Haneda Connection Timing

[Tony Galiani]

Early days yet but I am planning my next trip to Japan and looking at various travel options.  One I am considering has an hour and thirty minute connection at Haneda.  On our last trip we got through Immigration relatively slowly (since we did not get landing cards on our flight and needed to complete them in the terminal) but assuming we are better prepared next time, does that connection time seem reasonable?  Thinking we would need to go from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1 and through security again.

 

In some airports I have traveled through (looking at CDG) I am not sure I would attempt that.  Others, say DTW, that would likely be easy.  Thinking it might be doable at Haneda but if anyone has any input I would certainly appreciate it.

 

Thanks,
Tony Galiani

[Tony Galiani]

An additional note - I did look at the airline schedule for that date and there are three later flights so thinking the airline would protect us for a later flight if we missed our connection but still curious as to the possibility of making it.

Interestingly, I checked a couple of airlines and some of the schedules offered a shorter connection - 80 minutes which is what I understand it the minimum for Haneda.

 

Ciao,

Tony

[Raicho485]

Hello,

I would say an hour and half connection at Haneda might be tight.. 

 

1. Immigration

Every time I visit Japan, I see immigration is always busy for tourists.
 

2.Teminal 2 to 1

Walk about 400m between terminals possible or free connecting bus available.

Yes, passing security takes time as well. Evening time might be even busier.

 

Airlines are usually good at changing later flight if you miss connecting flight… 

info about haneda terminal

https://tokyo-haneda.com/en/access/travel_between_terminals/

 

 

[Gunzel]

Hi Tony, doing this connection tomorrow, though we have a bit more time, just over 3 hours. Will let you know how we go. 

[Tony Galiani]

Thanks.  I am curious as to how it goes.  We have not had a bad experience at Haneda but I never really paid attention to how long it took us to get through Immigration and have not yet tried to do a connection there.

Ciao,

Tony

[Kamome]

I’ve had a single occasion with JAL when the long haul flight, London to Haneda was delayed and we missed our connecting flight (also JAL) to Fukuoka. JAL just put us on the next flight without issue. Obviously if you book flights with one carrier, they’ll be responsible for the entire journey, even if the aircraft is a route share. If you book each separately with different carriers, you’ll probably be less well covered. 

Edited November 5, 2023 by Kamome

[Gunzel]

Hot off the press. We were coming from Seoul (back from a side trip to Korea) and connecting to Obihiro in Hokkaido. 
 

Landed 0948

Gate 0958

Disembark 1000

Immigration queue 1004 queue was very short. Only 20 or so people. 

Immigration clear 1007

Bag belt starts 1011

Collect bag 1016

Customs queue 1018

Customs clear 1020

Bag drop (bags tagged through) 1023

Domestic transfer security 1025 (no queue)

Shuttle bus stop  1026

Shuttle bus scheduled 1035 - 1050

Shuttle bus depart 1036

Shuttle bus arrive 1049

Gate 1056

 

We were flying JAL and some passengers had a tight connection to Aomori, there was a staff member to meet them off the plane and shepherd them through to make sure they made the connection. Not sure if they would do this for interline passengers. 

 

The immigration queue for visitors was very short. Probably only 20 people in it when we joined. Not the hundreds I am used to at Narita. 

 

At the domestic connecting check-in desk there were a couple of passengers next to us that were being rebooked because of missing a connection, the following flight was full however so they were looking at a long day waiting at Haneda for an early evening flight. 

 

It was nice to transfer inside security and on a bus that travelled on the tarmac airside, an interesting view. The security for domestic connections was very quick because we were the only ones there. 

 

The airside bus is scheduled with 4 or 5 an hour through the day, I can upload a photo of the schedule if that helps. 

 

Anyway, I think we had a pretty good run, but even then I think you’ve got an extra at least fifteen to twenty minutes to account for any delays at any step. 

 

I’ve also in the past been able to book flights through a travel agent and get them to work their magic to put some more fat in the connection time without costing any more. I’d certainly book it as a single ticket so you are protected by the airline. 

[kuro68000]

Glad you made it. Did you use the Visit Japan Web site to do all the immigration stuff ahead of time?

