JAL Mileage Bank - Enough time for NRT-HND transfer

I am planning a trip to Hiroshima late November.

If I arrive on QF at 6:10AM (scheduled), do you think I'll be okay for a 09:55 scheduled departure from HND? I'll have hand luggage only and the first bus departs at 07:00.

Also, since J class is ¥9000 more for a roundtrip, is it worth the extra? If so, which equipment is a better experience - 767 or AB6?

Thanks kindly!

Also, since J class is ¥9000 more for a roundtrip, is it worth the extra? If so, which equipment is a better experience - 767 or AB6?
!

It's only 1000 yen oneway at the gate if seats are available. The seats are more like premium economy seats. I would just upgrade at the gate to save myself 7000 yen.

Class J is very popular and usually full. In fact, on 99% of my flights there has been a waiting list. JAL elites get preference on the waitlist, so if you are not elite and you try to upgrade on the day of the flight, your odds of getting the seat may be slim...

Class J is very popular and usually full. In fact, on 99% of my flights there has been a waiting list. JAL elites get preference on the waitlist, so if you are not elite and you try to upgrade on the day of the flight, your odds of getting the seat may be slim...

I guess I was just lucky last time and scored 3 J seats without waiting list and there were couple of empty seats too...:D

I calculated the ¥9,000 premium if I don't use the ¥20,000 roundtrip for two sectors using JAL's Visit Japan pass. Looks like the Y seats will do just fine.

I am keen to know if the 06:10 - 09:55 interval is risky for NRT-HND. Thanks.

Of course another way to Hiroshima is by shinkansen and it will only set me back ¥28,000. Either mode I get to arrive at Hiroshima between 2-3PM so time is not a factor. By flying, I get to sample JL and also get some SCs for QF. After all, I am an FT'er :D

I calculated the ¥9,000 premium if I don't use the ¥20,000 roundtrip for two sectors using JAL's Visit Japan pass. Looks like the Y seats will do just fine.

Actually 18,000 yen roundtrip because OW is having a 10% off promotion for their 10th anniversary. So it will be 11,000 yen difference :p

I am keen to know if the 06:10 - 09:55 interval is risky for NRT-HND. Thanks.



If you can take the 7 a.m. bus, I would say it's doable. The cut-off time for a domestic flight is 15 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time.

If you can take the 7 a.m. bus, I would say it's doable. The cut-off time for a domestic flight is 15 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time.

How's traffic like during that time of the day?

How's traffic like during that time of the day?

If you are too concerned about it, you could also take trains. A Japan Railway service leaving at 7:02 a.m. and a connection at Shinagawa Station to Keikyu Line will get you to Haneda airport at 9:12 a.m., more than enough for a 9:55 a.m. flight.

If you are too concerned about it, you could also take trains. A Japan Railway service leaving at 7:02 a.m. and a connection at Shinagawa Station to Keikyu Line will get you to Haneda airport at 9:12 a.m., more than enough for a 9:55 a.m. flight.

That's what I would usually do because IMHO trains are more reliable and are on time 99.9999% of the time. But it requires transfer as you mentioned. I am not sure if this will be too complicated for the OP. If OP gets lost and misses the connection, he/she will be cutting really close.

That's what I would usually do because IMHO trains are more reliable and are on time 99.9999% of the time. But it requires transfer as you mentioned. I am not sure if this will be too complicated for the OP. If OP gets lost and misses the connection, he/she will be cutting really close.

If complicated connections are a problem, you can take the 7:16 a.m. Keisei line train to Aoto. Change there to Haneda airport direct. Connections at Aoto are usually simple. You will arrive at Haneda at 9:16 a.m.

I am looking at the timetable on Nov. 29, btw, a holiday, which offers less frequencies than a weekday. You may have a better connection on a weekday.

I am not too concerned about bus services. Trains may be more reliable but not always. Buses are also faster and simpler than trains to Haneda.

Thanks for all tips folks.

I will go armed with the train itineraries and see how I get thru' immigration on the day. I land on a Tuesday. I am going for the 09:55 flight as this is what booking engines (eg expedia) offer as the connecting flight. Amongst all the options it gets me into Hiroshima the earliest so that I can have a look see around town before a full day's work on Wednesday.

