Air travelers going to Japan get a choice of flying into one of two major airports in the country: Tokyo Narita (NRT) and Tokyo Haneda (HND). Both airports cater to international and domestic traffic and are some of the busiest airports in the region. The HND airport is the older one located in the Tokyo Metropolitan area, about 23 kilometers south of Tokyo city.

NRT is approximately 75 kilometers east of Tokyo, making the journey into the city longer and relatively more expensive (using public transport). Tokyo NRT offers more international flights, including those from North America and Europe, while HND provides travelers with a more extensive domestic network.

Simple Flying compares the two airports in terms of their flight networks, facilities, times, and accessibility to the city and other destinations in Japan. The purpose is to give travelers a good understanding of which airport suits their travel best to and from Japan.

Tokyo Narita Airport

As mentioned above, Narita International Airport (NRT) is situated about 75 km east of Tokyo. The Japanese government calls it the "major international airport in Japan" - it is the country's busiest international gateway but the second-busiest airport overall behind Haneda.

Inside Tokyo Narita Airport’s terminal.
Photo: Rick Siu | Shutterstock

The airport handled over 15 million passengers in 2022, but Japan's stringent international COVID restrictions significantly hindered its capacity. In 2019, Narita exceeded 44 million passengers and had been growing consistently over the decade before the pandemic hit. Most passengers at Narita are, of course, international. Capacity at the airport could grow considerably if its expansion plans go ahead. Narita wants to build a third runway, boosting its slot capacity by over 50%.

Tokyo Haneda Airport

Haneda Airport (HND), on the other hand, is located just beside the sprawling metropolis in an area called Ota City. The airport has long been the busiest in Japan and was once the country's main international airport before 1978, when Narita was built.

Inside Tokyo Haneda Airport’s terminal building.
Photo: Pimonmartj | Shutterstock

While Haneda offers numerous international destinations, 60% of passengers use the airport for domestic travel, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Thus, it is undoubtedly an essential hub for domestic air transportation in Japan. The airport recently broke ground on its Haneda Airport Access Line project, which will construct a new railway connection with Tokyo. Slated for completion in 2031, it would take passengers just 18 minutes to reach central Tokyo.

Destinations

To put it simply - Narita offers more international flights, while Haneda offers more domestic connections across Japan. However, both airports handle international and domestic operations, and before the COVID-19 pandemic, many airlines switched to Haneda to provide international services.

A map of destinations served out of Tokyo Narita Airport.
Photo: Narita International Airport

Narita currently boasts around 120 destinations across 35 countries, which includes 19 domestic destinations and just over 100 international. As for its US connections, the airport has direct flights from an impressive 20 airports, including New York (JFK), Los Angeles (LAX), and Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW).

Haneda Airport offers just over 100 destinations - of which around half are domestic - though its international connections are growing. The airport is enjoying a significant boost to its long-haul capacity since Japan re-opened to the world, welcoming several new routes over the past year. Its new Terminal 2 also re-opened this summer, one more reason why travelers might consider HND as their Tokyo airport of choice.

Japan's two full-service legacy carriers, All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines, fly to both airports. Many large airlines serve both airports, and there is a diverse range of options regarding carriers and their destinations.

Accessibility

Accessibility is one of the most significant factors for travelers. For most passengers looking to visit Tokyo, Haneda is a clear winner in this department. Narita is located considerably further from Tokyo, while Haneda (23 km away) is part of Tokyo's metropolitan area (even if it is technically considered a different city). A budget traveler can take a regular Tokyo Metro service to Haneda Airport, whereas accessing Narita requires a more expensive train ticket.

A photo of the Haneda Airport monorail.
Photo: Leonid Andronov | Shutterstock

When conducting a random GoogleMaps test from the Tokyo Central Post Office, you can get to Haneda in the middle of the day in 29–35 minutes. With Narita, that time would be over an hour. The train from Narita will also be more expensive - Japlanease states that a ticket from Narita to central Tokyo will cost around $45 for a return, while Haneda will cost just $7.

Be mindful of your flight arrival and departure schedule, as public transport times differ between the two airports. Trains to/from Narita clock off earlier than Haneda at around 21:45 and also start running a bit later in the morning at 06:00. Conversely, you can catch the monorail from Haneda as late as 23:45, and the service to the airport begins at around 05:20.

Other factors

If you like aerial photography and want to get some good photos out of the airplane window, Haneda is also the way to go! When departing the airport for a southern destination, sit on the plane's right side for an up-close view of Mount Fuji. If you're landing, of course, sit on the left side. Depending on your flight's approach and where you're sitting in the plane, you can also get some great shots of Tokyo and its harbor.

Just outside the JAL First Class Sakura lounge at Narita Airport.
Photo: EQRoy | Shutterstock

Regarding airport lounges, LoungeBuddy states there are a total of 28 lounges at Haneda Airport, including several by oneworld member Japan Airlines and Star Alliance's ANA, as well as a brand-new Delta Sky Club. As for Narita, there are around 20 lounges, including a United Club and Korean Air KAL Lounge.

Lastly, Narita has some strict curfew hours overnight, as flights can only occur between 06:00 and 23:00 local time. On the other hand, Haneda does not have any curfew hour restrictions. However, most of its shops will close between 00:00 and 06:00. Therefore, travelers may have a little more variety and selection when it comes to departure and arrival times.

Conclusion

With Japan having the fantastic infrastructure that it does, both airports offer solid travel experiences. Most US-based travelers would pick Narita for its access to destinations stateside. However, Haneda has the edge regarding its location and proximity to the city. At the same time, it is also ideal for inbound travelers exploring other areas of Japan due to its more comprehensive domestic network.

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Finally, in any case, it is best to avoid flying into one airport and catching a connecting flight at the other. Transferring between the two airports will usually take around 90 minutes (more depending on traffic). However, it's not necessarily bad if you have plenty of time to spare between connections.

What about you? Which airport would you choose to fly to/from when visiting Tokyo? Let us know by leaving a comment.

Source: Japlanease, LoungeBuddy

  • Tokyo Olympics flight paths
    Tokyo Haneda Airport
    IATA/ICAO Code:
    HND/RJTT
    Country:
    Japan
    CEO:
    Isao Takashiro
    Passenger Count :
    442,573 (2020)
    Runways :
    16R/34L - 3,000m (9,843ft) | 16L/34R - 3,360m (11,024ft) | 04/22 - 2,500m (8,202ft) | 05/23 - 2,500m (8,202ft)
    Terminals:
    Terminal 1 | Terminal 2 | Terminal 3
  • ANA JAL aircraft Getty
    Tokyo Narita Airport
    IATA/ICAO Code:
    NRT/RJAA
    Country:
    Japan
    CEO:
    Akihiko Tamura
    Passenger Count :
    5,244,194 (2021)
    Runways :
    16L/34R - 4,000m (13,123ft) | 16R/34L - 2,500m (8,202ft)
    Terminals:
    Terminal 1 | Terminal 2 | Terminal 3