Flights to Tokyo

Tokyo is served by two airports that don’t just differ in distance, they’re organised by carrier type. Haneda’s international wing (Terminal 3) handles the full-service network: ANA, JAL, United, Delta, British Airways, Singapore Airlines. Narita’s Terminal 3 is where every budget carrier flying to Tokyo lands, Zipair, Peach, Jetstar, Scoot, with no exceptions. Knowing that before you book changes how you compare a fare, not just where you land. Entry requirements and visa rules are covered in the Tokyo travel guide. See other Japan gateway airports for Osaka and Kyoto-routed flights via KIX.

Flight Duration to Tokyo

All times are approximate and vary by routing, aircraft type, and prevailing winds on the specific day. Where a route splits between airports, both are noted below.

• Seoul. 2h 30m (both NRT and HND)
• Taipei. 3h (both airports)
• Hong Kong. 4h 30m (both airports)
• Bangkok. 6h 30m (both airports; Zipair and Scoot route through NRT)
• Singapore. 7h (both airports)
• Kuala Lumpur. 7h 30m (AirAsia X routes through NRT)
• Perth. 8h (HND)
• Sydney / Melbourne. 9h 30m (direct JAL and Qantas services land at HND)
• Vancouver. 10h (direct Air Canada service lands at HND)
• Los Angeles. 11h 30m (direct JAL, ANA, and United services split between NRT and HND depending on carrier; Zipair’s budget service uses NRT)
• Chicago. 13h (direct United service lands at NRT)
• London. 12h 30m (direct JAL and British Airways services land at HND)
• Paris / Frankfurt. 12h to 13h (direct services split between NRT and HND by carrier)
• New York (JFK). 14h (direct ANA service lands at HND)

Airlines Flying to Tokyo

The cleanest way to think about Tokyo’s airline map isn’t full-service versus budget, it’s which terminal a given carrier actually uses, since that determines your ground transport, your connection options, and in some cases your fare tier.

Full-service carriers, mostly at Haneda Terminal 3:

• ANA (All Nippon Airways). Star Alliance. Long-haul international routes (LAX, JFK, London, Frankfurt) concentrate at Haneda. See the ANA fleet and route profile.
• Japan Airlines (JAL). oneworld. Splits between Haneda and Narita depending on route; long-haul US and Europe services lean Haneda, with some Asian routes still using Narita.
• United, Delta, American. US carriers concentrate their Tokyo services at Haneda’s international terminal, part of the 2020 shift that moved most long-haul international slots there from Narita.
• British Airways, Air France, Lufthansa, Finnair. European full-service carriers largely fly into Haneda, though some legacy Narita slots remain on certain routes; check your specific flight number rather than assuming.
• Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Korean Air. Asian full-service carriers operate into both airports depending on route and time of day; Narita still carries meaningful full-service traffic from Asian hubs even as Haneda’s share grows.

Budget carriers, all at Narita Terminal 3:

• Zipair. JAL’s budget long-haul arm. Bangkok, Seoul, Singapore, Honolulu, Los Angeles, San Francisco, all from Narita’s Terminal 3.
• Peach Aviation. ANA’s low-cost arm. Strongest within Japan and to Seoul, Taipei, Hong Kong, Bangkok, from Narita.
• Scoot. Singapore to Narita. Competitive on price from Southeast Asia.
• AirAsia X. Kuala Lumpur to Narita. Lowest base fares on that corridor.
• Jetstar Japan. Domestic network plus select Asian routes, all from Narita.

The practical upshot: if a budget fare and a full-service fare land at different airports, you’re not just choosing a price point, you’re choosing a transfer time that can differ by 30 to 45 minutes each way. Factor that into the comparison, not just the ticket price.

A rough decision framework: if a Haneda fare and a Narita fare are close in price, take Haneda, the shorter transfer and lower taxi cost usually outweigh a small saving. If Narita is meaningfully cheaper, or the only carrier serving your route flies from Terminal 3, the calculus shifts, especially if you’re holding a Japan Rail Pass, since the free Narita Express partly offsets the longer transfer. Neither airport is objectively better across the board; the right one depends on your fare, your rail pass status, and whether Tokyo Disney or central Tokyo comes first on your itinerary.

Baggage Allowances on Flights to Tokyo

Baggage policy is set by the airline, not the arrival airport, so it doesn’t change based on whether you land at Narita or Haneda. Full-service carriers (ANA, JAL, United, Delta, British Airways, Singapore Airlines) include 23kg checked baggage in standard economy on international routes. Budget carriers strip it from the base fare: Zipair and AirAsia X give 7kg carry-on only, with checked bags added in 20 to 30kg increments from around ¥2,000 to ¥4,000 (~USD 13 to 27) per segment; Scoot’s carry-on allowance is 10kg, with checked baggage from SGD 18 to 50 depending on weight and how early you add it; Peach follows a similar 7kg carry-on structure with checked bags priced by weight tier rather than a flat per-bag fee. Pre-purchase at booking on every budget carrier, airport add-ons run meaningfully higher across the board.

