At 13- to 18-hours long, nonstop trans-Pacific flights easily qualify among the most grueling in the world.

But a surge in travelers between the United States and Asia is spurring airlines toward a new era of time-saving convenience and money-saving competition.

One big change: A trip to Asia no longer requires changing planes in Los Angeles, San Francisco or Honolulu, and possibly again at Tokyo Narita. Increasingly common nonstop flights between other U.S. cities and other cities in Asia are giving travelers more options in airlines, schedules and fares than ever before.

Frequent flier Larry Hotaling, a factory consultant from Florida who travels widely in Asia, says nonstop flights between the United States and new Asian destinations have made his life easier.

"I used to fly through Narita. Now I go direct from Chicago to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong," he says. "You save time, and your body doesn't take such a beating."

Tokyo remains by far the top destination for U.S.-Asia travel — 39 percent of the seats on nonstop U.S.-to-Asia flights are devoted to this market. But it, too, has taken a beating the past five years amid worries about terrorism, financial problems at Japan's flagship carrier, Japan Airlines, and the high cost of jet fuel.

Seats for sale on nonstop flights to Narita fell 14 percent the past five years, but they increased between the United States and countries such as China, South Korea, India and Pakistan, a USA Today analysis of flight schedules shows. Back Aviation Solutions supplied the data.

As global giants such as Wal-Mart, Hewlett-Packard and IBM have increased their business ties in Asia, airlines on both sides of the Pacific have scrambled to add nonstop service between fast-growing Asian destinations and U.S. airports. Today, airlines fly six nonstop flights a day to Beijing from U.S. cities, four to Shanghai and two to Delhi, India.

United Airlines alone has increased its U.S.-Asia seat capacity by 2 percent the past five years. It added two flights a day to its U.S.-Asia schedule the past five years, for 19 total.

Graham Atkinson, a senior United executive, credits United's Asia push to "relentless economic growth" in China and the lifting of some government-imposed restrictions on international airline competition. After United increased its seat capacity to Beijing and Shanghai, it is now in a virtual tie with Northwest Airlines for U.S. airline leadership in nonstop capacity to Asia. Northwest has cut capacity there since 2001.

Travelers on the East Coast have gained more options. Eight of the 16 Asia routes launched since June 2001 depart from Newark, N.J., or New York John F. Kennedy airport, USA Today's analysis shows. Since last year, Continental Airlines has begun service from Newark to both Delhi and Beijing.

As airlines expand their reach in Asia, travelers are finding more competition on certain routes. In 2005, South Korea-based Asiana Airlines joined South Korea's No. 1 airline Korean Air to fly Chicago-Seoul and New York-Seoul. Two years ago, United resumed daily service between San Francisco and Beijing, giving travelers an alternative to Air China's flights.

Since American Airlines began flying Chicago-Shanghai in April against United Airlines, consultant Doreen Huro Michelini is saving money and time.

When United was her only choice, Michelini avoided buying its $1,800 round-trip coach ticket to Shanghai. Instead, she flew to Hong Kong, for about $700 round trip, then transferred to a Chinese airline to get to Shanghai. The switch added a day to her trip but saved her hundreds of dollars.

She says United recently sold her a round-trip Shanghai ticket for just $856. She credits American's entry for the price drop.