Lufthansa Group is significantly expanding its Japan network for the summer 2027 season, responding to what it describes as a “strong increase in demand” from European travelers. The group’s airlines—Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, SWISS, and ITA Airways—will collectively operate up to 50 weekly flights to four Japanese airports: Tokyo-Haneda, Tokyo-Narita, Osaka, and Nagoya.
The expansion marks the return of Lufthansa’s seasonal Frankfurt-Nagoya service, which was suspended during the pandemic, and the addition of a daily Frankfurt-Tokyo Narita flight. These new routes complement existing daily services to Tokyo-Haneda from both Frankfurt and Munich, giving passengers more flexibility and choice when traveling between Europe and Japan.
Frankfurt-Nagoya resumes in March 2027
Lufthansa will restart its Frankfurt-Nagoya route on 29 March 2027, operating three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. The outbound flight departs Frankfurt at 14:10 and arrives in Nagoya at 09:35 the following morning (local times). The return service leaves Nagoya at 11:30 and lands back in Frankfurt at 18:30.
Nagoya, the capital of Aichi Prefecture, is a major industrial hub with deep ties to the automotive sector, including Toyota’s headquarters. For leisure travelers, the city offers a gateway to Japan’s samurai heritage and easy access to destinations like Kyoto. Passengers flying from Nagoya can also connect through Frankfurt to a wide range of European and South American cities.
Daily Frankfurt-Narita service
Starting 28 March 2027, Lufthansa will operate a daily seasonal flight between Frankfurt and Tokyo-Narita. The outbound flight departs Frankfurt at 13:45 and arrives in Narita at 09:30 the next day, while the return leg leaves Narita at 11:20 and reaches Frankfurt at 18:40.
Both the Nagoya and Narita routes will be served by Boeing 787-9 aircraft featuring Lufthansa’s Allegris cabins, which include 28 business class seats, 28 premium economy seats, and 231 economy seats. This modern fleet ensures a consistent premium experience across the expanded network.
“Japan is a key market for the Lufthansa Group, and we are pleased to further strengthen our presence with additional capacity and the resumption of flights to Nagoya,” said Dieter Vranckx, the group’s chief commercial officer. “Together with our expanded Tokyo services, these investments provide our customers with more travel options and support the continued diversification of our intercontinental network.”
The expansion comes as Japan continues to attract record numbers of international visitors. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), the country welcomed 42.7 million overseas visitors in 2025, a 15.8% increase over 2024. While overall arrivals dipped slightly in the first eight months of 2026—down 2.7% to 27.6 million—European markets have shown robust growth. German arrivals rose 5.6% to 281,500, UK arrivals increased 5.8% to 364,800, and France, Italy, and Spain also recorded gains.
Lufthansa’s move is part of a broader trend of European carriers expanding their Asia networks. For instance, Ryanair and easyJet have announced 47 new routes for summer 2027, though focused on intra-European travel. The group’s investment in Japan also aligns with growing business and cultural ties between Europe and Asia, as seen in Thales’ plans to establish Japan’s first foreign-run defence maintenance hub.
For European travelers, the expanded schedule means more direct options to Japan’s major cities, reducing reliance on connecting flights through other Asian hubs. The additional capacity is expected to support both tourism and business travel, particularly for industries with strong links to Japan’s automotive and technology sectors.
Lufthansa Group’s commitment to Japan underscores the importance of the Asia-Pacific region in its long-term strategy. With the new routes, the group aims to capture a larger share of the growing demand for travel between Europe and Japan, while offering passengers greater convenience and connectivity.
