JAL to expand A350-1000 service to both daily Tokyo – New York flights in July 2024

JAL A350-1000 First Class
JAL’s A350-1000s feature considerably better interior compared to their predecessor, the 777-300ERs. (Image: JAL)

On January 24, 2024, JAL started using its new flagship, the Airbus A350-1000, on one of its two daily Tokyo Haneda – New York JFK rotations (JL6/JL5). The airline revealed it will also deploy the type on the second daily rotation (JL4/JL3) from the beginning of July.

Between July 1 and 25, 2024, the A350-1000 will only operate select JL4/JL3 flights (on July 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, and 24 in the direction from Tokyo and a day later in the other direction). From July 26, 2024, all of the airline’s flights between Tokyo Haneda and New York JFK will be operated by the A350-1000.

Due to the lack of airframes, the A350-1000 will not operate to Dallas Forth Worth between July 1 and 25, 2024. Before and after that, the Dallas route is scheduled to be operated by the A350-1000 every other day. Dallas was the second route on which JAL deployed the A350-1000 after New York JFK, starting on April 17, 2024.

During this fiscal year (April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2024), JAL plans to receive five more A350-1000s for a total of eight airframes combined with the three it currently operates. It plans to fully replace all 13 777-300ERs with the new flagship at some point in 2026. The eight aircraft-strong A350-1000 fleet JAL expects to have by the end of this fiscal year will allow JAL to deploy the aircraft to New York twice a day, Dallas daily, and London – the third destination expected to switch from the 777-300ER to the A350-1000 – daily.

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