The practical check: on a return trip with a 20kg bag, add the checked-baggage fee to the headline fare before comparing a Zipair or Peach ticket against a full-service one. On longer routes from Southeast Asia or Australia, the gap narrows considerably once luggage is priced in, and a full-service fare landing at Haneda can end up cheaper all-in than it first appeared.

When Flights to Tokyo Are Cheapest

• Cheapest: January to February and September to October. Winter is the lowest-demand window; September and October sit between summer heat and autumn foliage. Fares can run 40 to 60% below cherry blossom season on the same routes.
• Cherry blossom: late March to early April. Tokyo’s parks, Ueno and the Meguro River especially, peak a few days ahead of Kyoto, and fares from Southeast Asia, Australia, and the US can double versus January. Book 5 to 6 months ahead from the US or Europe.
• Golden Week: late April to early May. Japan’s biggest domestic travel cluster overlaps with inbound demand, driving fares and hotel rates up across the board simultaneously.
• Sanja Matsuri: mid-May. Tokyo-specific, not a nationwide event. Asakusa’s biggest festival draws around two million people over three days and pushes both flights and Asakusa accommodation up for that window specifically.
• Tokyo Marathon: early March. A smaller but real spike. Central Tokyo hotels and flights around race weekend fill faster than the surrounding weeks would suggest.
• Autumn illuminations and foliage: November. Rikugien Garden and the Meiji Jingu Gaien ginkgo avenue draw crowds without cherry blossom’s advance-booking pressure, a genuinely good value window if you want the seasonal change without the peak-season fare.

How Far in Advance to Book Flights to Tokyo

• SE Asia routes (Singapore, KL, Bangkok, Seoul, Hong Kong). 6 to 10 weeks for a competitive fare. For cherry blossom or Sanja Matsuri, book 3 to 5 months ahead, both flights and Asakusa hotels sell out on the same calendar.
• Australia (Sydney, Melbourne). 2 to 3 months for a reasonable fare. Direct JAL and Qantas services on the Sydney to Haneda route fill quickly in peak season.
• US (West Coast direct, East Coast via connection). 3 to 4 months. Book cherry blossom season 5 to 6 months ahead if travelling from the US.
• Europe (London, Paris, Frankfurt). 3 to 4 months for a competitive long-haul fare. Zipair’s Narita-based budget long-haul is worth checking even here if you’re flexible on which airport you land at.
• Peak-window override, regardless of origin. Cherry blossom, Golden Week, and Sanja Matsuri all compress booking windows across every region. If your dates overlap any of the three, add at least a month to the regional guidance above, popular flight dates and Asakusa or Ueno-area hotels sell out together on the same calendar.

Flying to Tokyo from the US or Europe

• From the US West Coast. Los Angeles has the most direct service: United, ANA, JAL, and Delta all operate nonstop, with most of that traffic now landing at Haneda rather than Narita following the 2020 shift of long-haul international slots. Flight time runs around 11 to 12 hours westbound. Zipair operates nonstop from LAX and SFO into Narita, with fares meaningfully below the full-service options, checked baggage and meals are add-ons, but worth comparing if you’re packing light.
• From the US East Coast. ANA’s direct JFK to Haneda service (around 14 hours westbound) is the only true nonstop from the East Coast. Otherwise, connecting through Los Angeles or Seattle on a West Coast to Tokyo service, or routing through Seoul Incheon on Korean Air, both work; Seoul is frequently competitive from New York, Boston, and Washington and adds around 2 to 3 hours total.
• From Europe. JAL and British Airways both fly London Heathrow direct, landing at Haneda. Air France (Paris), Lufthansa (Frankfurt), and Finnair (Helsinki, via a polar routing that’s among the shorter Europe to Tokyo elapsed times) operate direct services that split between the two airports depending on the specific flight. Check your flight number rather than assuming Haneda by default, legacy Narita slots persist on some European routes.

Connecting Through Hub Cities to Tokyo

If a direct flight doesn’t operate from your city, three hubs handle most connections, all routing primarily into Narita for onward full-service connections, with Haneda increasingly an option on Korean Air and Singapore Airlines codeshares:

• Seoul Incheon (ICN). Korean Air and Asiana’s hub. The ICN to Tokyo legs run around 2h 30m and are very frequent, a reliable fallback when direct fares are high.
• Singapore Changi (SIN). Singapore Airlines and Scoot both connect through here. Scoot’s onward leg lands at Narita; Singapore Airlines splits between both Tokyo airports by route.
• Hong Kong (HKG). Cathay Pacific’s hub, with strong frequency to both Narita and Haneda depending on time of day.

