Tokyo Haneda Airport

Haneda Airport (Japanese: 羽田空港 Haneda Kūkō), officially known as Tokyo International Airport (東京国際空港 Tōkyō Kokusai Kūkō), in the Tokyo neighborhood of Ota, is the largest and busiest airport in Japan, and the second busiest airport in all Asia despite the majority of flights being domestic. Although Narita Airport has been Tokyo's main international airport since it opened 1978, with Haneda serving primarily as a domestic airport, the Japanese government has been opening Haneda up to more international flights since the opening of the new International Terminal in 2010. Since then, Haneda has won numerous accolades, including having been awarded a 5-star rating by Skytrax since 2014.

Haneda is known for its entertainment districts: Edo Market (an imitation of an ancient Tokyo street with stores and restaurants) and Tokyo Pop Town (a shopping and entertainment district including Japanese-themed stores, a planetarium, slot car racing, flight simulators, and an observation deck). These are located landside, so you can visit them even if you don't have a flight. There is also a replica of the famous Nihonbashi bridge in central Tokyo. The downside is that if you are changing flights, you will have to pass through customs and immigration in order to visit these.

Haneda Airport serves as the primary hub for All Nippon Airways (ANA) and flag carrier Japan Airlines (JAL).

Understand
Haneda Airport is located right next to Tokyo Bay in Ota, a suburban ward of Tokyo, and 14 km south of Tokyo Station.

The airport was first constructed in 1931 to serve as Tokyo's first purpose-built civilian airport. It served as Japan's main airport until the Narita Airport was constructed in 1978 to take over Haneda's international traffic. Although Haneda almost exclusively served as a domestic airport from 1978 to 2010, it remained the busiest airport in Asia for much of that period before being overtaken by Beijing in 2009. Since the construction of the new International Terminal and a fourth runway in 2010, the Japanese government has been opening Haneda up to an increasing number of international flights, and it is once again serving as one of the main international gateways into Japan.

A further expansion of international flights occurred in 2020, in line with increased tourism numbers and the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics that took place in 2021. With this expansion, a number of flights ceased serving Narita Airport and fly to Haneda instead. New immigration and customs facilities were opened in one of Haneda's domestic terminals to help handle the additional flights.

Flights
Haneda has three terminals. Until 2020, the first two were domestic and the third international, but Terminal 2 is now used for both: double-check your departure terminal if flying ANA.

By train
The easiest and most scenic way from Haneda to the city is the Tokyo Monorail running to Hamamatsucho for ¥500, from where you can connect to almost anywhere in Tokyo on the JR Yamanote line. The monorail has a station at each of Haneda's three terminals. From Terminal 3, trains reach Hamamatsucho in as little as 14 minutes on the nonstop services; the domestic terminals are about 5 minutes farther down the line. JR East maintains a Travel Service Center for foreigners in Terminal 3 (open daily 7:45-18:30) where JR passes, including the Japan Rail Pass and local/regional JR East passes, can be obtained. The Tokyo Monorail is fully covered with any of these passes. On weekends, holidays and selected dates, Tokyo Monorail offers discount ticket for ¥500 from any of its Haneda Airport stations to any station on the Yamanote Line (this discount is not available from Yamanote Line stations to the airport). This discount ticket must be purchased at the ticket machines in the airport and is not available if you pay by IC card.

The other alternative is the private Keikyu (京急) line, which has two train stations at Haneda: one for Terminals 1 and 2, and the other for Terminal 3. Keikyu trains run to Shinagawa (about 15 min, ¥300) and Yokohama (30-35 min via Express [急行], ¥340). Some Keikyu trains from Haneda continue on to the Toei Asakusa Line, providing one-seat rides to the Ginza district (30-35 min to Higashi-Ginza, ¥460) and Asakusa (40-45 min, ¥520), with some of those even continuing onto the Narita Sky Access Line all the way to Narita Airport (100 min, ¥1680).

JR Passes are not valid on Keikyu Trains. If your final destination is somewhere along the Tokaido Shinkansen (i.e. Odawara, Atami, Shizuoka, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka) then you may want to consider using the Keikyu Line to Shinagawa to pick up the Shinkansen, even if you have a Japan Rail Pass. Using the Tokyo Monorail will require you to take an additional train, the Yamanote Line, to either Tokyo station or Shinagawa.

By bus
Limousine Buses connect Haneda Airport with Narita Airport (90 minutes, ¥3200) as well as main rail stations and hotels around the city. Most Airport Rapid Express [エアポート快特] trains on the Keikyu Line also run all the way to Narita Airport's terminals; these services are much cheaper than the bus, but buses operate more frequently.

Bus stops for each terminal are listed on the official website. Buses to regional destinations are also available from the Haneda Airport Garden Bus Terminal, which is connected to Terminal 3, and are cheaper than the Shinkansen.

If you need to transfer between Narita and Haneda airports, be sure to give yourself at least 5-6 hours of connection time between your flights so you have ample time to make the transfer.

