A nonstop flight from New York to Tokyo takes about 14½ hours. You can fly from JFK to Haneda or from Newark to either Haneda or Narita.
When you compare flights, look at where and when you land. A flight that gets into Haneda at 5 a.m. might look great until you realize your hotel room won’t be ready until the afternoon.
For other routes to Japan and beyond, see the WanderMileage flight-time guide.
How Long Is the Flight From New York to Tokyo?
The nonstop flights below take 14 hours 20 minutes to 14 hours 36 minutes. There’s only about 15 minutes between them, so check how long it takes to get to JFK or Newark and from Haneda or Narita to your hotel.
| Nonstop route | Airlines to check | Example flight times |
|---|---|---|
| JFK to Haneda (HND) | ANA, Japan Airlines and American Airlines | 14 hr 30 min to 14 hr 36 min |
| Newark (EWR) to Haneda (HND) | United Airlines | 14 hr 35 min |
| Newark (EWR) to Narita (NRT) | United Airlines | 14 hr 20 min |
These are gate-to-gate times, so they include taxiing before takeoff and after landing. Check your ticket for the time of your flight.
JFK or Newark: Which Airport Should You Fly From?
JFK to Haneda
JFK gives you a choice of ANA, Japan Airlines and American Airlines for nonstop flights to Haneda. Look beyond the airline name in the search results. A flight can be sold by a partner airline under a different flight number, so check the “operated by” line before comparing seats, baggage or ticket terms.
Some Japan Airlines and ANA flights leave JFK just after midnight and land in Tokyo early the next morning. A daytime departure can get you to Haneda in the afternoon, closer to hotel check-in.
If you’re coming from Queens or Long Island, check what it costs to get to Newark before booking a slightly cheaper fare. From Midtown, take the Long Island Rail Road to Jamaica and transfer to AirTrain for your JFK terminal. Leave time for both trains.
Newark to Haneda or Narita
United flies nonstop from Newark to both Haneda and Narita. If Newark is easier for you to get to, compare both arrivals. Haneda can save you time if you’re staying near Shinagawa, while Narita has direct trains to Tokyo Station.
From Manhattan, take NJ Transit from New York Penn Station to the Newark Airport rail station, then transfer to AirTrain for your terminal. Stay on past Newark Penn Station. Check Newark’s AirTrain service alerts before you leave.
What If You See JFK to Narita in a Search Result?
If a flight site shows a nonstop from JFK to Narita, check whether the airline sells a ticket that ends in Tokyo. A flight tracker can show a stop in Narita on the way to another city. For a nonstop to Narita, start your search from Newark. If you’d rather fly from JFK, look for Haneda.
Haneda vs Narita: Which Tokyo Airport Is Better for Your Trip?
Haneda is the easier arrival for many stays in central Tokyo. Narita can still work well if its trains take you close to your hotel or its fare and departure time suit you better. Compare the station nearest your accommodation rather than using “downtown Tokyo” as your destination.
| Final Destination | From Haneda | From Narita |
|---|---|---|
| Shinagawa | Keikyu rail service. Haneda Airport estimates about 15 minutes to the station. | Narita Express serves Shinagawa. Check your train’s stops. |
| Tokyo Station or Marunouchi | Haneda Airport estimates about 30 minutes to Tokyo Station. Allow for a change of trains. | The fastest Narita Express takes 53 minutes to Tokyo Station. Other departures can take longer. |
| Ueno | Allow for an onward rail connection. | Keisei Skyliner serves Keisei Ueno and Nippori. Check which is closer to your hotel. |
| Shinjuku or Shibuya | The airport estimates about 50 minutes to Shinjuku and 45 to Shibuya by public transport. | Check Narita Express departures for a train that serves your station. |
Those times are estimates or the fastest published services. When comparing flights, add time to clear immigration, collect bags, walk to the station and wait for a train. If you land early in the morning, check when your train starts running. For a late arrival, look up the last train before you commit to that flight.
If the Narita fare is cheaper, add the train cost and the time to your hotel before deciding. A direct train to your neighbourhood can be easier with luggage than a shorter trip with a transfer. On the other hand, if you’re staying next to Shinagawa Station and the fares are close, Haneda is a straightforward choice.
Check the official rail pages for your arrival airport before travelling. Haneda rail and monorail access and Narita rail access.
