Tokyo’s 2 Airports – Which is better? Narita VS Haneda

Tokyo’s 2 Airports – Which is better? Narita VS Haneda

Tokyo has two airports: Narita Airport and Haneda 
Airport. Both are serving international flights. Often it is said that Haneda Airport is much better 
because it’s closer to the Tokyo city center. Narita Airport is too far away but not always like that actually. For example if you are staying in the area called Ueno you can take the limited express 
called Skyliner and you can go directly into the city center with reserved seat and with luggage 
space, while you have to take the commuter and transfer on the way if you use Haneda Airport. And 
actually the time takes is almost the same from Haneda or Narita so if you traveling during like 
a rush hour time, it might be actually easier to use Narita Airport and same for the Tokyo Station; 
there’s a more than 100 low-cost buses to Narita Airport every day while there’s only six buses a day
going to Haneda Airport, so both Haneda Airport and Narita Airport has a pro and cons. So let me introduce 
you to both airport first. Haneda Airport was opened in 1931 as an international airport and it’s been 
serving as a domestic and international airport but as airplane travel getting more popular and 
more people uses, Haneda was out of capacity so in 1978 Narita Airport opened in the suburb of 
Tokyo. And it wasn’t easy history. There was a lot of conflict between people – pro for it and 
against it. There was always a little tension when you go to Narita Airport. I remember when 
I went to take my first flight going to California and it was my first experience of the airplane 
and airport I remember the Delta Airline was still Northwest around that time. It was exciting 
because I didn’t see many foreign travelers in Japan at that time even in Tokyo. So like so many 
people I haven’t seen and it was interesting but airport was really kind of the a little tension 
atmosphere with. If you go by train you had to show your passport at passport control in the station 
and if you go by bus the policeman came onto the bus to check each passenger’s passport. But now 
all of those restriction is gone and Narita Airport is also easy airport to use. So when Narita Airport 
open all international flights were moved from Haneda to Narita Airport except Taiwan flight which 
wasn’t allowed to fly the same airport as China. So after that it was like a fixed definition: Narita is 
international – Haneda is domestic. But then around 2010 Haneda reopened as international airport. For 
many people in Tokyo Haneda is more convenient so Haneda keeps growing as international airport too. 
And now two airports are severely competing to get more flights and get more passengers. As of 
2023 fiscal year in Japan, Haneda was used by 80 million passengers while Narita was used by 30 million 
passengers but Haneda is still big for domestic flight so for international flights Narita 
Airport still much bigger. Haneda Airport is open for 24 hours while Narita Airport close at night so two 
Japanese major carriers like Japan Airlines and ANA, and major international airline company like American 
Airlines, United, Qantas and Singapore use both airport in Haneda and Narita while some airlines use only 
Narita. Some airlines use only Haneda airport for example British Airways is now using only Haneda Airport 
from London and Delta Airlines also use Haneda Airport. On the other hand like low-cost carriers and a far 
away country which is not big destination from Japan or resort route is often using Narita Airport.
So in many cases you might not have a choice and you might have only one choice like your flight 
go to Haneda or Narita. But in some case there’s a choice. For example if you take American Airlines 
from Dallas, Texas. American Airlines flies to both airport so let’s check the aa.com if there’s any 
price difference, and if you search flight from the Dallas, Texas to Tokyo when you search for both
airport you can type TYO or you can check this search nearby airport too. In this case three 
flights comes up. One is the code share is Japan Airlines which means aircraft is Japan Airlines aircraft 
and two other American Airlines, one is going to Haneda Airport one is going to Narita Airport. And this 
day for economy class the flight to Haneda is $240 more expensive. Then is it worth it to choose Haneda 
Airport for $245 more? Depend on the situation, but maybe not in my opinion. So let’s see actually 
how much difference distance is from Haneda and Narita airports to Tokyo city center. Narita Airport is very 
far away from city center: 60 km which is 37 miles. For example if you compare with the other airport 
which is set a little far away from city like Washington Dulles from Washington DC it’s 42 km /26 
miles; London Heathrow is 23 km /14 miles so comparing with that, Narita 60 km /37 miles away from cities you can 
see it’s very far. On the other hand Haneda Airport is only 18 km /11 miles away from Tokyo city center 
so it’s much closer. In case you go to the like Shibuya or Shinjuku area you can go, you can arrive in 
30 to 40 minutes while it takes 90 minutes from Narita Airport and cost is less than half too. 
But there are some places like Ueno or Asakusa that can be either same or almost same. There’s a 
limited express called Skyliner from Narita Airport to Keisei Ueno station that is taking about 45 minutes 
from Narita Airport and you arrive with reserved seat and with luggage space and it cost 2,500 yen. 
Haneda Airport is only 700 yen, which is less than 1/3. So definitely Haneda is much more reasonable to 
get to Ueno but at the same time for comfort wise, Narita Airport is very strong. So this station 
is going to change in about five six years, but for now this is the stuation and I’ll talk about it a 
