ANA Chiikawa Jet: first flight, routes and how to find it

ANA plans to put its Chiikawa Jet into scheduled domestic service on October 19, 2026. The inaugural flights are ANA 661 from Tokyo Haneda to Nagasaki at 8:15 a.m. and ANA 664 from Nagasaki to Haneda at 11:00 a.m.

Those are the only flights ANA has tied to the aircraft in advance. After the opening round trip, the Boeing 767-300—registration JA609A—can rotate among a broad set of domestic routes. ANA says the assignment will not be confirmed until departure day.

*Original AI-generated OpenSim editorial illustration. The generic aircraft does not show ANA's Chiikawa Jet, its protected character artwork, its real livery or a specific airport view.*

The practical answer: the October 19 Haneda-Nagasaki flights are the announced debut. For any later date, book the journey that works even with a standard aircraft, then check for JA609A on departure day. A route on ANA's list is a possibility, not a guarantee.

This guide was reviewed on October 12, one week before the planned first service. It will be updated after independent evidence confirms that the inaugural flight operated.

What ANA has confirmed for October 19

ANA's official Chiikawa collaboration page gives the first-flight plan and aircraft identity.

The flight numbers and times are scheduled, not proof that the launch has already happened. Check ANA's reservation and flight-status pages before leaving for the airport. An operational change can still replace the aircraft or alter the flight.

Which routes may use the Chiikawa Jet?

Through October 24, ANA lists possible flights linking Haneda with Sapporo, Osaka Itami, Matsuyama, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Nagasaki and Okinawa Naha. The possible pool also includes Osaka Itami-Sapporo and Nagoya-Sapporo or Naha.

ANA's winter schedule begins on October 25 and widens that pool:

• From Haneda: Sapporo, Osaka Itami, Fukuoka, Naha, Matsuyama, Nagasaki, Hakodate, Yonago, Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Hiroshima, Ube, Kochi, Kagoshima and Ishigaki.
• From Osaka Itami: Sapporo and Naha.
• From Nagoya: Sapporo and Naha.
• From Fukuoka: Sapporo.

This is not a timetable for JA609A. ANA says the aircraft has no fixed route after the inaugural flights and can appear elsewhere during operational irregularities. The list helps narrow the search; it does not turn every flight between those airports into a Chiikawa Jet service.

How to check whether your flight uses JA609A

Start with the operating flight, not an illustration or a search result. A booking marketed by another airline can still be operated by ANA, while an ANA flight number can sometimes cover a partner-operated service. The itinerary should say who operates the segment.

For a later flight, use this sequence:

1. Confirm that ANA operates the domestic segment.
2. Review the reservation and seat map close to departure.
3. Look for a Boeing 767-300 and, where reliable operating information provides it, registration JA609A.
4. Check ANA's flight status and the airport display on the day.
5. Treat the aircraft at the gate as the final confirmation.

A 767 seat map is only a clue. ANA's domestic seat guidance warns that the aircraft and assigned seat can change, sometimes without advance notice. It also says a replacement seat may not preserve the same window-or-aisle choice.

Do not build an inflexible trip around the livery

Special-aircraft assignments attract enthusiasts, but normal operations still come first. Weather, maintenance, fleet positioning and schedule recovery can change the plane. A nonrefundable hotel, separate ticket or long ground transfer bought only to catch JA609A creates more risk than the aircraft assignment can support.

If the themed flight matters, choose a route and date you would take anyway, prefer flexible arrangements and leave room for a day-of-departure change. The October 19 inaugural pairing is more specific than the later route pool, but it is still a future operation until it departs.

What is special onboard?

ANA says the aircraft will have themed headrest covers in domestic Economy Class and limited-edition paper cups. The airline's August announcement says the cup and other in-flight items may change with the day's operating status.

Two boundaries are unusually clear:

• The headrest covers are for use onboard and cannot be taken home.
• ANA asks passengers not to request crew autographs or logbook messages for aviation-security reasons.

Collaboration merchandise is also planned, but ANA's English page still marks that section as coming soon. Do not assume that a ticket includes merchandise, that every item will be sold onboard or that stock will last for a particular flight.

Mobile data for a Japan domestic trip

A Japan eSIM can keep maps, rail information, hotel messages and the latest flight status available between Japanese airports. OpenSim's public catalog listed 43 Japan packages when checked on October 12; package availability and prices can change.

Choose by the actual itinerary and expected use. Review the selected card's allowance, validity, activation rule, supported networks, speed policy, hotspot terms and top-up status. Some packages can be topped up, but that should never be assumed for every plan.

Install on an unlocked, compatible phone while reliable Wi-Fi is available if the package instructions permit. Keep the usual SIM active when it is needed for airline, bank or hotel verification texts, while controlling its data-roaming setting. An eSIM supplies terrestrial mobile data after landing; it does not provide internet while the phone is in airplane mode onboard.

Ten questions about the ANA Chiikawa Jet

Has the Chiikawa Jet started flying?

Not yet as of this October 12 review. ANA has scheduled its first service for October 19. This page will not describe the aircraft as operating until the inaugural flight is independently confirmed.

What are the first Chiikawa Jet flights?

ANA plans to use flight 661 from Haneda to Nagasaki at 8:15 a.m., followed by flight 664 from Nagasaki to Haneda at 11:00 a.m. on October 19.

Which aircraft is the Chiikawa Jet?

It is a Boeing 767-300 with registration JA609A. The registration is the precise identifier when checking a later day-of-operation assignment.

Can I book a guaranteed Chiikawa Jet flight after October 19?

ANA has not published a guaranteed later flight. The aircraft will move among possible domestic routes, and ANA says the assignment is confirmed only on departure day.

Does every ANA 767-300 have the Chiikawa design?

No. The special aircraft is JA609A. An itinerary or seat map showing the same aircraft type does not by itself confirm the livery.

Could ANA swap the aircraft after I choose a seat?

Yes. ANA says aircraft changes can also alter an assigned seat, including whether it is by a window or aisle. Recheck the reservation after any equipment-change notice.

Are the possible routes the same after October 25?

No. The published winter pool is larger and includes additional Haneda destinations plus Fukuoka-Sapporo. Even then, no individual flight is promised in advance.

Can I take the themed headrest cover home?

No. ANA explicitly says the headrest covers are not available to take home.

Can the crew sign a flight logbook?

ANA asks passengers not to request autographs or messages in logbooks for aviation-security reasons. Respect that rule even if another crew or airline has signed one before.

Is collaboration merchandise included with the ticket?

No included merchandise is promised. ANA says collaboration goods are planned, but its English page has not yet published the sale details. The themed cup and headrest cover are cabin items, not ticketed take-home benefits.

Before booking for the aircraft

• Use the October 19 flights only as a plan until they operate.
• For later dates, pick a listed route that already suits the trip.
• Confirm the operating carrier on every segment.
• Check for JA609A on departure day.
• Recheck the seat after an aircraft change.
• Keep hotels, transfers and separate tickets workable without the special aircraft.
• Do not remove a headrest cover or request a crew logbook message.
• Save the itinerary and first ground-transport details offline.
• Check phone compatibility before buying mobile data.
• Install the eSIM before travel only when the selected plan's activation rule allows it.

We will update this page after the first flight is independently confirmed and whenever ANA materially changes the possible routes, assignment method, aircraft, onboard items or merchandise details. Those updates belong on this URL rather than on competing JA609A or route-specific pages.