United Airlines to Launch First Nonstop Flights from San Francisco to Sapporo

United Airlines announced it will offer three direct flights per week from San Francisco International Airport to Sapporo on the island of Hokkaido beginning in December 2026. The seasonal service will run through March 27 and provide the first nonstop connection from the continental United States to the Japanese city.

Flights will cover the approximately 11-hour journey during the peak winter season. Fares are listed at $1,500 at the start of the period and rise to $1,700 by March. The airline separately stated it will add daily year-round service between Chicago and Tokyo-Narita beginning in October.

Sapporo receives an average of five meters of snowfall annually and hosts multiple ski areas, including Sapporo Kokusai Skiing Resort, Sapporo Teine, Sapporo Moiwayama Ski Area, and Sapporo Bankei Ski Area. The city’s tourism website describes it as the only city near two million residents that receives such heavy annual snowfall.

United’s senior vice president of network planning and global alliances stated the new routes give travelers more nonstop options to Asia than any other U.S. airline.