Delta Air Lines Set To Challenge Alaska By Reinstating Service To Tokyo Narita

Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines is planning to expand its transpacific network from Seattle with the return of nonstop flights to and from Tokyo Narita after a seven-year break. The reinstated service will directly compete with Alaska Airlines – its main contender in the Pacific Northwest.

It comes as both carriers have been working to grow their international footprints from the Emerald City. Delta says the route will provide passengers “with its most comprehensive Seattle-Tokyo offering ever” as it will complement its existing service to Tokyo Haneda.

7 Years Later: Delta Returns To Challenge Alaska On Seattle-Tokyo Narita

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The legacy carrier announced on Thursday that nonstop service between its hub at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and Narita International Airport (NRT) will commence in “late March 2027;” however, a specific date has not yet been disclosed. From SEA, the outbound flight is scheduled to depart just after 1:30 PM and arrive at NRT the following day around 4:20 PM. The return flight will leave NRT at 6:30 PM, with a scheduled arrival time of 12:00 PM at SEA.

Delta currently operates daily service between SEA and Haneda Airport (HND). The westbound flight currently has a scheduled departure time of 11:55 AM and arrives around 1:30 PM the next day. The eastbound journey leaves HND at around 4:20 PM and typically lands back at SEA just before 10:00 AM.

As a route inherited from Northwest Airlines, Delta formerly operated nonstop flights between SEA and NRT, but ceased operations due to the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020. Jeff Arinder, Delta’s Vice President – International Network Planning, spoke about how the route’s return provides passengers with more options.

“With service to both Haneda and Narita, Delta will offer more capacity and two convenient ways to access Tokyo, supported by the strength of our U.S. network and our commitment to connecting customers to the places they want to go most.”

Flying To The Same Market, But With Two Different Aircraft Types

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Although the SEA-NRT route will supplement SEA-HND, Delta will use different equipment. The carrier is planning to deploy the Airbus A330-900neo on the route, while the A350-900 currently operates between Seattle and Tokyo Haneda. The A330-900neo is equipped with “Delta’s signature long-haul products,” featuring its most premium cabin – Delta One – alongside its premium economy product known as Delta Premium Select (DPS).

The aircraft has a total capacity of 281 passengers across three classes. Delta One comprises 29 lie-flat business class seats arranged in a 1-2-1 layout. DPS has 28 seats in a 2-3-2 configuration, while the main cabin has the remaining 224 seats in a 2-4-2 layout. 56 seats in the center of the aircraft are branded as Delta Comfort and feature more legroom.

Credit: Delta Air Lines

With over 160 peak day departures to more than 62 destinations, Delta prides itself as “the largest international carrier at SEA.” However, Alaska takes the title of Seattle’s largest airline. Nonetheless, Delta’s continued investment to transform Seattle into a global and Pacific gateway has presented quite the challenge for Alaska and its newly acquired sister carrier, Hawaiian Airlines.

“Japan continues to be one of the most important and beloved destinations in Delta’s global network and adding Seattle–Narita service gives our customers even more choice when planning their travel,” Arinder explained.

Seattle’s Most Contested Long-Haul International Routes

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Alaska officially inaugurated nonstop flights between SEA and NRT on May 12, 2025, with Hawaiian’s A330-200s. It marked a major milestone, as the carrier’s first-ever intercontinental route from SEA. The service would go on to be solely operated by Hawaiian-branded A330s until earlier this year. In January, Alaska started deploying its newly branded Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners on the route.

SEA-NRT will become the fourth long-haul route from Seattle that both Alaska and Delta will compete directly on. Currently, the two go head-to-head on nonstop routes to London, Seoul, and Rome. Delta’s other long-haul routes from Seattle to Europe include Amsterdam, Paris, and Barcelona. In Asia, the carrier also connects Seattle with Shanghai and Taipei. Alaska is planning to offer at least 12 long-haul routes to international destinations from Seattle by the new decade.