Japan Airlines (JAL)’s Guam route celebrates its 55th anniversary this year. As the 50th anniversary in 2020 fell right in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, JAL is now actively promoting this 55th anniversary with major campaigns.
JAL launched its Guam service in 1970, the year Osaka hosted Expo ’70, the first World Expo held in Asia. The Tokyo/Haneda–Guam route, opened on October 1, initially operated three round trips per week with DC-8 aircraft. Following the opening of Narita Airport on May 22, 1978, the service was transferred to Tokyo/Narita, and there was a period when large aircraft such as the Boeing 747-400 and 777 were deployed, and routes from Osaka and Nagoya were also operated.
Today, the Tokyo/Narita–Guam route operates one round trip daily. The aircraft is a Boeing 767-300ER with a total of 199 seats: 24 in Business Class and 175 in Economy Class. Outbound flight JL941 departs Tokyo/Narita at 10:10 a.m. and arrives in Guam at 2:35 p.m. The return flight JL942 departs Guam at 4:35 p.m. and arrives in Tokyo/Narita at 7:25 p.m. While offering the convenience of a morning departure, it is not so early that travelers from central Tokyo feel rushed getting to the airport. Even with a short 1–2 night itinerary, the schedule allows ample time at the destination.
▲Boeing 767-300ER operated by JAL on the Tokyo/Narita–Guam route
In addition to JAL, United Airlines also operates routes connecting Tokyo and Guam, with up to three round trips per day on the Tokyo/Narita route and one round trip daily on the Tokyo/Haneda route.
An American resort just about 3.5 hours away
The flight time to Guam is about 3.5 hours. By the time you have finished your in-flight meal and enjoyed a coffee or tea while watching a movie, the islands of the Mariana Islands, to which Guam belongs, will come into view below. The time difference between Japan and Guam is just one hour (Guam is one hour ahead), keeping physical strain to a minimum and making Guam a very comfortable destination for senior travelers and families with children.
▲Example of an Economy Class in-flight meal from Tokyo/Narita
Enjoy Guam with great value through the 55th anniversary campaign
As part of the 55th anniversary promotion, a commemorative campaign is being rolled out for users of the Tokyo/Narita–Guam route. If you book your ticket (one-way is also eligible) via the official JAL website and register during the campaign period through a dedicated form, you can receive various benefits on-site in Guam.
▲Pacific Islands Club Guam (PIC Guam), one of the participating campaign facilities
Located in the Tumon district, Guam’s premier entertainment and shopping area, Pacific Islands Club Guam (PIC Guam) is a resort hotel with 777 rooms, operated by Ken Hotel & Resort Holdings of the Japanese Ken Corporation Group. This hotel is also one of the participating properties in the campaign.
Positioning itself as a “theme park resort,” the hotel offers a wealth of family-friendly activity facilities, including a water park said to be about twice the size of the Tokyo Dome. Guests can enjoy a wide variety of activities such as a pool where you can swim with tropical fish, water slides, windsurfing, kayak tours, basketball, tennis, and archery. All activities are available free of charge to all staying guests.
From October 1, the hotel also launched the “Pirates of the Pacific” dinner show, where guests can enjoy a buffet featuring creative Chamorro cuisine along with an action-and-adventure story set on the island of Guam. This show is a paid option, but the powerful performances taking place right in front of the audience are well worth seeing.
▲THE TSUBAKI TOWER, one of the participating campaign facilities
In addition to PIC Guam, Ken Hotel & Resort HD operates five other hotels on Guam: THE TSUBAKI TOWER, Hotel Nikko Guam, Hilton Guam Resort & Spa, Hyatt Regency Guam, and RIHGA Royal Laguna Guam Resort. All of these properties are included as participating facilities in JAL’s campaign.
▲Casa Oceano, the all-day dining restaurant inside THE TSUBAKI TOWER
The appealing aspect of this campaign is that if you stay on an eligible plan at any one of these hotels, you can enjoy breakfast at any hotel of your choice among the six participating properties. Since each hotel offers a distinctive breakfast, if you are staying for several days, you may want to try a different hotel’s breakfast each morning.
▲Breakfast buffet at Casa Oceano
One recommended option is THE TSUBAKI TOWER, a luxury hotel that promotes itself as offering the highest standard of accommodation on Guam. At Casa Oceano, the all-day dining restaurant themed around Guam’s undersea world, you can enjoy a wide variety of dishes in buffet style. Japanese items such as natto, ramen, and miso soup are also well represented.
▲In addition, Spa Ayualam inside Hotel Nikko Guam offers a special body treatment course for the campaign, and guests booking 60 minutes or more receive original Guam-made bath salts.
Shopping deals through the campaign
DON DON DONKI, which bills itself as “one of the world’s largest Donki stores,” is a hot shopping spot that is also popular with local residents. Its massive 11,094-square-meter sales floor carries everything from food and daily goods from Japan and the U.S. mainland to Guam souvenirs and local-style prepared foods and bento. Located close to Guam Airport, it is ideal for last-minute shopping before returning home. Approximately 25% of shoppers are from South Korea and around 17% are from Japan.
The store officially opened in April 2024, but was already renovated in March of the same year. Responding to customer demand, it significantly increased its selection of products from the U.S. mainland and made major changes to interior decorations and floor layout. (For more information, see the opening report here.)
Shuttle buses serving major hotels in the Tumon district run to DON DON DONKI from around 10:00 a.m. to around 9:00 p.m. Currently, these are free as part of a commemorative campaign, and due to strong popularity, they are expected to remain free-going forward. A paid shuttle service to the airport is also available. In addition, there are free direct shuttle buses from PIC Guam and other services, so access is convenient even without a car.
Under JAL’s campaign, in-store purchases of 80 U.S. dollars or more receive a 10% discount (up to a maximum discount of 30 dollars), and customers who spend 80 dollars or more receive an original eco bag as a gift. The airport shuttle, normally 5 U.S. dollars, is also free.
Beyond that, the campaign offers a variety of perks, such as 10% off rides booked via the Stroll taxi-hailing app and up to six hours of free extension fees on bookings of at least one day with Hertz Rent-A-Car. According to JAL representatives, the proportion of “active seniors” — energetic older travelers — on the Guam route has been increasing since the COVID-19 pandemic. This campaign primarily targets active travelers in their 50s and older, as well as family segments, promoting the message that they can “enjoy a luxurious Guam trip easily and cost-effectively.” The campaign runs until September 30, 2026 (with entry open until September 25, 2026), so anyone considering a trip from Japan to Guam should keep an eye on these offers. (Coverage cooperation: JAL)
▲JAL SKY SUITE II Business Class on the Boeing 767-300ER
▲Example of a Western-style Business Class in-flight meal from Tokyo/Narita
▲Example of a Japanese-style Business Class in-flight meal from Tokyo/Narita
▲LSG Sagan Bisita Lounge, the common-use lounge at Guam Airport
▲Within the LSG Sagan Bisita Lounge, a section is designated as a JAL-exclusive area, available to Business Class passengers, JAL Global Club members, and others.
Notice
This article was generated using automatic translation by GPT-4 API. The translation may not be accurate.
