safe and stable society based on their conservative thoughts.
Liberalism ruined the Western world. The US is now a total sh*thole, and Europe is either already the same or becoming one.
May God protect Asia from hypocritic liberal agenda.
There is something especially hilarious about someone saying "may God protect Asia" which, with the exception of a handful of countries, is overwhelmingly Buddhist, animist, or officially atheist. It makes me think that maybe someone doesn't have the greatest grasp on world culture.
The U.S. especially the East Coast come to mind!