By taxi
Normal metered taxis to central Tokyo will cost anywhere from ¥4000 to ¥10000. An alternative is Kokusai Motorcars' fixed fare service for starting from ¥6100 to most of central Tokyo, including Shinjuku and Shibuya. Uber offers fixed rates to wards in central Tokyo (i.e. ¥7900 to Tokyo Station). Note that all taxis will add expressway tolls to the fare, plus a 20% surcharge between 22:00 and 05:00.

If you arrive on a late flight or need to catch an early flight, beware that there are no trains between 23:59 and 05:00 on either the monorail or the Keikyu line. Some limousine buses do operate after midnight, but such trips incur an additional "night surcharge".

Get around
Free shuttle buses run every 6 minutes between 05:00 and 24:00, connecting all three of the terminals (outside security). Passengers transferring between terminals can also ride for free on the train or monorail by presenting a passport and connecting ticket to the information counter at the respective train or monorail stations. Note that Terminal 3 is further away from Terminals 1 and 2.

Flight connections
Note that connection procedures could be confusing, so consult with your airline or airport information counters if you need assistance. Generally, if you are transiting between international flights at Haneda, you do not need to clear Japanese immigration and customs but you will be required to undergo a security check.

Terminal 3 to domestic connections
If you are connecting from an international flight at Terminal 3 to a same-day domestic flight leaving from Terminal 1 or 2, you have the option of proceeding to the domestic connection counter inside Terminal 3 after clearing immigration and customs. Once you re-check luggage and clear security, a shuttle bus will transport you to the secure area of Terminal 1 or 2.

Wait
Unlike Narita Airport, Haneda does not have curfew hours. However, most shops, with the exception of the duty free shops, are closed between 00:00 and 06:30. A 24-hour FamilyMart convenience store operates near the international check-in counters at Terminal 2. In Terminal 3, a small number of restaurants are open 24 hours along with a Lawson store.

Lounges

 * Japan Airlines operates a lounge for international first, business and premium economy class passengers in Terminal 3, with a separate section exclusively for first class passengers, and two lounges for domestic first class passengers in Terminal 1. The former is also accessible to passengers travelling in first and business class on other OneWorld airlines, while all three lounges are accessible to passengers with OneWorld Sapphire or Emerald status travelling on OneWorld flights regardless of travel class.
 * All Nippon Airways operates lounges for international first, business and premium economy class passengers in Terminals 2 and 3, with separate sections exclusively for first class passengers, and two lounges for domestic premium class passengers in Terminal 2. The former is also accessible to passengers travelling in first and business class on other Star Alliance airlines, while all four lounges are accessible to passengers with Star Alliance Gold status travelling on Star Alliance flights regardless of travel class. The international lounges feature a buffet spread of hot food that includes their signature Japanese chicken curry rice, as well as a noodle bar where you can order ramen and udon/soba dishes.
 * Cathay Pacific operates a lounge for first and business class passengers in Terminal 3. Also accessible to passengers travelling in first and business class on other OneWorld airlines, as well as passengers with OneWorld Sapphire or Emerald status travelling on OneWorld flights regardless of travel class.
 * The Sky Lounge and Sky Lounge Annex in Terminal 3 are accessible to people with certain premium Japanese credit cards, as well as to paying guests.
 * The TIAT Lounge and TIAT Lounge Annex in Terminal 3 is used by airlines not in OneWorld or Star Alliance for their premium passengers and elite frequent flyer members, Priority Pass members, as well as by people with certain premium Japanese credit cards.
 * Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 both have independent lounges branded as Airport Lounge (Power Lounge Central), which are accessible to paying guests, Priority Pass members, and people with certain premium Japanese credit cards.

Eat and drink
Terminals 1 and 2 both have extensive landside restaurant areas branded Marketplace, occupying floors 3 through 5 of the terminal. Airside selections are much more limited, although T2's international section has a reasonable array of eateries.

Terminal 3 (formerly the International Terminal) has a good selection of restaurants and gift shops land side of the airport as well as an outside observation deck. Air side are a number of high cost fashion brand shops as well as typical duty-free shops and basic cafes and restaurants.

Buy
Unlike in many other countries, most of the shops in Japanese airports are located landside, and Haneda is no exception. That said, there are also the usual duty free shops airside in the International Terminal.

Cope
If you are having an extended stopover in Tokyo, you can opt to leave one of your suitcases at one of the luggage storage counters for up to two weeks. These are located in the departure hall (3F) and arrival hall (2F) of the International Terminal, on B1F of Terminal 1 and B1F of Terminal 2.

Haneda also has baggage delivery services, in which you can send your luggage to your hotel and vice-versa. Sagawa Express offers same-day hotel delivery at ¥1980 per piece of luggage. Keep in mind that Yamato's Ta-Q-Bin delivery service to the airport takes at least 2 days. You can also use the service to ship your bags between Narita and Haneda airports, provided your stopover is at least 2 days long.

Sleep
There are four hotels located within the airport grounds; three full service hotels and one budget hotel. Additional hotels are found in nearby Ota district.

Limousine buses (not literal limousines; in Commonwealth English these would be called coaches) provide direct transport between the airport and hotels in other areas (such as Shinjuku from ¥1400).