In a Miami Today interview published on September 3, 2024, Miami International Airport CEO Ralph Cutié said he hopes to see scheduled flights between the Florida airport and Tokyo launch in the next couple of years.
Discussing Miami Airport’s route development efforts, Cutié said “…we’re actively working – we’ve been doing this for the last few years – on a direct flight to Asia, which will be between Tokyo and MIA.” “That’s something that we’re really working hard to pursue, and hopefully in the next couple of years we can make that happen,” he added talking about the airport’s would-be first route to Asia.
In an interview with Investment Reports earlier this year, Cutié discussed the status of the route as well. “We’ve been in discussions with Japan Airlines and had a successful trade mission to Japan last November,” he said. “… It’s a few years away, but we are laying the groundwork and have already had direct charter flights from Japan for events like the World Baseball Classic, which have been successful,” he continued.
Miami Airport has been working on making the Tokyo route happen from as early as 2022. Back then, Kazuhiro Nakai, the Consul-General of Japan in Miami held a dinner meeting with Cutié, who also serves as Miami-Dade Country’s aviation director, and Jimmy Morales, the county’s chief operating officer.
At that time, Nakai said “The direct flight could drastically improve the business environment to further trade and investment with Florida, and Latin America.” “It is a priority agenda for me in Miami,” he added.