Tokyo's Airports: A Guide To Japan's Travel Gateway

which airport is in tokyo japan

Tokyo, Japan, is served by two international airports: Haneda Airport (HND) and Narita International Airport (NRT). Haneda Airport, officially known as Tokyo International Airport, is located in Ōta, Tokyo, 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) south of Tokyo Station. Narita International Airport, on the other hand, is located further outside of the city. Haneda is the busier of the two airports, handling more passengers annually and serving as the primary domestic base for Japan's two largest airlines, Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways.

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Tokyo has two international airports: Haneda and Narita

Tokyo, Japan, has two international airports: Haneda and Narita. Haneda Airport (officially known as Tokyo International Airport) is located in Ōta, Tokyo, 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) south of Tokyo Station. It is the primary domestic base of Japan's two largest airlines, Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways, and also serves RegionalPlus Wings Corp., Skymark Airlines, and StarFlyer. Haneda is the busier of the two airports, handling more than 78 million passengers annually. It is also the closest to the city, with a travel time of less than 20 minutes by car or bus when traffic is light.

Narita International Airport, on the other hand, is located further outside of Tokyo, approximately 43 miles from the city centre. It is accessible by public transit, but the journey requires connecting from the airport express line to Tokyo's metro system. Narita used to serve the most long-haul flights out of the two airports, but that has changed in recent years. Today, Narita handles over 30 million passengers annually and focuses more on medium-haul routes.

Both airports offer amenities to travellers and boast some of the best on-time departure rates globally. Haneda is generally preferred by business travellers due to its proximity to the city and the business districts, while Narita is often used for leisure routes and by low-cost carriers. The choice of airport depends on factors such as the traveller's origin, destination, and specific needs.

The greater Tokyo area also has other notable airports, such as the New Chitose Airport, which serves the Sapporo-Tokyo Haneda route, and the Kansai International Airport, which offers regular flights to the Tokyo airports.

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Haneda Airport is the busiest airport in Tokyo

Haneda Airport, also 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. It is considerably closer to the city centre than Narita Airport.

Haneda Airport is the busier of the two airports in Tokyo. In 2018, it handled 87,098,683 passengers, making it the third-busiest airport in Asia and the fourth-busiest in the world. It has the capacity to handle 90 million passengers per year following its expansion in 2018. In 2023, it was ranked the second-busiest airport in Asia after Dubai International Airport.

Haneda Airport serves as the primary domestic base of Japan's two largest airlines: Japan Airlines (operating out of Terminal 1) and All Nippon Airways (Terminal 2). Other airlines that use Haneda Airport as their base include RegionalPlus Wings Corp. (Air Do and Solaseed Air), Skymark Airlines, and StarFlyer.

The airport has three terminal buildings. Terminal 3, which is open 24 hours, handles most of the airport's international flights and offers a range of dining, shopping, and entertainment options. Domestic flights operate out of the airport's other two terminals. Haneda Airport also has hotels inside each of its terminals, including the Royal Park Hotel Tokyo Haneda (Terminal 3) and the Haneda Excel Hotel Tokyu (Terminal 2).

Haneda Airport first opened in 1931 on a small piece of reclaimed land at the west end of today's airport complex. It was the primary international airport serving Tokyo until 1978 when Narita Airport was constructed and took over most of Tokyo's international air traffic. Haneda Airport then became responsible for handling the city's domestic air traffic. In 2010, Haneda Airport resumed handling an increased number of international flights with the completion of a new runway and Terminal 3, its international terminal building.

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Narita International Airport is the largest airport in Japan

Narita International Airport (NRT) is one of the two airports serving the Greater Tokyo Area, the other being Haneda Airport (HND), also known as Tokyo International Airport. Narita International Airport is Japan's largest airport in terms of cargo, accounting for around 1.87 million metric tons of the 10.95 billion ton-kilometers of cargo moved by air in Japan in 2021. At Narita International Airport, 66 airlines operate and serve flights to and from 103 destinations.

Narita International Airport is located much further outside of Tokyo than Haneda Airport, which is located just 14 kilometers south of the city center. However, Narita Airport still offers easy access to the city due to its great transportation links. The Japanese government encourages the use of Narita for leisure routes and by low-cost carriers, while Haneda is used for premium business routes. Haneda Airport is the busier of the two airports, serving as the primary domestic base of Japan's two largest airlines, Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways.

