Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Kyushu, Japan
Programs: UA Silver, ANA MC, HH Diamond, Hyatt Discoverist, Bonvoy Plat, IHG Plat, Shangri-La GC, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,443
Originally Posted by
AlwaysAisle
United:
May 1: start NRT-UBN (Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia)
May: start NRT-ROR (Palau)
July 11: NRT-KHH (Taiwan)
United inherited the fifth freedom right from Japan when they acquired the PanAm Pacific operation. However, lately United (also Delta which inherited from Northwest) has not been using fifth freedom rights and operating flights to the U.S. only from Japan.
Mongolia is very interesting. Currently, Mongolian (OM) operates NRT-UBN thrice weekly. But both ANA and JAL have not shown interest in serving Mongolia. Is there enough demand between Mongolia and Japan to warrant a second airline? Also, what is the demand between the U.S. and Mongolia?
These are interesting developments. I look forward to visiting Mongolia soon. UA also started direct flights from NRT to Cebu, Philippines in October 2024. The flights to Mongolia on UA are seasonal (mainly during the summer season) with three flights a week. The flights to Taiwan are to
Kaohsiung in the south, not to Taipei, and depart daily. It was already possible to fly to Palau via Guam on UA, but this is supposedly a direct non-stop flight from NRT, but when I try to book it from May 2025, there's a connection in Guam, so this flight appears to be no different from what has already existed.
This is especially good news for UA MP members in Japan with TravelBank cash from credit card (Amex Plat, Hilton Aspire, etc.) travel credits that can only be used by flying on UA metal, giving them more options.
Last edited by Nagasaki Joe; Jan 12, 2025 at 8:50 pm