little more later. Even to Tokyo Station there’s a Narita Expess running every 30 minutes or so and 
also there’s a more than 100 direct bus going to Tokyo Station for Narita Airport which is low-cost bus in 
1,500 yen right now. And on the other hand Haneda Airport has only six direct buses to Tokyo Station a day, 
so mostly you have to take either taxi or take different trains. Again this situation going to 
change in five to six years, but so right now it is not necessarily said Haneda Airport is best and 
much better. The most expensive cases using taxi like regular taxi without any reservation is like 
can be like $100 to $150 difference to Tokyo city center but still it doesn’t reach $280, so if 
I’m asked if you should pay $280 extra I’m not sure about it. If you are cost conscious, travelers 
probably pay $280 less for Narita, it would be a better choice. So in case you do the lay over on the 
way to other countries maybe the distance to the city center doesn’t matter, but the matter 
is the facility of each airport and there’s a difference here too. Narita Airport is made for 
international so it is big and prepared while Haneda Airport was made more kind of limited space and 
mostly made for people coming to Tokyo more than use made for the layover, but both are serving as a 
hub of the connecting flight. Both airport has lots of restaurants and shops before the departure 
gate and you have can enjoy shopping or eating after leaving the immigration which is outside of 
the Japan’s borders. There’s a lot of more things to do in Narita while there aren’t much in Haneda 
Airport. So Haneda Airport is getting better recently. There are a convenience stores and in case you are in 
the airport for a long time Narita might have a little more facility. In case you use the airline lounge, Haneda 
only has four airline lounges: two Japanese airline lounges – Japan Airlines and ANA, and also Delta and 
Cathay Pacific, so Narita Airport might be a little more comfortable in case you transfer at the airport. 
However, if you’re looking for staying one night in the hotel near the airport the situation changes. 
Again Haneda Airport has three hotels directly connect to the terminal which means you can walk 
to the hotel after your arrival so you don’t have to take any shuttles or trains. And so Terminal 3 
which is a major international airport terminal has a two hotels: Villa Fontaine and Royal Park and Terminal 
2 has a Excel Tokyu Hotel and one more capsule hotel too. On the other hand Narita has there’s only 
one capsule hotel for 9 hours. Narita Airport has a lot of hotels if you take the shuttle bus, so 
in case looking for the hotel near the airport Haneda airport is much easier. So before it going to 
Narita was very difficult for me because, because I was always grew up in the west side of Tokyo or and 
kind of the other side of Narita Airport and I live in the west side too right now, but uh recently 
I start to go to Narita for a day trip and maybe see different things that getting northern area. 
It’s such actually a nice area with a lots of farms and uh temples. So once I get to know the area I feel 
much more comfortable to visit Narita area and I don’t mind going at the airport. In both cases going to 
airport is a fun. Right now both Haneda Airport and Narita Airport has a major improvement plan and for 
Narita Airport eventually it’s considering making new terminal and getting rid of terminal one and 
two and make everything in one big terminal; also getting rid of the current two stations of trains 
and make it to just one under the new terminal. This is going to be a long time later and for Haneda 
Airport, JR line is making a line directly going to Haneda Airport from Tokyo Station and this one 
is scheduled to open 2031, and it’s going to be only 18 minutes direct from Tokyo Station to Haneda 
Airport by JR, so it’s going to be much easier to go across Tokyo. And this train line of JR is also 
going to the Shinjuku/Shibuya side and also Tokyo Bayside where there is a Tokyo Disneyland. So access from Haneda Airport to different parts of Tokyo will change dramatically by 2031. So in case you have a choice 
you might be able to consider which is better depends on where you stay in Tokyo and which kind 
of travel style you prefer. Now for example if you stay in Ueno and if you have lots of luggage or 
you’re traveling with a small children you might be actually be able to use Naria Airport and 
come into the Ueno is much easier with reserved to seat. Thank you for watching. Have a great trip 
to Japan. Have a great week until the next video.

Tokyo has two airports, Haneda (HND) and Narita (NRT) airport. Travelers coming to Tokyo will land either one. But two airports are very different. What if you have choice when you book flights to Japan? Let’s find out.

【 Hotels connected to Haneda Airport 】

Royal Park Hotel Haneda T3: https://www.booking.com/hotel/jp/royal-park-the-haneda.en.html?aid=2244370&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2

Villa Fontaine Haneda T3: https://www.booking.com/hotel/jp/villa-fontaine-grand-haneda-airport.en.html?aid=2244370&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2

Excel Hotel Tokyu Haneda T2: https://www.booking.com/hotel/jp/haneda-excel-tokyu.en.html?aid=2244370&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2

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About me
Thank you for watching. My name is Kengo. I create Japan travel guide videos from Tokyo that showcase Japanese culture, essential travel tips, and must-visit places—from top spots to hidden gems across Japan. Please subscribe for my weekly exploration to discover the charm of Japan.

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