Narita International Airport was handling the vast majority of international flights from further locations between 1978 and 2010, while Haneda Airport handled almost all domestic flights to and from Tokyo during this period. In 2010, a dedicated international terminal was opened at Haneda Airport, allowing long-haul flights to operate during the nighttime. Haneda Airport opened up to long-haul service during the daytime in 2014, with nonstop service to 25 cities in 17 countries.

In 2018, Haneda Airport handled 87,098,683 passengers, making it the third-busiest airport in Asia and the fourth-busiest in the world. With Haneda and Narita combined, Tokyo has the third-busiest city airport system in the world, after London and New York.

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Haneda Airport is closer to the heart of the city

Tokyo is served by two airports: Narita International Airport and Haneda Airport. While Narita is the larger of the two, Haneda Airport is much closer to the heart of the city. Located just 8.7 miles (or 15 kilometres) south of Tokyo Station, the city's central train station, Haneda is situated on a peninsula just south of the city centre.

The proximity of Haneda Airport to downtown Tokyo has made it a favourite for business travellers. It takes just over 30 minutes to reach downtown from the airport, with driving times to Shibuya Crossing ranging from 30 to 45 minutes, depending on traffic. While cab rides in Japan are quite expensive, Haneda's location means that travellers can save on travel costs compared to Narita, where driving into the city can take at least 60 minutes.

Haneda Airport is easily accessible by bus or train, with excellent transportation links into the heart of Tokyo. The Tokyo Monorail, for example, connects Haneda Airport Terminal 3 to Hamamatsucho Station, while the Keikyu Railway runs from Haneda Airport Terminal 3 to Yokohama Station. Airport limousine buses are another option, providing comfortable transfers to the city centre.

In addition to its convenient location, Haneda Airport has become an increasingly popular hub for long-haul flights, especially to and from the United States. Since 2019, service from Haneda to the U.S. has greatly expanded, and the airport now handles more than 78 million passengers annually. In 2023, Haneda saw record highs in international visitors and flights, solidifying its position as one of the world's busiest airports.

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Kansai International Airport is the international hub for travel to Osaka and Kyoto

Tokyo is served by two international airports: Haneda Airport (officially known as Tokyo International Airport) and Narita International Airport. Haneda Airport is the busier of the two, serving as the primary domestic base for Japan's two largest airlines, Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways. It is located in Ōta, Tokyo, 15 kilometres south of Tokyo Station.

Kansai International Airport, on the other hand, is the international hub for travel to Osaka and Kyoto. It is one of Japan's most important international airports, located about 40 kilometres south of central Osaka on a man-made island in Osaka Bay. The airport has two terminals and is connected to the mainland by the Sky Gate Bridge R, which accommodates both road and rail transport.

Kansai International Airport is the closest international airport to the cities of Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe. It serves as a hub for several airlines, including All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines, and Nippon Cargo Airlines. The airport opened on September 4, 1994, to relieve overcrowding at Osaka International Airport (Itami Airport), which is closer to Osaka. Kansai Airport has since become an Asian hub, with weekly flights to Asia, Australasia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America.

There are various transportation options for travelling between Kansai Airport and Osaka, Kyoto, and other destinations in the Kansai region. Direct buses connect the airport to several locations in Osaka, including Osaka Station and Namba Station. Additionally, the Haruka limited express train service connects the airport to Tennōji, Ōsaka, Shin-Ōsaka, and Kyoto Station. For travellers seeking a more private experience, airport transfer services with English-speaking drivers are also available.

Kansai International Airport has received several accolades, including being ranked the tenth-best airport in the world by Skytrax in 2020. It also received awards for Best Airport Staff in Asia, World's Best Airport Staff, and World's Best Airport for Baggage Delivery.

Frequently asked questions

There are two large international airports in Tokyo, Japan: Narita and Haneda.

Haneda Airport is officially known as Tokyo International Airport.

Haneda Airport's IATA code is HND.

Haneda Airport is approximately 9.3 to 14 kilometres (or 11 miles) south of Tokyo Station.

Haneda Airport is the busiest airport in Tokyo in terms of passengers, handling more than 72 million to 87 million passengers annually.

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