Somewhere over the Pacific, with the seat-back map showing a thin line toward Honshu, the question settles in: which Tokyo airport will this flight actually land at? Tokyo has two, and the airline you choose on the way out of Boston largely decides the answer. Delta, American and United head for Haneda, while ANA and Zipair Tokyo head for Narita, and each airport has its own way into the city.
Which airlines fly from Boston to Tokyo?
Five airlines connect the United States to Tokyo nonstop from the gateway cities named here: Delta, American and United into Haneda, and ANA and Zipair Tokyo into Narita. A traveler leaving Boston picks among them according to the U.S. gateway where the Tokyo flight begins, and the lists of cities show which airline goes with which gateway.
The split is worth understanding before you search for fares. Haneda is the airport of Tokyo city itself, and arriving there puts you directly in the heart of the capital from international destinations. Narita is the other of the two airports serving the capital, with international and domestic flights of its own.
| Airline | Tokyo airport | Nonstop U.S. cities |
|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Lines | Haneda | Atlanta, Detroit, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Seattle/Tacoma |
| American Airlines | Haneda | Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, New York–JFK |
| United Airlines | Haneda | Chicago–O’Hare, Guam, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco, Washington–Dulles |
| All Nippon Airways | Narita | Chicago–O’Hare, Honolulu, Los Angeles, San Francisco (seasonal Vancouver) |
| Zipair Tokyo | Narita | Honolulu, Houston–Intercontinental, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose (CA), charters to Orlando |
Delta, American and United into Haneda
The three U.S. carriers all land at Haneda, each from its own set of hubs. Delta draws from Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul and Seattle/Tacoma, plus Los Angeles and Honolulu. American flies from Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles and New York–JFK. United flies from Chicago–O’Hare, Newark, San Francisco, Washington–Dulles, Los Angeles and Guam.
For a New England traveler, the cities on the East Coast and in the Midwest sit naturally on the way: New York–JFK, Newark, Washington–Dulles, Atlanta, Detroit and Chicago all appear on those lists. Los Angeles shows up for all three airlines, which gives you several carriers to compare on that gateway.
ANA and Zipair Tokyo into Narita
All Nippon Airways flies nonstop to Narita from Chicago–O’Hare, Honolulu, Los Angeles and San Francisco, and it has seasonal service from Vancouver. Zipair Tokyo flies there from Honolulu, Houston–Intercontinental, Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Jose in California, and it runs charter flights from Orlando.
Several gateways overlap between the Haneda and Narita carriers. Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Honolulu each appear on both sides, so on those routes you can decide by airport first and airline second.
Onward flights inside Japan
If Tokyo is only the first stop, both airports have domestic networks. From Haneda, Air Do serves Hokkaido cities such as Asahikawa, Hakodate, Kushiro, Memanbetsu, Obihiro and Sapporo–Chitose. Skymark flies to Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Kobe, Naha, Sapporo–Chitose and Shimojishima. Solaseed Air serves Kagoshima, Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Nagasaki, Naha and Oita, and StarFlyer flies to Fukuoka, Kitakyushu, Osaka–Kansai and Ube.
Narita carries a long list of its own. ANA flies to Nagoya–Centrair, Osaka–Itami and Sapporo–Chitose, and Japan Airlines flies to Nagoya–Centrair and Osaka–Itami.
Jetstar Japan reaches Asahikawa, Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Kochi, Kumamoto, Matsuyama, Miyazaki, Nagasaki, Naha, Oita, Osaka–Kansai, Sapporo–Chitose, Shimojishima, Shonai and Takamatsu. Peach flies to Amami Oshima, Fukuoka, Ishigaki, Kagoshima, Kushiro, Miyazaki, Nagasaki, Naha, Oita, Osaka–Kansai and Sapporo–Chitose, and Spring Japan flies to Hakodate, Hiroshima and Sapporo–Chitose.
Where do you land?
On the routes listed here, the Delta, American and United flights arrive at Haneda, while the ANA and Zipair flights arrive at Narita. Haneda is the airport of Tokyo city, while Narita sits in Chiba Prefecture, 1 hour by express train from Tokyo.
Narita serves major international destinations and many domestic airports, including flights operated by several Japanese low-cost carriers. A traveler planning a loop that starts in Tokyo and continues to Hokkaido, Kyushu or Okinawa will find plenty of onward connections from either field.
Arriving at Haneda
At Haneda, the passenger terminal lets you search routes, departure and arrival times, and fares for trains, monorails and buses to your destination. That gives you three kinds of public transport to compare once you have your bags.
Taxis come in two kinds at the airport. There are general stands, and there are stands for taxis dispatched through an app or reserved by phone.
