Tokyo Airport: A Sprawling Transportation Hub's Size Explored

Tokyo has two airports, Narita and Haneda, which have been competing for international flights for over a decade. Haneda Airport, previously known as Tokyo International Airport, is located in Ōta, Tokyo, 15 kilometres south of Tokyo Station. The facility covers 1,522 hectares of land. Narita International Airport, on the other hand, is located about 60 kilometres east of central Tokyo in Narita, Chiba. The facility covers 1,137 hectares of land, with construction underway to expand to nearly 2,300 hectares. In 2018, Haneda Airport handled 87 million passengers, making it the third busiest airport in Asia and fourth busiest in the world. Narita, meanwhile, is the busiest airport in Japan in terms of international passenger and cargo traffic, with 33.4 million international passengers and 2.2 million tonnes of international cargo in 2018.

Haneda Airport: 1522 hectares (3761 acres)

Haneda Airport, formerly known as Tokyo International Airport, is one of two airports serving the Greater Tokyo Area, the other being Narita International Airport. Covering 1,522 hectares (3,761 acres) of land, Haneda is the larger of the two airports. It is located in Ōta, Tokyo, 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) south of Tokyo Station.

Haneda Airport has three passenger terminals with 71 gates and jet bridges. Terminal 1, nicknamed the "Big Bird", opened in 1993 and is exclusively used for domestic flights within Japan. Terminal 2 serves both domestic and international flights, while Terminal 3, which opened in 2010, is mainly used for international flights. Haneda is the primary domestic base of Japan's two largest airlines, Japan Airlines (which operates from Terminal 1) and All Nippon Airways (Terminal 2).

In 2018, Haneda handled 87,098,683 passengers, making it the third-busiest airport in Asia and the fourth-busiest in the world. Following its expansion in 2018, the airport is now able to handle 90 million passengers per year. In 2020, Haneda was named the second-best airport in the world, after Singapore's Changi Airport, and it maintained this position in Skytrax's world's top 100 airports for 2021 and 2022.

Before Narita Airport opened in 1978, Haneda was Tokyo's main international airport. However, due to capacity and noise issues, a new airport was built in Narita, and Haneda became the primary airport for domestic flights. In 2010, Haneda expanded onto new landfill in Tokyo Bay, increasing its capacity and reducing noise pollution. A new international terminal and a fourth runway were also built, allowing Haneda to resume long-haul international flights during the daytime.

Narita International Airport: 1137 hectares (2810 acres)

Narita International Airport, also known as Tokyo-Narita International Airport or Narita Airport, is one of two international airports serving the Greater Tokyo Area. Located about 60 kilometres (37 miles) east of central Tokyo in Narita, Chiba, the airport covers 1,137 hectares (2,810 acres) of land.

The airport has been the subject of controversy since its conception, especially among local residents in the area. The government's decision to construct the airport without consulting most residents, as well as expropriating their lands, has led to the ongoing Sanrizuka Struggle. The site for the airport was selected in 1965, moving from the village of Tomisato to the villages of Sanrizuka and Shibayama in 1966, where the Imperial Household had a large farming estate.

Narita is the busiest airport in Japan in terms of international passenger and cargo traffic. In 2018, the airport served 33.4 million international passengers and moved 2.2 million tonnes of international cargo. Narita is the main international hub for Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Nippon Cargo Airlines, and United Airlines. It also serves as an operating base for low-cost carriers Air Japan, Jetstar Japan, Peach Aviation, Spring Airlines Japan, and Zipair Tokyo.

In 2022, Narita was named the fourth-best airport in the world by Skytrax's World's Top 100 Airports, after Hamad International Airport in Doha, Haneda Airport in Tokyo, and Changi Airport in Singapore. Construction is underway to expand the airport to nearly 2,300 hectares (5,700 acres).

Haneda's expansion: new landfill in Tokyo Bay

Haneda Airport, previously known as Tokyo International Airport, is one of two airports serving the Greater Tokyo Area, the other being Narita International Airport. Haneda Airport is located in Ōta, Tokyo, 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) south of Tokyo Station. The airport covers 1,522 hectares (3,761 acres) of land and is the primary domestic base of Japan's two largest airlines, Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways.

