American Airlines to Resume Chicago–Tokyo Service With Daily 787-9 Flights

CHICAGO — American Airlines (AA) will launch daily nonstop service between Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and Tokyo Narita International Airport (NRT) on March 27, 2027, restoring a transpacific link the carrier suspended in early 2020.

The year-round route will be operated by a Boeing 787-9 configured with 30 Flagship Business seats and 21 Premium Economy seats. It will become American’s 11th long-haul destination from Chicago, reinforcing the airline’s effort to rebuild and expand its O’Hare hub.

A return to Tokyo, with a different network role

American is positioning the service as more than a nonstop option for Chicago-area travelers. Through its Pacific Joint Business with Japan Airlines (JL), the airline will time the ORD–NRT flight for onward connections across Asia.

Japan Airlines operates onward service from Narita to destinations including Bangkok (BKK), Singapore (SIN), Taipei (TPE), and Ho Chi Minh City (SGN), allowing American to sell Chicago-origin customers a one-stop itinerary to markets beyond Japan. AAdvantage members will earn miles and Loyalty Points on Japan Airlines, while eligible status customers will receive reciprocal benefits such as lounge access and additional baggage allowances.

The choice of Narita is notable. While Tokyo Haneda (HND) is generally more convenient for central Tokyo, Narita remains an important connecting airport for Japan Airlines’ wider Asia network. For American, that makes NRT a practical fit for an O’Hare service intended to support both local Chicago demand and broader transpacific connections.

Chicago competition moves further international

The Tokyo route also gives American a high-profile international addition at an airport where its competition with United Airlines (UA) has intensified.

United has been expanding aggressively at O’Hare, planning a record 750 daily departures during 2026 and growing its network to 222 destinations. American, meanwhile, has built its ORD schedule back to more than 500 daily departures and has added more than 30 destinations in recent years.

American’s Tokyo launch is therefore a signal that its Chicago strategy is not limited to domestic and short-haul growth. A daily Japan service gives the carrier a meaningful long-haul product from its Midwest hub while helping feed its alliance partner’s Asian network.

Wider ORD network growth

Alongside Tokyo, American will add two domestic destinations from Chicago this winter: Charlottesville, Virginia (CHO), beginning in November, and Ontario, California (ONT), beginning in December.

The airline is also continuing to invest in its passenger experience at O’Hare, including a new Admirals Club lounge of more than 10,000 square feet and the introduction of Flagship Suite seating on all Chicago–London Heathrow (LHR) flights.

For travelers, the new route restores a direct American option between Chicago and Tokyo. Strategically, it shows the airline is again willing to use O’Hare for long-haul growth — and to compete for premium, corporate, and connecting traffic in one of the United States’ most contested hub markets.