Japanese low-cost carrier ZIPAIR will operate charter flights to Orlando, Florida in February and March 2026, the airline announced Tuesday in a joint promotion with Disney. This will mark the first direct service linking Japan and Florida by any airline, and the Japan Airlines subsidiary may consider future expansion based on the success of the charters.
The carrier will operate a total of four round-trip flights, or eight flights total, from its base at Tokyo Narita. The charters will take place on Feb. 23, Feb. 28, Mar. 5, and Mar. 10, 2026.
Although a firm schedule has yet to be announced, the flights will operate during the following timeframes:
- Eastbound flights: afternoon departure from Narita, afternoon arrival in Orlando
- Westbound flights: afternoon departure from Orlando, evening arrival in Narita (+1)
Tickets will initially go on sale via package tours on Oct. 28, followed by direct bookings through ZIPAIR in December. According to the airline, passengers who book these charter flights can take advantage of exclusive experiences, such as special character greetings and access to viewings of shows.
“We are extremely proud of this historic achievement, as this will be the first non-stop charter flight from Japan to Orlando, Florida,” said Shingo Nishida, President & CEO of ZIPAIR. “Orlando is home to numerous world-class theme parks and by operating these charter flights for travelers from Japan, we hope to meet our customers’ expectations when they experience ZIPAIR’s new standard in air travel.”
ZIPAIR currently holds a fleet of eight Boeing 787-8 aircraft, and expects to receive two more 787-8s in 2026. Additionally, the airline will begin receiving 787-9s in 2027.
Once ZIPAIR further expands its fleet, the airline is likely looking at an expansion to the US East Coast, as detailed in an interview with CEO Nishida with TBS Television back in July. According to recent comments from him, the success of these Orlando charter flights will determine future destinations for the airline, and Orlando itself is expected to be a contender.
Given that the US East Coast includes some of the most premium destinations in the world, such as New York and Washington D.C., leisure destinations such as Orlando may work out better for an airline without a premium product.
Further, the Japanese low-cost carrier will now be the one to hold the longest direct flight to the United States from Japan, at 13 to 14 hours round-trip, covering a distance of 7,250 miles, or about 11,670 kilometers.
The length of the flight could be the airline’s next challenge, not in terms of the aircraft itself, but rather the passenger experience factor. Given the tendency of passengers to value comfort at a higher level the longer a flight is, the shortcomings of a low-cost carrier, such as meals for purchase and a lack of inflight entertainment, will be a point of interest for ZIPAIR as it operates these 13+ hour flights. However, the ability to operate its Houston flights, which are similarly 11 to 13 hours long, perhaps already shows the feasibility.
Featured image by ZIPAIR Tokyo.