In the early 1960s, Haneda Airport began to experience capacity and noise issues due to the increasing number of jet aircraft. In 1963, the Japanese Transport Ministry commissioned a study of alternate airport locations, and in 1965, they selected a plan to build a new airport in the village of Tomisato. However, the plan was changed, and the new airport was eventually built in the villages of Sanrizuka and Shibayama. This decision led to controversy among local residents, who were not consulted during the initial planning phase.

To address the capacity and noise issues at Haneda Airport, the Transport Ministry released an expansion plan in 1983. The plan involved expanding the airport onto new landfill in Tokyo Bay, with the additional aim of utilising the large amount of garbage generated by Tokyo. This expansion included the construction of a new 3,000-metre (9,800-foot) runway, which opened in July 1988. In September 1993, a new West Passenger Terminal, nicknamed "Big Bird," was built on the landfill, replacing the old airport terminal. This was followed by the completion of two new runways in March 1997 and March 2000, respectively.

The expansion of Haneda Airport onto the landfill in Tokyo Bay successfully increased the airport's capacity and helped to reduce noise issues. The airport is now able to handle 90 million passengers per year and has been recognised as one of the best airports in the world by Skytrax's World's Top 100 Airports rankings in 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Narita's expansion: 2300 hectares (5700 acres)

Narita International Airport, also known as Tokyo-Narita International Airport or Narita Airport, is one of two international airports serving the Greater Tokyo Area. Located in Narita, Chiba, it is about 60 km (37 mi) east of central Tokyo.

The airport covers 1,137 hectares (2,810 acres) of land, and construction is underway to expand this to 2,300 hectares (5,700 acres). This expansion will increase the airport's capacity, enabling it to handle more flights and passengers. The expansion of Narita Airport is a significant development project that aims to address the growing demand for air travel in the region.

The expansion of Narita Airport to 2,300 hectares (5,700 acres) will involve several key components. Firstly, the construction of additional runways and taxiways to accommodate the increased air traffic. This includes extending existing runways and building new ones to enhance the airport's capacity and improve flight operations.

Secondly, the expansion will include the development of new terminal buildings to handle the increased passenger volume. These terminals will be designed to provide a seamless travel experience, with efficient check-in, baggage handling, and boarding processes. The terminals will also offer a range of amenities and services, such as restaurants, retail outlets, and passenger lounges, to enhance the overall travel experience.

Additionally, the expansion will involve the construction of new parking aprons and aircraft hangars to accommodate the larger number of aircraft using the airport. The expansion may also include the development of new cargo facilities, given Narita's significant role in international cargo traffic.

The expansion of Narita Airport is a complex and challenging undertaking, requiring careful planning and coordination. It involves significant investment and the acquisition of additional land, as well as effective management of the environmental and community impacts of the project.

The expansion of Narita Airport to 2,300 hectares (5,700 acres) will significantly enhance the airport's capacity and functionality, solidifying its position as a major international aviation hub.

Haneda's passenger capacity: 90 million per year

Haneda Airport, previously known as Tokyo International Airport, is one of two airports serving the Greater Tokyo Area, the other being Narita International Airport. Haneda is located in Ōta, Tokyo, 15 kilometres south of Tokyo Station, and covers 1,522 hectares of land.

Haneda Airport has three passenger terminals with 71 gates and jet bridges. Terminal 1, nicknamed the "Big Bird", opened in 1993, and is exclusively used for domestic flights within Japan. Terminal 2 serves both domestic and international flights, and Terminal 3, which opened in 2010, is dedicated to international flights. Haneda's expansion in 2018 increased its passenger capacity to 90 million per year.

Before Narita International Airport opened, Haneda Airport was Tokyo's main international airport. However, as jet aircraft became more common in the early 1960s, Haneda began experiencing capacity and noise issues. The airport was surrounded by densely populated residential and industrial areas. In 1963, the Japanese transport ministry commissioned a study of alternate airport locations, and in 1965, selected a plan to build a new airport in Tomisato. The site was later moved 5 kilometres northeast to Sanrizuka and Shibayama.

Today, Haneda is the busier of the two airports serving the Greater Tokyo Area. In 2018, Haneda handled 87,098,683 passengers, making it the third-busiest airport in Asia and fourth-busiest in the world in terms of passenger throughput. With its expansion, Haneda's capacity increased to 90 million passengers annually. In 2023, it returned to its status as the second-busiest airport in Asia after Dubai International Airport. Haneda has consistently been ranked among the top airports in the world by Skytrax, maintaining its position as the World's Best Domestic Airport in 2021 and 2022.

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