Compare the Time You’ll Reach Your Hotel
Try this with two flights you’re considering. First, write down the local landing time. Then look up the route to your hotel from the actual arrival terminal. Add time to reach the station, catch the train and walk from your stop. Use the same assumptions for both flights so you can see which one saves time where it matters.
Say one flight lands at Narita at 3:15 p.m. and another lands at Haneda at 4:20 p.m. The Narita flight gives you a 65-minute head start. If you’re staying near Tokyo Station and can get a direct train without a long wait, that head start may be worth more than the shorter rail ride from Haneda. If you’re staying near Shinagawa and the next Narita Express that stops there leaves much later, the gap can shrink.
Do the same check for the return. You may be happy to land at Narita on the way in but prefer Haneda on departure day, especially if you’re starting from southern Tokyo. If you search those flights as a multi-city itinerary, check the combined fare and baggage terms before booking. Keep both airport codes in your hotel and transport notes so you don’t accidentally plan the trip back to the airport you flew into.
What Day Do You Arrive in Tokyo?
New York and Tokyo show their own local times on your ticket. Tokyo is 14 hours ahead when New York is on Eastern Standard Time and 13 hours ahead during Eastern Daylight Time. A nonstop flight from New York lands the next calendar day on the schedules shown here. Look for “+1” beside the arrival time.
Here’s what that looks like for two Japan Airlines departures. In these November examples, both flights are scheduled for 14 hours and 35 minutes.
| Leave JFK on Friday | Arrive at Haneda on Saturday | What it means for your plans |
|---|---|---|
| 12:35 a.m. | 5:10 a.m. | Go to the airport Thursday night. Ask your hotel about storing bags if your room won’t be ready. |
| 12:20 p.m. | 4:55 p.m. | Go to the airport Friday morning. Plan your train and dinner around an evening hotel arrival. |
That first flight leaves 35 minutes into Friday. If you go to JFK on Friday night, you’ll be a day late. Book your Tokyo accommodation for your local arrival date, and confirm early access separately if you need a room as soon as you land.
On the return, a morning or evening Tokyo departure can arrive in New York on the same calendar day. Japan Airlines, for example, lists a Haneda departure at 7:45 p.m. with a 6:30 p.m. New York arrival for its winter schedule. That’s about 12 hours and 45 minutes gate to gate on a November date, even though the New York clock reads an earlier time. Check the arrival date before arranging a ride or onward ticket.
Is a One-Stop Flight to Tokyo Worth It?
A connection can make sense if it saves enough money or gets you into the Tokyo airport you need. Compare the total trip time shown for the itinerary. A flight search can put the time for one leg next to the total for another option, so open the full itinerary and check the layover.
For example, if your choices are a 14-hour-30-minute nonstop and a 20-hour one-stop, the connection adds five and a half hours between the airports, before you account for the trip to your hotel. If the connection also puts you into Tokyo later at night, check that you can still get to your accommodation without having to pay for a long taxi ride.
Pay close attention to connections that use both Haneda and Narita. Haneda Airport estimates about one hour and 45 minutes between the airport stations by rail. That estimate covers the rail trip. Allow additional time for immigration, bags, getting to the station, and check-in or screening at the other airport. If you’re continuing to another Japanese city, look first for an itinerary that connects at the same airport.
If a cheaper option uses separate tickets, check how much time you have to claim and recheck bags and what happens if the first flight runs late. A modest saving can disappear if you have to buy a replacement ticket.
How to Pick Your Flight
Start with the New York airport you can reach most easily, then compare Haneda and Narita against your hotel location. If you’re choosing between two Haneda arrivals, look at when you can get into your room and how you’d spend the hours before check-in. For a first visit, an afternoon landing can be simpler than turning up before most of the city has opened.
Before paying, check the four details that can change your plans: departure airport, operating airline, arrival airport and local arrival date. If you’re also considering a West Coast departure, compare the flight time from Los Angeles to Tokyo and include the time it takes to get to LAX.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can fly nonstop from JFK to Haneda and from Newark to either Haneda or Narita on the schedules checked for this guide.
The sample nonstop flights from both airports are close to 14½ hours, so your trips to and from the airports are more likely to determine which itinerary is quicker overall.
Japan Airlines schedules about 12 hours and 45 minutes from Haneda to JFK, with the plane arriving on the same calendar day.
Your ticket shows arrival the next day in Tokyo on the nonstop schedules checked here, even though the scheduled flight takes about 14½ hours.
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