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New York (JFK) to Tokyo (HND) Flights

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About this route

Around fourteen hours nonstop westbound, and usually a little quicker coming home because the jet stream is behind you over the Pacific. The thing worth getting right on this route is not the airline. It is the airport. Haneda sits inside Tokyo in a way Narita does not, and on a trip this long that difference is felt at both ends.

Haneda over Narita, almost always

Haneda is roughly thirty minutes from central Tokyo on the monorail. Narita is closer to ninety, and the fast train costs real money on top of the fare you already paid. If two itineraries are within a hundred dollars of each other and one lands at Haneda, take Haneda. The exception is if your onward domestic connection or your hotel sits out toward Narita, which is rare unless you are heading north.

Landing late is its own problem

A lot of the US arrivals into Haneda come in late at night or very early in the morning. Tokyo trains stop around midnight and do not start again until about five, and a taxi from Haneda into the city at two in the morning is an expensive surprise. Check the arrival time before you book, not after. If it lands late, either take the airport hotel for one night or pick the flight that gets in during the day.

Two seasons to book early for

Cherry blossom, roughly the last week of March into the first week of April, and Golden Week at the end of April into early May. Both fill months ahead and both price accordingly. If your dates are fixed inside either window, book as early as you reasonably can. If they are not, moving a week either side can save a serious amount.

If Tokyo is not the final stop

Haneda and Narita both connect onward across Asia, and the right one depends on where you are going next. Getting this wrong means an expensive ninety minute transfer between two airports with your bags. Tell us the final destination rather than just Tokyo and we will route it properly.

Common questions

How long is the flight from New York to Tokyo?
About fourteen hours nonstop going out, and usually somewhat less on the way back with the jet stream behind you.
Haneda or Narita?
Haneda, in almost every case. It is around thirty minutes from central Tokyo against roughly ninety for Narita, and the transport into the city is cheaper as well.
What if my flight lands after midnight?
Tokyo trains stop around midnight and restart near five in the morning, so a late arrival means an expensive taxi or an airport hotel. It is worth checking the arrival time before you commit to a fare.
When should I avoid booking?
Cherry blossom season in late March and early April, and Golden Week at the end of April. Both are expensive and both sell out early. Shifting your dates by a week either side often makes a large difference.