Okinawa-based JAL Group company JTA plans to launch scheduled Naha – Taipei Taoyuan route within FY2025, JAL revealed in its network plan for the fiscal year starting on April 1, 2025.
“We will announce the launch date as soon as it is decided,” said JAL’s statement. The route’s frequency and equipment to be used on the flights has not been revealed yet either. While JTA operates a single-type fleet of 14 Boeing 737-800s, each with 165 seats including 20 in Class J (domestic business class) and 14 in economy class), it uses mainline JAL wide-body aircraft for some of its flights.
Once the route launches, it will be JTA’s first scheduled international route. That said, the airline operated charter flights to Taipei from Naha and Ishigaki in the past on behalf of both sides’ travel agencies. According to the statement, the scheduled route is being launched “to meet strong demand, mainly from people visiting Japan.”
Naha is already well connected with Okinawa, albeit primarily by Taiwanese airlines (EVA Air, China Airlines, Starlux Airlines, and Tigerair Taiwan) and other foreign airlines serving the route under fifth freedom rights (Batik Air Malaysia, Thai AirAsia, and Thai VietJet). ANA’s low-cost Peach is the only Japanese airline offering non-stop flights between the two cities.
JAL Group’s existing routes between Japan and Taipei include its mainline flights from Tokyo Haneda to Songshan Airport and from Tokyo Narita and Nagoya Chubu to Taoyuan Airport.