 

I'm not going for another 5 weeks but already filled out my landing and customs cards.

[tridentalx]

I had a connecting flight at Haneda from BA to JAL domestic all on one ticket. The BA inbound was late and when I landed I'd already been moved onto a later flight. If you're on one ticket for both international and domestic then I'm pretty sure they will just put you on a later flight if you're late. 90 mins is pretty tight though if you're doing immigration and collecting bags so any delay (10 mins late landing, 10 mins delay for bags) and you may be stressing about the connection.

[Tony Galiani]

@Gunzel - great info.  Good to know.  

I am usually prepared when I travel - reviewing the airport info, having a list of flight options in case we miss our connection or a flight gets cancelled but it is always good to hear other people's experience.  Likely to try ANA/United for the trip as they seem to have the most options if something goes wrong.  And, at least on my recent flights to the US, they (United) protected us when our flights were late (thought thankfully) we did not have to take the options as we just made our connections.

 

@mojo - didn't realize you could do that in advance!  I need to go back and look at the web site.  That is my kind of preparation.

 

@tridentalx - no checked bags for me!  And I have told my wife she can check as many bags as she wants - as long as she understands I am not waiting for her!

 

Ciao,

Tony

[Kamome]

As Haneda will be the port of entry, you’ll need to factor in baggage claim time, catching terminal bus and rechecking baggage at the domestic terminal too. As others have mentioned, if it’s on a single ticket, you’ll usually be bumped on to the next flight if there’s any delays. If JAL, you’re usually appointed a member of ground staff to be a pace setter while you run through the terminal. 😂

[Gunzel]

13 hours ago, mojo said:

Glad you made it. Did you use the Visit Japan Web site to do all the immigration stuff ahead of time?

We used that back in January, it was compulsory then. But this time just used the cards. I didn’t feel that the QR codes would have sped anything up for us. I think at Narita the customs QR code required the use of a kiosk but didn’t see them at Haneda. 
 

My other tip is if on JAL domestic connection don’t bother trying to use the self checkin kiosks, they haven’t worked either time we tried, and you just get kicked over to the special baggage line. 
 

ANA also had a domestic connection checkin desk in the international terminal at Haneda, and an airside shuttle bus.

[Guest]

Bottom line with air travel you cannot predict ANYTHING.  My current flight(s) were changed 6 times by the airline since booking back in April.  You’re spinning you wheels worrying about “early days” travel. One time you’ll get bags and thru immigration in 15 minutes, another time could be hour+. 

[kuro68000]

10 hours ago, Kamome said:

As Haneda will be the port of entry, you’ll need to factor in baggage claim time, catching terminal bus and rechecking baggage at the domestic terminal too. As others have mentioned, if it’s on a single ticket, you’ll usually be bumped on to the next flight if there’s any delays. If JAL, you’re usually appointed a member of ground staff to be a pace setter while you run through the terminal. 😂

 

Can confirm. One time, many years ago, there was an issue with the Narita Express so I ended up taking the Keisei Main Line and arriving a bit late. Nice lady from JAL rushed by through customs and to the right terminal, and I managed to board at the very last minute.

 

I think that was before the Skyliner was running. I'm not sure what other passengers did, probably set off earlier than me. These days I allow more time to get there.

[JR East]

8 hours ago, Bob Martin said:

Bottom line with air travel you cannot predict ANYTHING.  My current flight(s) were changed 6 times by the airline since booking back in April.  You’re spinning you wheels worrying about “early days” travel. One time you’ll get bags and thru immigration in 15 minutes, another time could be hour+. 

 

 

That's a good reason for traveling with the same reservation from A to B and B to C. In that case, the airline is responsible of the overall travel (inc; in case of code share) and usually rearrange the different bookings. As you can read, I've said the same reservation because if you pruchase two tickets in two different reservations even at the same company (for convenience purpose or because it's sometimes cheaper), you are suppose to manage that yourself.

Even with one single reservation, I got various good and bad experience esp. in the USA. I was sometimes obliged to threaten to take legal action to force them to do something appropriate (my frequent flying status was just silver or nearly gold at that time) 

[kuro68000]

It's important to have good travel insurance and know your rights.