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United Airlines on Thursday launched its inaugural flight from Palau to Tokyo/Narita. It’s a year-round service which connects travelers between Palau and the Continental U.S. through Tokyo/Narita from five United hubs: New York/Newark, Houston, Denver, Los Angeles and San Francisco. To celebrate the inaugural flight from Tokyo, guests observed a traditional Japanese sake barrel ceremony at Narita Airport. The inaugural flight was welcomed at Palau International Airport with a water cannon salute and cultural entertainment, and a gate celebration to welcome customers onboard the first departing flight from Palau. The new service enables easy one-stop connections for travelers coming from the mainland U.S. or directly from Tokyo to experience the pristine marine ecosystems, United said in a media release. With nearly 350 islands in Palau, visitors can plan the ultimate underwater adventure with snorkeling or scuba diving to see the diverse coral and fish in the Pacific. United also serves Palau from Guam and Manila. “Our new direct flights between Palau and Japan with onward connections to the U.S. reflects our commitment to enhancing regional connectivity and supporting the growth of local economies,” said Steve Morrissey, vice president, International Regulatory and Policy. Morrissey said this new route will provide United customers greater travel choice and the opportunity to visit many attractions in each destination and strengthens United’s longstanding partnership with Palau. ”United continues to expand in places our customers want to travel, and our new service to Palau is a great example of that,” he added. Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. said this new direct flight to Japan marks another important milestone in expanding opportunities for travel, commerce, and cultural exchange. “We are grateful to United Airlines for their continued partnership and leadership in reconnecting Palau to the world,” Whipps said. “Their swift action to resume flights after the pandemic, and commitment to restoring our air links, has been crucial to our economic revival.” The new flight departs Tokyo/Narita at 5:55 p.m. and arrives in Palau at 10:50 p.m. local time. Return flights from Palau to Tokyo/Narita depart at 11:25 a.m. and arrive at 4 p.m. United will operate the flights with a Boeing 737-800 aircraft, offering 166 seats – 16 of which are in business class. The introduction of flights to Palau marks yet another significant step in United’s ongoing expansion across the Pacific with the airline also launching a new service last Sunday between Hong Kong and Bangkok, Thailand, Hong Kong and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, as well as a second daily flight between Manila and San Francisco, which will offer travelers from both cities the option of a daytime or evening flight for greater convenience. By the end of 2025, United will offer flights from 32 different cities in the Pacific region – four times that of any other U.S. airline. United said by the end of 2026, it will replace the Boeing 737-800 that currently serves the route with a Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. These aircraft will feature United’s signature interior with seatback entertainment in every seat, larger overhead bins for every passenger’s carry-on bag, Wi-Fi available for purchase, more extra-legroom seating, and wireless Bluetooth connectivity, as well as a bright look-and-feel with LED lighting, bringing customers a more modern onboard experience.
