Ahh it does exist.

Looking at the timetable (https://www.narita-airport.jp/files/tt_1to2_28.pdf), if your plane arrives right on time, you might be able to catch the 4:42pm shuttle to T2. If it parks at the gate even 5min late, you're probably looking at the 5.12pm shuttle. Says it takes 15min on the shuttle, so you're getting to T2 airside close to 5.30pm but you'd still be fine.

If your NH flight arrives >30min late, though, you might be in trouble. Chances are, you'll be fine. But that's the risk you'll have to assess. I would not take that risk, but I think many here would.

NH will usually check luggage through to JAL at Narita, as long as it meets MCT between terminals. I can't remember if 95 minutes is within that.

95 minutes is probably on the quite low side of doing a separate ticket connection between terminals. You don't need much delay on arrival to make it very risky. I hope the J ticket is in a flexible booking class.

It looks like the wife and I will be going skiing with the inlaws in Hokkaido in February (BOS-CTS and v.v.); we are flying separately from the rest of the group. I've just booked the tickets and we have a 5h45m connection on the return. Unfortunately, our return is CTS-HND/NRT-BOS, so we'll have to arrange for a transfer from HND to NRT. Complicating matters is the fact that we'll be carrying one board bag, one ski bag, a boot bag and a large wheeled suitcase. Given so much luggage, the train is out.

Is the bus a practical option with this amount of baggage or should I plan on taking a taxi? A sedan will be too small to fit the skis/board, so we'd probably need something equivalent to a minivan. Alternatively, are there any fast baggage transfer services between the two airports (I assume no)?

A $300 cab ride isn't overly appealing, but we're on award tickets so not the end of the world.

Note: There is a 7:45AM flight into NRT instead, but it'd give us a 9-10 hr layover and an extremely early (3AM) start to the day from Niseko. I'm thinking the HND flight is the (slightly) lesser evil.

Hi,

There will not be a same day luggage transfer between HND and NRT ( others may advise if you could send luggage the day before from Hokkaido to NRT (it might be 2 days).

If flying straight to NRT ( depending on airline) your bags would be checked through and you might be able to get a day room in a NRT airport hotel or explore Narita town before enjoying the lounges ( as a AA EXP if flying a Oneworld member airline you could use the JAL F lounges)

Regards

TBS

I'd be ok with a day in Narita, but the wife has vetoed that idea already. While the NRT F lounge is nice, I'd go a bit crazy after 3-4 hours there.

Any idea if our absurd amount of luggage would be problematic for the limousine bus? I've looked into a private minivan transfer and the costs are ludicrous ($500), so I'd prefer to avoid that if possible. At those prices we'd be better off flying into HND the evening before and using JAL ABC to send our bags along to NRT for around $100.

Once I give her the lowdown on transferring between airports, she may be more amenable to a 10h stop at NRT.

Hi,

I think the limousine bus can take 2 pieces of luggage per person ( 30kg max) in the baggage compartment ( plus a carry on IIRC)

Apart from the 2 JAL F lounges ( main and satellite) there is the Cathay lounge ( poor), American airlines ( pretty good for AA) and Qantas ( good also) so good lounge hopping opportunities if desired.

Regards

TBS

How do you feel about driving yourself from HND to NRT? Should be possible to rent a large enough vehicle for significantly less than $500.

For express transportation there's Akabo ("Red cap" - basically a man with small truck). I think it might cost around $200 but would be challenging to arrange unless you speak Japanese -
https://www.akabou.jp/person/fare/shutoken/#jikan.

This small truck delivery service has an English site - You could ask them if they can do a timed delivery for you
Tokyo Happy Move Delivery Company in Tokyo. Cheap and English Speaking

I wonder how much it would cost you to ship your skis / board from Hokkaido back to Boston

If you decide to do the 9 hour layover at NRT, you could go into Tokyo rather than going airside for all that time.

There are some (expensive) same day delivery service but I doubt any will able to guarantee the delivery from HND to NRT in 4 hrs. Give time for baggage retrieval and arrange shipping your ski and board to NRT, then need least one hour at NRT to check your ski and board to your BOS flight. Which mean there pretty much about 4 hrs. for delivery from HND to NRT and I do not think any of same day service can guarantee that.

