United Airlines announced that it has filed an application with the US Department of Transportation (DOT) for daily nonstop flights between Houston’s Bush Intercontinental Airport and Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. If approved, United will become the first US carrier to fly nonstop service between Houston and Haneda. This new route, according to the announcement, will benefit the Houston region’s rapidly growing population, 240-plus Japanese-affiliated companies, as well as consumers living in communities across the south.

The flights, according to the announcement, will connect 64 communities across the south to Haneda and represent roughly 575,000 annual Tokyo bookings or 21% of all US mainland – Tokyo demand. While Houston has only one flight to Haneda (operated by a foreign carrier), New York/Newark has five, Los Angeles has seven, Chicago has three, and Washington, DC and Dallas/Fort Worth each have two.

Patrick Quayle, senior vice president, global network planning and alliances, said that between its steadily growing population and its booming energy and innovation sectors, the Houston area has transformed into a critical hub for both business and leisure travel.

According to the announcement, United has worked diligently to develop a Japanese network to promote competition and provide affordable and consistent service options for US travelers. The carrier’s Tokyo service currently spans all of the airline’s seven US hubs and includes multiple flights to each of Haneda and Narita airports.