NYC and Tokyo: Two Distinct Use Cases for the 767

Overview

Across the industry, airlines are phasing out 767s and replacing them with newer aircraft, such as the Boeing 787 or Airbus A321XLR. With no middle-of-market (MoM) replacement available, the remaining 767 airframes are used for a wide range of services in the markets they serve. The vast majority of remaining commercial 767s are operated by four airlines: Delta Air Lines (61), United Airlines (53), Japan Airlines (27), and All Nippon Airways (15) — including Air Do (4) — total (19). No other airlines have more than 10 in passenger service. (source)

Looking at where these airlines deploy the aircraft, it’s interesting that the vast majority of flights operate from the NYC and Tokyo areas. Although they might be the same aircraft, their use differs significantly.

Flight Comparison

Examining the number of departures scheduled on each airline’s website for August 1st, 2025, Tokyo is the clear leader with 91 departures (86 from Haneda (HND) and 5 from Narita (NRT)), compared to NYC’s 62 (39 from John F. Kennedy (JFK) and 23 from Newark (EWR)). For reference, other top 767 markets include LAX (14), CTS (14), LHR (13), ATL (12), and IAD (11).

It’s worth noting that the Japanese carriers exclusively operate the 767-300ER, while the carriers in NYC operate both the -300ER and -400ER variants. Eight of the departures from both JFK and EWR are operated by -400ERs, while the rest are -300ERs. Additionally, all but one 767 flight to the Tokyo area are flown by JAL, ANA, or Air Do (a low-cost carrier owned by ANA), with a single Delta flight from HND-HNL. Meanwhile, NYC sees 767s from Delta, United, LATAM, and IcelandAir, all of which are included in the analysis.

Below are the routes with 767 service on August 1, 2025, from the NYC and Tokyo areas

Seat Comparison

Diving deeper, Tokyo has a total of 23,324 seats scheduled, while NYC only has 13,080 — a significant difference, with Tokyo offering 78% more seats. Of these seats, Tokyo offers 11% business, <1% premium economy, and 89% economy. In contrast, NYC departures are composed of 16% business, 8% premium economy, and 76% economy. It’s worth noting that the majority of business-class seats departing New York are lie-flat, while Tokyo features more traditional domestic business recliner-style seats, making the comparison not exactly 1-to-1. (See chart for top departing 767 seats airports)

The average flight from Tokyo has 256 seats, while NYC averages only 211. Given that NYC sees the larger -400ER variant, while Tokyo does not, if we compare only the -300ERs, NYC averages just 203 seats. This is an astonishingly low number of seats for a widebody, especially considering that the "big three" American carriers pack 194–200 seats into their domestic A321NEOs. One major factor driving this lower average is United’s “high-J” 767s, which have only 167 seats, with 46 in Polaris (business class), 22 in Premium Plus (premium economy), 43 in Economy Plus, and 56 in Economy.

ASMs Comparison

Tokyo leads significantly in departures and seats, but when the analysis is adjusted for available seat miles (ASMs), the narrative shifts. The average flight from NYC covers 2,924 nautical miles (nm), compared to just 627 nm from Tokyo. ASMs are calculated by multiplying the distance each seat flies and aggregating, which means the 4.7x longer average distance from NYC airports drives the total higher than Tokyo's, despite having fewer seats per plane. NYC emerges on top for total ASMs, with 28.1 million compared to Tokyo's 13.7 million — a difference of 105%.

Conclusion

What does this all mean? Tokyo and NYC are undoubtedly the last major 767 markets in the world, but they serve entirely different use cases. Japanese carriers use the 767 on high-density, short-haul routes, while American carriers deploy the aircraft on longer, often premium, international routes. While this may not be the most groundbreaking conclusion, it’s interesting to see how the 767 continues to demonstrate its versatility — filling gaps that many airlines currently have in their fleets. The majority of passengers in NYC and Tokyo will never know, or frankly care, that they are flying on the last two largest remaining concentrations of 767s in the world. But it’s fascinating how these two cities continue to hold on to a plane beloved by many.

If you have any questions or would like to see the data behind this analysis, please reach out through our Contact tab.