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$333 flights to Tokyo on new Houston route from budget carrier Zipair

Oct. 15, 2024
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4 min read
Photo taken during a media event at Narita airport near Tokyo on Dec. 18, 2019, shows a Boeing 787 plane to be flown by ZIPAIR Tokyo, a low-cost carrier under the Japan Airlines group, on its routes to Bangkok and Seoul in 2020.
$333 flights to Tokyo on new Houston route from budget carrier Zipair
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There's a new way to get from the U.S. to Japan — and it's even quite affordable.

Japanese low-cost carrier Zipair announced last week that it would add flights from Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) to Tokyo's Narita International Airport (NRT) beginning March 4, 2025. The new four-times-weekly flights will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Zipair will deploy a 290-seat Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner that features 18 lie-flat business-class pods and 272 standard economy seats on this route.

ZIPAIR

While you might not have heard about Zipair before, the carrier's inaugural fare sale will definitely catch your attention. The airline is offering round-trip flights from Houston to Tokyo for as low as $666, or $333 each way. Travelers must book flights by Nov. 30 to take advantage of the sale.

ZIPAIR Dreamliner Economy Cabin
LESLIE HARVEY/THE POINTS GUY

Note that as a low-cost carrier, Zipair charges additional fees for inflight meals, checked baggage, seat selection and more. But even after adding in all the ancillaries, it could be cheaper to fly to Japan with Zipair versus a major network carrier like All Nippon Airways or United Airlines.

Related: Zipair economy vs. business class to Japan: Is the budget carrier worth it?

Better yet, those looking for fancy lie-flat seats also will likely find Zipair's offering to be attractive. Introductory fares start at just under $1,500 each way — a fraction of what a lie-flat bed can cost on a competitor. Zipair's business-class product is comfortable — you get a lie-flat bed in a reverse herringbone configuration — but you need to pay for ancillaries, much in the same way that you would if flying in economy. True to its low-cost roots, you won't even find TVs at each seat (but there is free Wi-Fi).

ZIP Full-Flat Seat Overview
LESLIE HARVEY/THE POINTS GUY

Zipair's new Houston service will become the carrier's fifth transpacific route, joining service to Los Angeles; San Francisco; San Jose, California; and Vancouver, British Columbia. (Los Angeles was the carrier's first transpacific destination, and it launched back in late 2021.)

The new flight will depart Houston at 8:45 a.m. and land in Tokyo at 1:50 p.m. the following day, all times local. The return flight will depart Tokyo at 10 a.m. and land in Houston at 6:45 a.m. the same day.

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Zipair is the low-cost subsidiary of Japan Airlines. ANA and United already fly from Houston to Tokyo, so this new route will allow Oneworld-affiliated Japan Airlines to compete on this 6,643-mile route. (In fact, this route will be the longest in the Zipair network.)

If you can stomach paying for all the ancillaries, this new route will certainly make it more affordable to get to Japan. And who knows, if ANA or United match these sale fares, then perhaps you could even fly one of the more established network carriers for the price of the low-cost alternative.

Related reading:

Featured image by KYODO NEWS/GETTY IMAGES
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

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  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
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  • Annual Fee is $325.
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