The Orlando International Airport (MCO) has announced a major milestone for not only Florida as a whole, but for Disney fans as well! The first-ever nonstop passenger flight between Tokyo and Orlando landed yesterday, bringing some 280 passengers along for the historic connection between the major tourism cities. Here’s the announcement and photos of their arrival.
First-Ever Nonstop Passenger Flight Between Orlando and Tokyo
Marking a first for Orlando International Airport (MCO), a nonstop passenger flight from Tokyo touched down at 1:35 p.m. on February 23rd to cheers and applause – celebrating ZIPAIR’s inaugural passenger charter service between Tokyo’s Narita International Airport (NRT) and MCO. It is the first nonstop passenger charter service between Florida and the Asia Pacific.
The flight time was right around 12 hours and 30 minutes.
ZIPAIR passengers were greeted by a water salute on the runway, and live music and refreshments in Terminal C.
The announcement about ZIPAIR’s charter service was made in October at a press conference in Tokyo. Both MCO and ZIPAIR leadership anticipate that the charter service will lay a foundation for additional flights between the two destinations.
As Florida’s busiest airport, the 9th busiest airport in the U.S., and the world’s 25th busiest, MCO could be on the brink to welcome even more international visitors in 2026.
During the past few years, international traffic at MCO has grown – resulting in approximately 1.4 million more international visitors in 2025 than in 2023.
Today’s nonstop flight is attractive to business and leisure passengers who desire a direct connection between the Orlando and Tokyo regions. The first charter service route has four roundtrip flights operating today, February 28, March 5, and March 10. All flights will depart Narita International Airport during the afternoon and arrive in Orlando in the afternoon; flights departing Orlando during the afternoon will arrive in Tokyo in the evening.
Walt Disney World even had a presence at the milestone, with Cast Members, Mickey Mouse balloons, and a celebratory backdrop.
“This arrival marks a special partnership with ZIPAIR and a special moment in Orlando International’s history,” said Lance Lyttle, CEO of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, which manages Orlando International and Orlando Executive airports. “Orlando and Tokyo are two of the world’s most visited destinations. I am hopeful that this connection will help to enrich cultural ties and create more opportunities for robust economic activity.”
“Today’s arrival of ZIPAIR’s Flight 714 is the culmination of promoting Orlando as a viable route for the past 30 years,” said Vicki Jaramillo, Chief Commercial Officer for GOAA. “This work could not have been done without the incredible Air Service Development team and partners such as Mickeynet, Visit Orlando, Experience Kissimmee and others who remained steadfast in recruiting an airline to service the Asia Pacific.”
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!
