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Japan Airlines Expands Freighter Network With Charter Partners to Serve Tech Supply Chain

Japan Airlines has significantly expanded its international cargo operations by engaging three carriers to operate Boeing 747 freighters on long-term charter agreements: Atlas Air, Kalitta Air, and Cargolux. The move follows the carrier's return to cargo flying in February 2024 after a 13-year absence, when it began operating three converted 767-300 freighters on intra-Asia routes. Kalitta Air now operates six weekly 747-400 flights between Tokyo Narita and Chicago, replacing Western Global Airlines. Cargolux provides twice-weekly 747-400 service to Luxembourg. Atlas Air operates twice-weekly flights to Los Angeles and also supports a dedicated logistics network for Nippon Express Group. That circular service connects Los Angeles, Narita, Taipei, and Singapore weekly, addressing acute capacity shortages for semiconductor equipment and server shipments across Asia. JAL's 2035 strategy emphasizes large freighters to capture growing demand on transpacific and Europe-Asia routes.