Somewhere over the Pacific, the seat-back map swings toward the islands of Japan, and the question every traveler on this route eventually asks comes up: which Tokyo airport is this plane heading for? The answer depends on the airline you booked. Nonstop service from San Francisco lands at either Haneda or Narita, and the two are different experiences on the ground.
Which airlines fly from San Francisco to Tokyo?
Three airlines fly nonstop between San Francisco and the Tokyo area: United Airlines, All Nippon Airways and Zipair Tokyo. United lands at Haneda, while the other two land at Narita International Airport. That split is the first thing to look at when you compare tickets, because it decides where your trip into the city begins.
| Airline | Tokyo airport |
|---|---|
| United Airlines | Haneda Airport |
| All Nippon Airways | Narita International Airport |
| Zipair Tokyo | Narita International Airport |
United Airlines to Haneda
United is the carrier on this route that arrives at Haneda, the airport of Tokyo city itself. It is now possible to arrive directly in the heart of Tokyo from international destinations through Haneda, which is the appeal of choosing it.
United’s other Haneda nonstops reach Chicago, Guam, Los Angeles, Newark and Washington-Dulles, so a connection onward from the U.S. is possible if San Francisco is not your starting point. The airline is the one to look at if you want to land at the Tokyo city airport and not at Narita.
All Nippon Airways and Zipair Tokyo to Narita
All Nippon Airways flies nonstop from San Francisco to Narita, alongside Chicago, Honolulu and Los Angeles, with seasonal service to Vancouver. Zipair Tokyo also lands at Narita from San Francisco, and its U.S. list includes Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles and San Jose in California, plus charter flights to Orlando.
Narita serves most major international destinations and many domestic airports, so these two flights open up connections within Japan too. All Nippon Airways flies from Narita to Nagoya, Osaka-Itami and Sapporo-Chitose. Japan Airlines links Narita with Nagoya and Osaka-Itami.
Flying on within Japan
From Narita, 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. Spring Japan serves Hakodate, Hiroshima and Sapporo-Chitose.
From Haneda, Skymark Airlines flies to Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Kobe, Naha, Sapporo-Chitose and Shimojishima. Solaseed Air serves Kagoshima, Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Nagasaki, Naha and Oita, and StarFlyer goes to Fukuoka, Kitakyushu, Osaka-Kansai and Ube. Air Do covers Asahikawa, Hakodate, Kushiro, Memanbetsu, Obihiro and Sapporo-Chitose.
Where do you land?
You land at Haneda if you fly United and at Narita if you fly All Nippon Airways or Zipair Tokyo. Haneda is the airport of Tokyo city. Narita is one of the two airports serving the capital, handling international and domestic destinations.
Arriving at Narita
Narita sits in Chiba Prefecture, 1 hour by express train from Tokyo. Three rail lines serve the airport: the Narita Sky Access line, the Keisei line and the JR line. That gives you three ways to start the ride toward the city by train.
The airport has three terminals, and the walk to the station differs between them. 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 that same station.
| 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 |
Arriving at Haneda
From the Haneda passenger terminal, you can search for routes, departure and arrival times, and fares for trains, monorails and buses to your destination. That makes it simple to compare the rail and bus options once you have a hotel address in hand.
Taxis come in two kinds of stands. There are general stands, and there are stands for app-dispatched or reserved taxis. A passenger who arranged a taxi through an app or by phone must use the dedicated stand for reserved taxis. Parking lots P2 through P5 can be reserved in advance, which matters mostly if someone is driving to meet you.
Other gateways to Japan
Kansai International Airport makes it possible to visit Japan without going through Tokyo. It is the gateway to western Japan, serving Kyoto, Osaka, Nara and Wakayama. It sits 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 are options for a trip that does not center on Tokyo, though the nonstop flights from San Francisco described here go to the Tokyo airports.
What do you need for the trip?
For the flight itself, what you need is a choice: which airline, and so which airport, fits the rest of your plans. The route offers three nonstop carriers, and each one shapes the first hours of your arrival in a different way.
Match the airport to your first night
If your hotel is in Tokyo and you want to arrive at the city’s own airport, United into Haneda is the match. If you are happy to ride the express train in from Chiba Prefecture, All Nippon Airways and Zipair Tokyo into Narita are the other two choices. Narita’s train lines give you three ways to reach the city, and Haneda offers trains, monorails and buses.
Think about luggage and the rest of your itinerary too. A trip that continues to Sapporo, Fukuoka or Naha can use the domestic carriers listed at either airport, so the Tokyo airport you land at can also be your point of departure for the next flight.
Match the airport to your onward plans
A traveler heading to Osaka has several choices. From Narita, All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines fly to Osaka-Itami, and Jetstar Japan and Peach fly to Osaka-Kansai. From Haneda, StarFlyer flies to Osaka-Kansai and Skymark Airlines to Kobe.
Heading to Hokkaido, Sapporo-Chitose is served from Narita by All Nippon Airways, Jetstar Japan, Peach and Spring Japan. From Haneda it is served by Skymark Airlines and Air Do. Kyushu and Okinawa are reached through Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Naha and others, from both airports.
Departures from the U.S.
San Francisco is one of several U.S. gateways. If a different city suits you better, Delta Air Lines flies nonstop from Haneda to Atlanta, Detroit, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul and Seattle/Tacoma. American Airlines flies from Haneda to Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles and New York-JFK. These are useful when your trip begins elsewhere but you still want to land at Haneda.
Good to know before you go
The U.S. State Department rates Japan Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions.
Once you land, the rail, monorail and bus choices at the airport are worth a moment of planning, and each airport has its own set. Decide the route to your hotel before you leave the terminal, then enjoy the first evening in the city.
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