Passengers who arranged a ride through an app or by phone must use the dedicated stand for reserved taxis, so a car booked ahead is not waiting at the general line. Drivers who park rather than pick up have another option: spaces in lots P2 through P5 can be reserved in advance, with the details on each lot’s reservation page.
Arriving at Narita
Three rail lines serve Narita International Airport: the Narita Sky Access line, the Keisei line and the JR line. The terminals connect to the stations on foot, and which station you use depends on your terminal.
| Terminal | Station | Walk |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal 1 | Narita Airport Station | 5 minutes |
| Terminal 2 | Narita Airport Terminal 2・3 Station | 5 minutes |
| Terminal 3 | Narita Airport Terminal 2・3 Station | 10 minutes |
Terminals 2 and 3 share one station, so a traveler arriving at Terminal 3 walks a little farther than one arriving at Terminal 2. ANA and Zipair Tokyo passengers should check which terminal their ticket lists, since that sets the station on arrival.
Kansai and Nagoya as other doors into Japan
Kansai International Airport makes it possible to visit Japan without going through Tokyo, and it is the gateway to western Japan, serving Kyoto, Osaka, Nara and Wakayama. It lies about 50 minutes from Shin-Osaka high-speed train station and 1 hour 15 minutes from Kyoto Station.
Nagoya’s Central Japan International Airport, known as Centrair, is the airport hub for flights to and from cities in Asia and Japan. Both Narita routes to Nagoya–Centrair, flown by ANA and Japan Airlines, make it reachable from a Tokyo arrival.
What do you need for the trip?
You need an airline and gateway decision, an arrival airport, and a plan for the ride into the city. Everything else follows from those three choices, and the airports give you a good deal to work with.
A flight plan that fits your onward route
Start from where you want to spend the first night. If it is central Tokyo, Haneda is the airport of the city itself and Delta, American and United serve it. If your plans run through Chiba or you prefer ANA or Zipair Tokyo, Narita is the field, with its three rail lines on hand.
If the trip is mostly Kyoto, Osaka or Nara, look at Kansai International Airport as well, since it serves them directly. A route that lands in one airport and leaves from another is a habit among travelers in Japan, and the domestic lists above show how many onward flights each airport has.
The ride from the airport
At Narita, the three rail lines carry you from the terminal stations toward Tokyo. The walk from the terminal to its station is part of the plan, and the Terminal 3 walk is the longest of the three.
At Haneda, use the route search at the passenger terminal to compare trains, monorails and buses by departure time and fare. If you would rather go by taxi, the general stands and the app or reserved stands are separate, so decide before you step outside which one you need.
Packing the first day
- A note of your terminal at Narita, because it decides the station and the walk.
- The name of your hotel written in Roman letters, to show a taxi driver or match against the route search.
- Your onward domestic flight details, if you are continuing to Hokkaido, Kyushu or Okinawa from Haneda or Narita.
- A phone with room for the route search results you pull up at the terminal.
Beyond that, a first afternoon in Tokyo asks for little. Travelers drop their bags and go straight out to the streets near their hotel.
Good to know before you go
The U.S. State Department rates Japan Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions.
Money in Japan is the yen, and you will meet it from the first vending machine and train ticket after landing. Whether you head into Tokyo or keep going to Osaka, Nagoya or Sapporo, the same yen follows you along every route above. Keep your onward flights, rail routes and hotel names handy in one place so the first hours after a long flight run smoothly.
Sources
- Wikipedia, Haneda Airport, airlines and destinations (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_International_Airport#Airlines_and_destinations), checked October 11, 2026
- Wikipedia, Narita International Airport, airlines and destinations (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narita_International_Airport#Airlines_and_destinations), checked October 11, 2026
- U.S. Department of State, Japan travel advisory (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/japan-travel-advisory.html)
- Japan National Tourism Organization, how to reach the city from each international airport (https://www.japan.travel/en/plan/airport-access/), checked October 11, 2026
- Japan National Tourism Organization, how to get to Japan, airports, airlines (https://www.japan.travel/en/plan/getting-to-japan/), checked October 11, 2026
- Narita International Airport, Access by rail (https://www.narita-airport.jp/en/access/train/), checked October 11, 2026
- Haneda Airport Passenger Terminal, Access (https://tokyo-haneda.com/en/access/index.html), checked October 11, 2026
To plan your stay
- Best Time to Visit Japan: Cherry Blossoms, Autumn Colors, Weather and Festivals
- Things to Do in Japan: Kyoto Temples, Onsen, Street Food and Day Trips
- Where to Stay in Japan: Ryokan, Temple Stays, Capsule Hotels and the Best Cities to Base In
- Know Before You Go to Japan: Entry, Money, Etiquette and Getting Around