Low-cost airline commits to San Jose-Japan flights for months to come

SAN JOSE — A low-cost airline linking San Jose and Japan that recently was rumored to be poised to exit the South Bay market has instead committed to continue service to months to come, in a boost for Silicon Valley.

ZIPAIR has announced it would open ticket sales through March 2025 for flights connecting San Jose and Tokyo Narita airport, according to the discount air carrier.

The air carrier, which is a subsidiary of Japan Airlines, announced a schedule for the air travel winter season that begins Oct. 29 and ends March 29, 2025.

While the times of the flight departures and arrivals might vary, ZIPAIR trips connecting San Jose and Tokyo Narita will occur on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Here are ZIPAIR sample fares listed by the airline. The prices are for one-way trips from San Jose to Tokyo Narita:

— full flat business class, $1,257.

— standard for seats in the regular economy section of the plan, $387.

— U6 for infants to six years old, $123.

ZIPAIR also said it will offer super discounted “Biz-Flex” fares, a fee-based service that will start with flights departing on Oct. 27, 2024. People pay more if they want add-on amenities such as in-flight meals, assigned seats and an allowance for heavier carry-on bags.

Here are some examples of these fares, although the price will increase depending on the amenities people wish to add:

— Full-flat Biz Flex, $154.

— Standard economy class, $81.

In recent weeks, some travel blogs suggested ZIPAIR might pull out of the San Jose market, which would have ended the South Bay airport’s currently only direct overseas flights.

ZIPAIR’s continued commitment to San Jose comes at a time when the South Bay airport is attempting to increase the number of travelers it handles.

San Jose International Airport, like other airports in the Bay Area and nationwide, is attempting to restore its passenger trip activity to the levels the airport experienced before the outbreak of the coronavirus and the resulting government-mandated business shutdowns.

During the one-year period that ended in June, San Jose International Airport handled 11.94 million passengers, which was 23.7% below the record 15.65 million passengers the airport accommodated in 2019, the final year before the onset of the coronavirus.

Nevertheless, San Jose Airport has experienced increases in passenger trips for the last four months in a row and handled more than 1 million passengers in both May and June.