Are you taking JL 8 NRT-BOS? I am a Beantown guy who frequent Tokyo and JL 8/7 became my usual since JL started BOS service, no more DFW/ORD/LAX/JFK connections. :) ^

As you have indicated JL has only one flight a day on CTS-NRT which is JL 3040 departing CTS on 7:50 a.m. arriving NRT on 9:20 a.m. However, NH (ANA) has NH 2154 departing CTS 1:05 p.m. and arriving NRT 2:50 p.m. Check with ANA but I think ANA will through check bags to BOS. Even ANA does not, but retrieving your luggage at NRT Terminal 1 and rechecking at NRT Terminal 2 will be better option than other options you currently have?

Limousine Bus website says they will take skies, golf clubs and fishing rods. For snow boards they will take if the board is less than 2 m (6.5 ft.).

P.S.
If you are willing to consider LCC, pay for check baggage and re-check your baggage at NRT on your own, then Peach flies 5 flights per day on CTS-NRT, Jetstar flies 5 flights per day on CTS-NRT, and Spring Japan flies 1-3 flights per day (depending on a day) on CTS-NRT. Are you willing to consider these?

Hi everyone,

Flying JAL from JFK to HND mid november - arriving at 5:10PM at HND. Plans changed and I now need to go to Sapporo (I cannot change my JFk to HND).

There are tons of ANA flights between HND and CTS, at 6pm, 7pm, 8pm and 8:40pm.

I will be flying business class from JFK to HND on JAL, and will book business class on ANA from HND to CTS. I will also check luggage and I assume they won't interline it, so I'll have to collect and recheck.

Based on that, which flight do you guys recommend I book from HND to CTS? Assuming my incoming flight is on time. Thank you!

HND will be first port of entry for you in Japan so you will need to go through passport control, collect luggage, go though customs, all that at HND. Regardless of your bags are through checked or not you will go through this at HND and come out of arrival area of HND International Terminal. You make right as you exit CIQ area and at the end of the floor there is domestic check-in area for ANA and JAL. At there you will drop off your luggage for your domestic flight.

I will give least 2 hrs. between arrival of your international flight and departure of your domestic flight. I have done an hour and half, but give least two hours will be nice comfort zone.

May I ask one thing. You are arriving on JAL internationally and planning to take domestic HND-CTS flight in ANA. Why not also consider JAL on domestic HND-CTS? JAL flies HND-CTS as frequent as ANA, and HND-CTS is one of routes JAL offers domestic first class service.

Thank you so much [MENTION=639182]AlwaysAisle[/MENTION]! 2 hours is not bad at all, so if I was going down that road, I would pick the 7pm or maybe 8pm to be sure, just in case my flight is a bit delayed.

I just looked for flights, and JAL shows no availability at all. However I just realized that they only open bookings 2 months in advance, so I guess this is too early (I was not aware of that). Then yes, for sure I will book a JAL flight! It will be a lot easier and it looks like there should be flights at 6:30pm and 7:30pm.

I hadn't considered a one-way rental. That could potentially work. Looks like a full size rental would cost around $200 for the day, which is a lot less than taking a taxi. I did a quick check on shipping rates and looks like it'd cost at least $175 to ship a single pair of skis from Niseko to Boston.

Indeed, we're booked on JL506 to JL8. I've never flown JL7/JL8, but I take CX811/CX812 a couple times a year and it's great. Definitely prefer that to a connection in ORD or LAX. Frankly, I'd rather fly to JFK and take an Amtrak over an LAX connection.

I believe you're correct that NH will interline bags to JL. NH is around $500 for two CTS-NRT including bag fees (no award space), so that's the same as a taxi. In principle, I've got no problem flying GK and they're the cheapest option. Roughly $350 for two CTS-NRT including bag fees. However, I'd lose protection on JL8 in the event of IROPS. It's a risk to only save a relatively small amount of money (if anything). Better off with the AA award at those prices, despite the airport change.

Thanks for the info on the limo bus! Good to know they take skis, so that'll definitely be our preferred option.

• The airport(s) at which you are transiting NARITA
• The airline on which you are arriving PHILIPPINE AIRLINES (FROM CEBU)
• The airline on which you are departing ANA (TO LAX)
• Your connection time in hours/minutes 2 HOURS 20 MINUTES
• How you are connecting INT-INT
• Whether you are traveling SEPARATE TICKETS

I know that this connection involves a security check and a terminal change via the airside bus. My question is: Does anyone know if I will be able to through check my luggage from Cebu all the way to LAX? I believe that PR and ANA have a cooperation agreement and that ANA recently purchased a stake in PR. So, I am hopeful that I can through check my luggage. Thank you for your help.