MGM Resorts jet lands in Japan amid Osaka casino resort progress

MGM Resorts dispatched one of its Embraer Legacy 500s, tail number N783MM, from Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport in Alaska to Ibaraki Airport in Japan on May 11, 2026. The seven-hour flight, reaching a maximum altitude of 36,000 feet and speeds up to 472 knots, touched down early on May 12, marking a rare trans-Pacific hop for the Las Vegas-based operator of iconic Strip properties like Bellagio and MGM Grand.

The timing aligns with fresh momentum in MGM Resorts' ambitious push into Japan, where it is developing the country's first casino resort on Osaka's Yumeshima Island. As reported by Seeking Alpha on April 30, 2026, the company plans to allocate $200 million to $225 million toward the project this year, positioning MGM Osaka as Japan's sole legal gaming destination until at least 2030. Ibaraki, just northeast of Tokyo, serves as a convenient entry point for meetings with partners like Orix Corporation, headquartered in the capital.

This venture abroad follows a pattern of domestic shuttles, including trips between Las Vegas and Los Angeles on May 8, likely ferrying executives or high-rollers along the West Coast corridor. With CEO Bill Hornbuckle steering the fleet toward global expansion, such flights underscore ' calculated bets beyond Nevada's neon glow.