Saipan will welcome six direct charter flights from Tokyo in late March as low-cost carrier Skymark Airlines makes its debut in the Northern Marianas.
Skymark Airlines Boeing 737-800 Photo: Wikimedia Commons
The Japanese airline will fly from Tokyo's Narita airport with daily services from 22-27 March.
The carrier will use 177 seat Boeing 737-800 aircraft.
The Marianas Visitors Authority described Skymark's entry to the territory as "exciting" for the Commonwealth as it will start an increase in tourist arrivals from Japan.
The authority's managing director, Christopher Concepcion, disclosed that the airline would also launch additional flights in April and May for Japanese Golden Week.
The Managing Director of the Marianas Visitors Authority Photo: Saipan Chamber of Commerce
A co-promotional agreement signed by the Northern Marianas government and Skymark last year paved the way for re-opening direct flights between Japan and Saipan.
Beyond the charter flights, the airline plans to launch scheduled daily flights from Tokyo to Saipan this northern summer, Mr Concepcion said.
Skymark is expected to help the islands rebound from a slump in tourist numbers following last year's onslaught of destructive storms Typhoon Mangkhut and Super Typhoon Yutu.