Judging by the responses J class offers little more, so I will get the "Visit Japan" pass and try to u/grade at the gate. Of course, I can go straight from NRT to FUK on the same passes and then take the Shinkanesn but, wishing to try the Nozumi, I will probably fork out ¥9000 for the privilege and arrive more than a hour later :rolleyes:

I will go armed with the train itineraries and see how I get thru' immigration on the day. I land on a Tuesday. I am going for the 09:55 flight as this is what booking engines (eg expedia) offer as the connecting flight. Amongst all the options it gets me into Hiroshima the earliest so that I can have a look see around town before a full day's work on Wednesday.


You can also choose JAL1607 which departs at 11:40 and arrives at 13:10. This will give you more time for errors and you don't have to rush. But the downside is you will arrive Hiroshima 1.5 hours later. And you can always standby for the 9:55 flight if you arrive early.

http://www.ar.jal.com/region/en/flight_planning/fares/yokoso_condi.html

Rebooking is not permitted for the first domestic sector but permitted to earlier flights at airport on the date of departure at stand-by basis. Remaining sectors may be open and may be booked at any time.

You can also choose JAL1607 which departs at 11:40 and arrives at 13:10. ...

Brilliant JALPak^ That is what I shall do :cool:

If it's a weekday, trains from Narita airport will get packed in the morning. Not really recommended.

If I were you, I would just take the bus. It's right there outside your arrival terminal and drops you off right in front of the departure terminal, nothing could be simpler than that. Trains can get pretty crowded in the morning. As far as schedule and traffic are concerned, I don't think you have much to worry, unless there is an accident en route that day. As far as I can tell from my few rides from Haneda->Narita and town center-> airport, (all starting times were before 8am), the buses were all right on time, if not a little early. With your schedule, I think you have a very good chance of catching the 9:55am.

You are very safe.

You'll make the 7:00 a.m. bus. In fact, if immigration and baggage collection are particularly speedy, and you've got some extra time, take a walk down to the B1F level and see if the shower room has a free slot. It's often busy in the morning arrival rush, but you might get lucky. It's only 500 yen (or perhaps free if you flash a J or F boarding pass stub). In fact, you might do that anyway, because....

If you miss the 7:00 a.m. bus there's another at 7:20, then 7:35, then 7:50, then 8:05....

The advertised bus time is 75 minutes. This is pretty accurate. However, if there's something unusual then you still have a lot of padding in your schedule. And Haneda check-in and security procedures are very speedy. If you're pulling up with 30 minutes until flight time you're earlier than many.

As already mentioned, JAL has another flight less than two hours later, so if for some extremely unusual reason you miss the 9:55 it's still not a problem.

Enjoy your trip.

Thank you all for your erudite responses.

I have, however, hit a snag. I booked the advance purchase J fare on the JAL domestic (English) website and it required me to enter a local phone number (or else it won't complete the booking) and I gave the Tokyo office number for QF.

That far so good. Selected the seats and proceeded to payment screen. Unfortunately, both of my Visa cards were rejected (AU and NZ based). Called the NZ JAL contact and she told me that I cannot book those SAKATOKU fares or any web-based fares from outside of Japan and suggested that book thru' a local TA.. Er? Expedia charges 3x for the tkts. Help!

Thank you all for your erudite responses.

I have, however, hit a snag. I booked the advance purchase J fare on the JAL domestic (English) website and it required me to enter a local phone number (or else it won't complete the booking) and I gave the Tokyo office number for QF.

That far so good. Selected the seats and proceeded to payment screen. Unfortunately, both of my Visa cards were rejected (AU and NZ based). Called the NZ JAL contact and she told me that I cannot book those SAKATOKU fares or any web-based fares from outside of Japan and suggested that book thru' a local TA.. Er? Expedia charges 3x for the tkts. Help!

Try calling a real travel agency like HIS (http://www.traveljapan.com.au/), JTB (http://www.japantravel.com.au/), etc. They should able to help.

If you are flying QF to Japan, don't you have access to oneworld Visit Japan fares? They are more flexible and cheaper than commonly available discount fares on JL's Japan website, I thought.

Sakidoku fares don't allow you to change to an earlier flight on the same day. Bargain fares do but are not on offer all the time.

If you are flying QF to Japan, don't you have access to oneworld Visit Japan fares? They are more flexible and cheaper than commonly available discount fares on JL's Japan website, I thought.

Sakidoku fares don't allow you to change to an earlier flight on the same day. Bargain fares do but are not on offer all the time.

OP wants to secure a J class seat

Yes I do. For a very small premium J gives me some tidy SCs on QF. I have managed to secure the J seats using AMEX (Non-Japan VISA seems dysfunctional on the JAL site).