KOROR, Palau — United Airlines will begin direct flights between Palau and Japan on October 29, 2025, according to Palau’s Minister of Tourism Ngirai Tmetuchl, who finalized the agreement with the airline this week.
The airline first announced plans for the route in May 2024, but the agreement was only recently finalized. The service will operate twice weekly, with flights from Narita to Koror on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and return flights from Koror to Narita on Thursdays and Sundays.
Bookings for the route opened on United Airlines’ website on May 9, 2025.
The long-anticipated route is expected to significantly improve Palau’s connectivity to international destinations through Tokyo’s Narita International Airport, a major United Airlines hub. Minister Tmetuchl said the new service could serve as a bridge for travelers between the Northern and Southern hemispheres. Discussions are also underway to allow Qantas customers traveling from Brisbane, Australia, to connect through Palau to Japan and other destinations.
The route is backed for at least three years by a partnership of private sector companies, including Palau Pacific Resort and Indigo Hotel, which have pledged marketing and other support. Tmetuchl said while specific terms of the private sector involvement were not disclosed, the support was critical to securing the agreement.
Tmetuchl credited President Surangel Whipps Jr. for his persistence in bringing the route to reality and also acknowledged the role of private sector partners, including SOJITZ and PIAC, in helping to ensure the flights will operate over the next three years.