Somewhere over the Pacific the cabin lights come up, the flight map shows the long curve of the Japanese islands, and the question turns practical: which airport is waiting, and how do you get from the runway into the city? For a traveler leaving the New York area, the answer is Haneda, reached on American Airlines from JFK or on United from Newark. Narita, Kansai and Nagoya come into play once the plans widen beyond Tokyo.
Which airlines fly from New York to Tokyo?
Two U.S. carriers link the New York area with Tokyo nonstop, and both land at Haneda Airport: American Airlines out of JFK and United Airlines out of Newark. Between them they cover both of the region’s big international airports, so the choice often comes down to which side of the Hudson you live on.
| Airline | New York area airport | Tokyo airport |
|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | New York–JFK | Haneda |
| United Airlines | Newark | Haneda |
American Airlines from JFK
American flies between Haneda and New York–JFK, and the same carrier also links Haneda with Dallas/Fort Worth and Los Angeles. That network matters if you live outside the New York area and want to join the Tokyo flight from another city, or if you plan to return through a different gateway than the one you left from.
JFK is the choice for travelers based in Queens, Brooklyn, Long Island or Manhattan who prefer to start from the airport on their side of the region. On arrival, the Haneda terminal is where you begin searching for trains, monorails and buses into the city.
United Airlines from Newark
United flies between Newark and Haneda. Its other nonstop links with Haneda include Chicago–O’Hare, Guam, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington–Dulles, which gives United the widest spread of U.S. gateways to Haneda among the carriers named here.
Newark suits travelers from New Jersey, the Hudson Valley side of the region and much of Manhattan’s west side. Because both New York flights end at the same Tokyo airport, you land in the same place whichever carrier you pick, and the choice rests on your starting point, your schedule and your loyalty program.
Other airlines serving Tokyo from the U.S.
Several other carriers fly nonstop to Tokyo from American cities, though not from New York. Delta flies to Haneda from Atlanta, Detroit, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul and Seattle/Tacoma. All Nippon Airways flies into Narita from Chicago–O’Hare, Honolulu, Los Angeles and San Francisco, with seasonal service to Vancouver.
Zipair Tokyo also lands at Narita, from Honolulu, Houston–Intercontinental, Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Jose, with charter flights to Orlando. These are worth knowing about if your trip begins elsewhere in the country or you are comparing gateways, since the cities they leave from sit on the West Coast, in the South and in the Midwest.
Where do you land?
On both nonstop flights from the New York area you land at Haneda, the airport of Tokyo city itself. It is now possible to arrive directly in the heart of Tokyo from international destinations, and that is the airport both American and United use for their New York service.
Haneda, the airport of Tokyo
Haneda is the airport most travelers from New York see first. From the passenger terminal you can search for routes, departure and arrival times, and fares for trains, monorails and buses to wherever you are staying. Haneda also feeds a long list of Japanese cities, which is useful if Tokyo is only the first stop on a longer trip.
Air Do flies from Haneda to Asahikawa, Hakodate, Kushiro, Memanbetsu, Obihiro and Sapporo–Chitose, which covers Hokkaido. Skymark Airlines serves Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Kobe, Naha, Sapporo–Chitose and Shimojishima. Solaseed Air flies to Kagoshima, Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Nagasaki, Naha and Oita, and StarFlyer to Fukuoka, Kitakyushu, Osaka–Kansai and Ube.
Narita, the second Tokyo airport
Narita is one of the two airports serving the capital, and it handles international and domestic flights. It sits in Chiba Prefecture, 1 hour by express train from Tokyo. It is the airport you would see if your ticket comes from All Nippon Airways or Zipair, or if you booked a route that does not use Haneda.
Three rail lines serve Narita: the Narita Sky Access line, the Keisei line and the JR line. Once inside the airport, the walk from the station depends on the 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 |
Kansai and Nagoya for trips beyond Tokyo
Kansai International Airport, known as KIX, makes it possible to visit Japan without going through Tokyo. It is the gateway to western Japan, serving Kyoto, Osaka, Nara and Wakayama. By train it is about 50 minutes from Shin-Osaka high-speed train station and 1 hour 15 minutes from Kyoto Station.
Nagoya’s Central Japan International Airport, called Centrair, is the hub for flights to and from cities in Asia and Japan. Both All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines fly there from Narita, so it can be a stop on a domestic itinerary that starts in Tokyo.
What do you need for the trip?
Beyond the ticket, the practical part of the trip is the way out of the airport and, for many travelers, a flight or train onward from Tokyo. The details differ between Haneda and Narita, so it helps to know which of the two your flight uses.
Leaving Haneda by train, monorail, bus or taxi
At the Haneda passenger terminal, you can search for routes, departure and arrival times, and fares for trains, monorails and buses to your destination. That gives you the full range of public options in one place, and you can compare them before you decide how to reach your hotel.
Taxis work from two kinds of stands: general stands, and stands for app-dispatched or reserved taxis. A passenger who has arranged a taxi through an app or by phone must use the dedicated stand for reserved taxis. Anyone who has not arranged a ride goes to a general stand.
Parking is for travelers who arrive by car rather than flying in. Spaces in lots P2 through P5 can be reserved in advance, with details on each lot’s reservation page.
Leaving Narita by rail
Narita’s three rail lines are the Narita Sky Access line, the Keisei line and the JR line. Terminal 1 is a 5-minute walk from Narita Airport Station. Terminal 2 is a 5-minute walk from Narita Airport Terminal 2・3 Station, and Terminal 3 is a 10-minute walk from the same station.
The whole trip from the airport into Tokyo is 1 hour by express train. For anyone landing at Narita after a long flight, that is the figure to keep in mind when planning how the evening goes.
Onward flights within Japan
From Narita, All Nippon Airways flies nonstop to Nagoya–Centrair, Osaka–Itami and Sapporo–Chitose. Japan Airlines flies to Nagoya–Centrair and Osaka–Itami. Spring Japan serves Hakodate, Hiroshima and Sapporo–Chitose.
The low-cost carriers cover a wider map. Jetstar Japan flies to Asahikawa, Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Kōchi, Kumamoto, Matsuyama, Miyazaki, Nagasaki, Naha, Ōita, Osaka–Kansai, Sapporo–Chitose, Shimojishima, Shonai and Takamatsu. Peach flies to Amami Oshima, Fukuoka, Ishigaki, Kagoshima, Kushiro, Miyazaki, Nagasaki, Naha, Ōita, Osaka–Kansai and Sapporo–Chitose. Those lists show how far a Tokyo arrival can stretch, from the northern island of Hokkaido to Naha in Okinawa and the smaller islands beyond.
Good to know before you go
The U.S. State Department rates Japan Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions.
A trip from New York to Tokyo is a long flight into a country where the airport you land at shapes the first hours more than anything else. Haneda drops you into the city itself, Narita puts a train ride between you and your hotel, and Kansai or Nagoya open the way to other regions. Fares for trains, monorails and buses are searchable at the Haneda terminal, so you can see the amount for your route there.
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