Lufthansa is preparing a significant expansion of its Japan network, restoring two long-haul routes from Frankfurt Airport and adding Tokyo Narita and Nagoya back to its schedule. The changes will strengthen Germany’s nonstop connectivity with Japan while giving the airline a broader presence across the country’s major aviation markets.
Lufthansa currently operates an average of about 65 daily long-haul departures from its two German hubs between November and July, including roughly 40 from Frankfurt and 25 from Munich. The airline is particularly strong across Asia and North America, ranking among Europe’s leading flag carriers for long-haul flying to both regions.
The Japanese expansion is notable because it combines the return of a previously abandoned airport with the restoration of a route suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both services will be operated with the Boeing 787-9, marking a shift toward newer, more fuel-efficient twin-engine aircraft on routes that Lufthansa historically served with larger four-engine Airbus jets.
Lufthansa Returns to Tokyo Narita With Daily Boeing 787-9 Flights
Lufthansa will return to Tokyo Narita International Airport (NRT) on March 28, 2027, coinciding with the start of the Northern Hemisphere summer schedule. The Frankfurt–Narita route will operate daily with the Boeing 787-9, creating a new option for passengers traveling between Germany and the Tokyo metropolitan area.
The scheduled service will operate as LH710 from Frankfurt, departing at 1:45 p.m. and arriving in Narita at 9:30 a.m. the following day. The return flight, LH711, will leave Narita at 11:20 a.m. and arrive in Frankfurt at 6:40 p.m.
The route represents a major change from Lufthansa’s recent Tokyo strategy. The airline previously served Narita for decades before moving its Tokyo operation to Haneda Airport, which offers considerably better access to central Tokyo. The final Lufthansa Narita service operated in January 2017, meaning the return will come after roughly a decade away from the airport.
With Frankfurt–Narita returning, Lufthansa will once again have three routes serving Tokyo, alongside its existing Frankfurt–Haneda and Munich–Haneda services. That gives the carrier more flexibility in serving different passenger markets while also increasing its overall presence in one of Asia’s most important aviation destinations.
Frankfurt–Nagoya Route Returns After Seven-Year Absence
Only one day after the Narita launch, Lufthansa will restore another important Japanese route. On March 29, 2027, the airline will resume nonstop flights between Frankfurt and Nagoya’s Chubu Centrair International Airport (NGO).
Lufthansa last served Nagoya in March 2020, when the global pandemic caused widespread international travel restrictions and forced airlines to suspend numerous long-haul routes. The return therefore represents a roughly seven-year gap in scheduled service.
The Frankfurt–Nagoya route will operate three times per week with the Boeing 787-9. Flights from Frankfurt will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays as LH736, departing at 2:10 p.m. and arriving in Nagoya at 9:35 a.m. the following day. The return LH737 will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, leaving Nagoya at 11:30 a.m. and reaching Frankfurt at 6:30 p.m.
The aircraft choice is particularly interesting because Lufthansa previously used the Airbus A340-300 and A340-600 on the route between 2004 and 2020. The 787-9 provides a much newer and more fuel-efficient platform for the long-distance mission, making three weekly frequencies economically more practical than restoring the route immediately with a larger four-engine aircraft.
Airspace Detours Make Japan Routes More Challenging
The renewed Japan services also highlight how dramatically long-haul airline networks have changed since Lufthansa last operated these routes normally. Flights between Europe and East Asia continue to face restrictions affecting the use of certain airspace, forcing carriers to take longer routings on some city pairs.
Those detours increase flight times, fuel consumption and operational complexity. They are particularly relevant for European airlines serving Japan because the traditional geographic advantage of northern European hubs can be reduced when aircraft must take significantly different paths between Europe and Asia.
Lufthansa’s decision to restore Nagoya despite these challenges indicates that the airline sees sufficient demand for direct connectivity between Germany and central Japan. The route will also make Lufthansa only the second European airline operating to Nagoya, joining Finnair.
Lufthansa Will Have Five Japan Routes in Summer 2027
By July 2027, Lufthansa plans to operate 31 weekly departures between Germany and Japan, spread across five nonstop routes. The network will include Frankfurt–Haneda, Frankfurt–Narita, Frankfurt–Nagoya, Munich–Haneda and Munich–Kansai.
The planned schedule will feature daily Frankfurt–Haneda flights using the Boeing 747-8, daily Munich–Haneda flights with the Airbus A350-900, and daily Munich–Kansai service with the A350-900. Frankfurt–Narita will also operate daily with the 787-9, while Frankfurt–Nagoya will run three times weekly.
Japan will consequently become Lufthansa’s fourth-largest long-haul country market from Germany, behind the United States, India and Canada. The planned 31 weekly departures represent a dramatic increase from July 2019, when Lufthansa offered only 15 weekly departures to Japan.
The expansion therefore goes beyond simply restoring two discontinued routes. It represents a broader rebuilding of Lufthansa’s Japanese network, with newer aircraft, multiple German gateways and access to three major Japanese metropolitan regions. For passengers, the result will be significantly more nonstop choices between Germany and Japan when the 2027 summer schedule begins.
