Lufthansa Group will expand its Japan flight network in summer 2027, offering up to 50 weekly flights to four Japanese airports as airlines respond to rising demand for travel between Europe and Japan. The expansion includes the return of Lufthansa’s Frankfurt-Nagoya route and the introduction of a daily seasonal service between Frankfurt and Tokyo-Narita.
The group’s airlines, including Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, SWISS and ITA Airways, will serve Tokyo-Haneda, Tokyo-Narita, Osaka and Nagoya as part of the expanded schedule. The additional capacity will give travellers more options for reaching Japan from major European gateways and connecting to other destinations through the group’s network.
The decision comes as Japan continues to attract international visitors, although recent arrival figures show a mixed picture across markets. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), the country welcomed 42.7 million international visitors in 2025, an increase of 15.8 per cent compared with 2024.
Figures for January to August 2026 show that Japan received 27.6 million international visitors, down 2.7 per cent from the same period in 2025. However, several European markets recorded growth. Arrivals from Germany increased by 5.6 per cent to 281,500, while visitors from the United Kingdom rose by 5.8 per cent to 364,800. France, Italy and Spain also reported increases.
For Lufthansa Group, the expanded schedule strengthens its presence in a market that remains important to its long-haul operations. The changes will provide additional capacity to Tokyo while restoring a direct connection to Nagoya, a major industrial city in central Japan.
Lufthansa’s seasonal Frankfurt-Nagoya service is scheduled to resume on 29 March 2027, with three weekly flights departing on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Outbound flights will leave Frankfurt at 2:10 pm and arrive in Nagoya at 9:35 am the following day. Return flights will depart Nagoya at 11:30 am and arrive in Frankfurt at 6:30 pm. All times are local.
Nagoya, located in Aichi Prefecture, is one of Japan’s major manufacturing centres, particularly in the automotive industry. The city also offers access to historical attractions and other destinations across central Japan, making the restored route relevant to both business travellers and tourists.
The Frankfurt connection will also allow passengers arriving from Nagoya to transfer to flights across Europe and South America. For travellers starting their journeys in Europe, the service adds another direct entry point into Japan beyond the country’s two main Tokyo airports.
Lufthansa will introduce its daily seasonal Frankfurt-Tokyo-Narita service on 28 March 2027. The new route will operate alongside the airline’s existing daily flights to Tokyo-Haneda from Frankfurt and Munich, increasing its range of options for travel to the Japanese capital.
Flights from Frankfurt to Narita are scheduled to depart at 1:45 pm and arrive at 9:30 am the following day. The return service will leave Narita at 11:20 am and reach Frankfurt at 6:40 pm, with all times given locally.
Both the Frankfurt-Nagoya and Frankfurt-Narita routes will use Boeing 787-9 aircraft fitted with Lufthansa’s Allegris cabin product. Each aircraft will have 28 business class seats, 28 premium economy seats and 231 economy seats, providing options across three cabin classes.
Dieter Vranckx, Lufthansa Group’s chief commercial officer, described Japan as a key market for the group and said the additional capacity and return of Nagoya flights would strengthen its presence in the country. He added that the expanded Tokyo services would offer customers more travel options while supporting the diversification of the group’s intercontinental network.
SWISS is also planning to increase its Japan capacity during summer 2027, with up to seven weekly flights between Zurich and Tokyo-Narita. The additional service will strengthen connections between Switzerland and Japan as part of the group’s wider expansion.
The planned changes give Lufthansa Group a broader presence across Japan’s main international gateways, combining additional Tokyo capacity with the return of a route serving central Japan. For passengers planning trips in 2027, the new schedule is expected to provide more choice when travelling between Europe and Japan, subject to the airlines’ published timetables and any subsequent changes.