Whichever hub you connect through, check both legs of the itinerary for which Tokyo airport they land at before booking. A connection that looks efficient on paper can still land you at Narita when your accommodation and onward plans assume Haneda, adding 30 to 45 minutes to the first leg of your trip that a same-airport routing would have avoided.

Arriving at Narita or Haneda: Getting Out of the Airport

Narita (NRT). Three terminals: Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 handle most full-service Asian carriers and the remaining legacy long-haul slots that haven’t shifted to Haneda; Terminal 3, a separate, more basic building connected by a covered walkway, is where every budget carrier operates, Zipair, Peach, Jetstar, and Scoot all included. If you’re on a budget fare, expect Terminal 3’s simpler facilities and confirm which terminal your connecting flight uses if you’re changing carriers mid-trip. Narita sits 60 to 75 minutes from central Tokyo. The Narita Express (N’EX) runs direct to Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Tokyo Station for around ¥3,070 (~USD 20); Japan Rail Pass holders ride it free, worth activating your pass at the airport if your itinerary includes onward Shinkansen travel. If Tokyo Disney Resort is your first stop rather than central Tokyo, Narita is the more convenient airport regardless of carrier, a direct bus and train combination reaches Maihama Station faster than routing through central Tokyo first.

Haneda (HND). Three terminals: Terminal 1 (ANA domestic), Terminal 2 (JAL domestic), and Terminal 3, which handles every international arrival, full-service and budget alike. Haneda sits 30 to 40 minutes from central Tokyo. The Keikyu Line reaches Shinagawa in around 13 minutes for onward JR and Metro connections; the Tokyo Monorail reaches Hamamatsucho in around 23 minutes. Both cost a fraction of the Narita Express and don’t require a reserved seat. For late arrivals or heavy luggage, a taxi into central Tokyo runs around ¥6,000 to ¥10,000 (~USD 40 to 65), a genuinely viable option from Haneda in a way it isn’t from Narita, where the same trip runs ¥20,000 to ¥30,000 (~USD 130 to 200) or more.

If your itinerary has you flying domestically within Japan after landing internationally at Haneda, note that Terminal 3 isn’t connected airside to Terminals 1 and 2. Domestic ANA departures leave from Terminal 1 and domestic JAL from Terminal 2, so a same-day domestic connection means clearing immigration, collecting bags, and taking a short shuttle or walkway to the correct domestic terminal before checking in again. Build at least 90 minutes for that transfer rather than assuming a quick walk between gates.

Transiting Through Tokyo

Both airports offer airside transit for connections under 5 hours, provided you stay within the sterile zone and don’t need to clear immigration. The one complication worth planning around: if either leg of a connection is a budget carrier operating from Narita’s Terminal 3, and the other leg is a full-service flight from Terminal 1 or 2, note that a terminal change is involved when booking, even though it’s within the same airport, and build extra time into a tight connection rather than trusting the booking system’s minimum connect time by default.

For a long layover of 6 hours or more at Haneda, central Tokyo is genuinely reachable and worth attempting given the 30 to 40 minute transfer each way. At Narita, the 60 to 75 minute transfer each way eats more of the window; Narita city itself, 15 to 20 minutes out by local train, has a handful of hotels and a temple worth the shorter trip if a full Tokyo run isn’t practical.

Most nationalities need a transit visa to leave the airport during a layover; the rules vary by passport and by how long you plan to stay outside. A specific transit landing permission covers short, supervised layover tourism for travellers from many countries, but it needs confirming before departure rather than assumed on arrival, check with the Japanese embassy for your nationality’s current rules well before booking a long layover around the idea of a quick Tokyo run.

Leaving Tokyo: Getting Back to the Airport

From central Tokyo to Narita, budget 3.5 to 4 hours door to gate: around 60 minutes on the N’EX plus 20 to 30 minutes to reach the station, then the standard 2.5 to 3 hour buffer before an international departure. From Haneda, 2 to 2.5 hours is enough for most flights, allow extra during the 7 to 9am rush hour outbound from the city.

Check which terminal your departure uses before you leave, Narita’s Terminal 3 checks in separately from Terminal 1 and 2, and arriving at the wrong building with luggage in tow costs more time than the walkway transfer looks like it should. International check-in typically closes 60 minutes before departure; budget carriers enforce this strictly, Zipair and Peach in particular don’t make exceptions for a late arrival at the wrong terminal.

Ground transport back to either airport runs on the same timetables as the inbound journey, but rush-hour traffic affects the Limousine Bus and taxi options more than the trains, so a rail-based route to the airport is the more predictable choice if your flight departs during the morning or evening commute.

Departure tax: Japan charges an International Tourist Tax of ¥3,000 per departure from July 1, 2026, collected automatically through your airline ticket, no separate counter at either airport. See the Japan Tourism Agency’s official page for current rates and exemptions.