Tokyo is still a favorite of perennial tourism, attracting a Record 36.8 million international visitors In 2024. Therefore, it makes sense that the city has two airports that serve both in international air traffic and national trips.
Narita International Airport (NRT), built in 1978, used to serve the longest flights of the two travel centers, but that is no longer the case. Of the two, Hneda Airport (HND) is now the busiest in terms of passengers, driving more than 78 million passengers annually, while Narita drives more than 30 million every year.
The Haneda International Terminal opened in 2010, and by 2023, it was One of the most busy airports in the world. Since 2020, several US airlines have added the daytime flight service to and from Haneda. Carriers like all Nippon and Japan Airlines airways Most international flight operations has also changed From Narita International to Haneda, the main reason why change is the location.
But with many flight options for each one, deciding which of the two airports must fly can be complicated. Fortunately, we have weighed the characteristics of both so that you can make the most informed decision before reserving your flight.
Distance to the center and transport options
Tokyo is the most populous city in the world, with more than 37 million residents, and covers approximately 800 square miles. Its large size makes it difficult to define a true center of the city. Tokyo has more than 20 rooms, each includes several different districts.
For this publication, we will use Shibuya’s iconic crossing in the center of Tokyo as a reference point. It is known as the busiest street in the world, where up to 2,500 people at the same time cross a single intersection at certain points of the day.
This is how the two airports accumulate in terms of travel time and the cost of public transport or taxi to this central point:
| Get the center | NRT | HND |
|---|---|---|
| Distance (by car) | 47 miles | 13 miles |
| Time (by car) | 1 hour and 30 minutes | 40 minutes |
| Average taxi cost | 23,000 to 30,000 Japanese yen (approximately $ 150 to $ 200) | 8,000 to 12,000 Japanese yen (approximately $ 50 to $ 78) |
| Public transport | Narita Skyliner Express/Yamanote Line (2,630 Japanese yen/approximately $ 17) | Tokyo Monorail/Yamanote Line (690 Yen Japanese/approximately $ 4.45) |
While transport applications such as Uber and Go are available in Tokyo, it is usually cheaper to take a taxi.
The images of the map below indicate how much farther from the city is the Narita Complex that Haneda:
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NRT to Shibuya. Google Maps
Driving from NRT will take at least 60 minutes, if not more, depending on traffic as it is close to the city. While they are not difficult to find, keep in mind that taxi walks in Japan are quite expensive. A trip from Narita to the city will probably cost you between $ 150 and $ 200 or more. Public transport is much cheaper compared, although the trip will require that it be connected from the Airport Express line to the extensive Tokyo Metro system to reach its final destination, which can be intimidating for some.
Haneda is much closer compared. It is located in a peninsula south of the city center, about 8.7 miles south of the Tokyo station, the city’s central train station. Not only will you get some spectacular views when your flight arrives/leaves, but will also be rewarded with a much shorter trip to the city.
Driving Shibuya Crossing will take between 30 and 45 minutes, depending on traffic, although even a short trip like this could result in a taxi invoice of more than $ 100. Public transport will take it there in the same amount of time for less than $ 5.
Winner: Save time when traveling for business or pleasure should always be your goal, especially when you visit a city like Tokyo, where you will never have enough time to do and see everything you want. The proximity of HND to the heart of the city is the reason why many travelers choose to fly inside and outside that airport when they visit Tokyo.
Which airport is better for business travelers?
The distance from Tokyo station to Haneda airport is only 11 miles; Meanwhile, Narita International is 43 miles away. If you travel by car or bus, this makes a big difference in travel time. You can reach your hotel or business meeting from HND in less than 20 minutes if traffic is light; On the other hand, it is approximately a NRT -hour trip.
Haneda is also a better option if you go to Yokohama, the second largest city in Japan, which is located south of Tokyo along the coast.
Winner: Due to its proximity to the commercial districts of Tokyo, Haneda is almost always the best airport option for travelers with a business meeting or other commitments sensitive to time.
Airlines and flight options
Japan is the only country with two Skytrax five -star airlines, all the Nippon and Japan Airlines airways, occupying points in their Top 10 transporters. Both operate long and short distance from NRT and HND, but both carriers are changing more of their long distance operations to Haneda. While NRT is still the largest airport in Japan, less international flights will serve these days, turning to focus on medium distance routes from all Japan airlines and other airlines.
Meanwhile, Haneda’s service to the United States has expanded greatly since 2019, since its closest location to Tokyo has made it more attractive to passengers. In response, the government has assigned more spaces for international flights to meet demand. In 2023, HND saw maximum records in visitors and international flights.
American carrier United Airlines It has greatly increased its flight routes from the Los Angeles International Airport (Lax) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) for HND in the last five years, while reducing the amount of flights that operates from NRT. Delta Air Lines, meanwhile, closed their NRT center and changed their entire tokyo flight strategy to HND.
As Haneda’s international flight offers have increased, so has the amount of airlines that serve international passengers there. But in many cases, even if a given airline does not fly to the airport you want, it can get there in a partner of Codeshare or Alliance. For example, Oneworld passengers that fly between Japan and Sydney have two options between Japan Airlines and Qantas, which offer flights from HND and NRT.
Narita offers flights to 41 countries and 14 US states; In comparison, Haneda, despite its axis towards long -distance offers, has only 27 nations and 15 US states. UU. However, for travelers to Tokyo from the United States, this difference can be something insignificant.
Haneda’s clearest advantage, for now, remains national flights within Japan. As the main National Airport of Tokyo, Haneda offers flights to 50 destinations throughout Japan.
Winner: Haneda now has the advantage to travel to and from the United States, given the change in the flights of transporters such as Delta and United in the last five years. It also maintains an advantage to travel within Japan, since there are many more options to connect for flights to other parts of the country. However, Narita International still retains great value for its varied offers of long -distance routes worldwide.
Airport services and advantages
In both airports, you will find first and executive classrooms for Japan Airlines and Ana, with minimal differences in design aesthetics and food and beverage offers. The Japan Airlines first classroom in NRT is especially known by the Sushi station made to the order it offers, while HND first -class passengers can test a Teppanyaki bar made of order.
Narita International is also home to a variety of halls and clubs operated by international partners, including United Global First and United Club Lumings, in addition to an American Airlines Admirals Club.
Haneda, in turn, has many living room options and is home to a Delta Sky Club (opened in 2022) and the famous Pacific Lounge Cathay, among others. At the end of this year, Haneda will also win a Amex Centurion Lounge.
For passengers who do not travel in a premium cabin, Narita could have the advantage. The airport offers five Priority passage rooms In its two terminals, while Haneda has none. Narita is also one of the only five international locations to organize a United Club Lounge.
Both airports have a decent amount of purchasing and restaurants options and are generally among the most pleasant places to spend a long scale. Narita has a little more attraction for aviation geeks, since the size and variety of aircraft you will see are an excellent organic entertainment. Some, such as Thai Airbus A380, are especially rare findings for headquarters in the United States.
Winner: While the premium passengers of the cabin will not notice much of the two airports in terms of access to the living room, those who travel in the economy will be happier to travel through Narita. Among the priority pass salons and some excellent plans, it is a more pleasant scale.
End
Narita and Haeda are excellent airports. However, the differences between the two facilities are increasingly evident. Haneda is much closer in the center of Tokyo, and that proximity has made him the favorite for business travelers. The airport is also used more and more for long distance flights, especially for the US.
Meanwhile, Narita offers more flights from more international carriers and can offer a broader option of destinations worldwide. It also has a much wider selection of airport halls.
