Since you are not going to be claiming bags, you can take the airside transit bus. Arriving from the US, there is no transit security so you can be at the bus in about 5 minutes after exiting the plane. The will let you take the bus without actually having your boarding pass from SQ, but you should have print of your e-ticket handy.

Two hours is quite tight, but if you are willing to run the risk of a delay having no protection for rebooking, then it is doable. You should figure about 30 minutes to change terminals airside, and SQ starts boarding about 25-30 minutes before departure. But you will probably be dependent on being able to at least do online check in, which should not be a problem. Personally I would like more time.

There is a lot of experiences in gce connection thread in the Japan forum. I'll ping a moderator to have these posts moved there.

Another consideration. Should you miss that second flight for some reason and have to layover overnight, you will have to enter Japan. Narita closes at night and does not allow overnight stays in the airport. So, you'd have to find a hotel, etc. Not impossible, but maybe something else to factor in.

Buying tickets this far in advance, there is also a chance of schedule change. Ticket you purchase for Jan. 31, 2025 is based on the current schedule. There is possibility of schedule change twice from now and Jan. 31, 2025. When airlines load Summer 2024 schedule, and when airlines load Winter 24/25 schedule. With separate tickets, airlines will not give consideration to your connecting flights when re-accommodating you due to schedule changes.

Be careful there, this is not guaranteed. I've been in flights from the US where we had to re-clear security, and flights were we didn't. The difference between having time for a shower at the lounge and not having time.

No transit security was there for a long while in Narita as a trial, then suddenly it was suspended for a brief while and then came back in both Narita and Haneda. There is a caveat which is if you get a bus gate, then transit security will be the name of the game.

The Haneda transit layover would be 6 hours.

This is a great point, thank you. Might be best for me to hold off a few months to book my connection to BKK.

You are all so helpful here. I am going to wait a bit to see if my JAL flight to NRT happens to change before I book my self transiting ticket onward. Here are what I was considering as those options, if anyone would like to weigh in. Would a 5/6 hour layover be enough to transit to HND even or find later flights?

Arrive in NRT on 2/1/25 at 16:35

• Stay in NRT and depart on Singapore Air to BKK (via SIN) at 18:40 on 2/1
• Transfer to HND and depart on JAL to BKK at 00:10 on 2/2
• Transfer to HND and depart on Thai to BKK at 00:20 on 2/2

Hi,

Both the HND flights would work ( i think the recommended time for a NRT/HND transfer all in is around 4hrs but it will only take about 2hrs for travel between airports ) so it would allow for maybe up to a 4hr delay on the SEA-NRT fight)
The overnight stay in NRT ( i think that is your first option above) is safest and you could explore Narita town or go into Tokyo as you have 1 day ( i think)

Regards

TBS

So it's all on a trial maybe-maybe not basis, no explicit policy, and if you get a bus gate, you're hosed. So best not to expect security-free transit if coming from the US!

...but not showered.

It is no longer a trial basis. But yes the growing number of bus gates in the mess that Haneda has become in the afternoon arrival bank does put a bit of risk in to assuming. Bus gate arrivals in Narita are exceedingly rare.

Thanks for sharing. Reporting back. Unfortunately TG is not currently operating a transit desk at NRT. I previously flew NRT-AKL and was able to do doc check/check in the NH lounge since NH does or did passenger services for NZ. I assumed if NH also did passenger services for TG (which they do), then I could do the same. This wasn’t the case and had to do check in and doc check at the gate. Wasn’t sure if I could enter the lounge without a boarding pass, but wasn’t much of an issue.

We have a 21 hour layover at HND and will be entering Japan to enjoy a little of Tokyo. We want to roll out of bed and into the terminal for the connecting morning flight, so will be staying at Haneda and taking transit into the city from there after dropping our bags off. Trying to choose between the Royal Park in T3 or the Villa Fontaine Grand. Any thoughts on which is better these days? Room size? Quiet? Don't care about breakfast as we'll have lounge access in the morning.

Hi,

Probably much of a muchness. I think the Villa fontaine grand is newer
The Royal park hotel entrance is connected to the departures level of T3
The Villa fontaine entrance is via the link on level 2 to the Haneda airport garden area ( shops,restaurants and a public onsen ( hot baths)

Regards

TBS

Haneda 1 Hr 35 mins layover
 

Hi - we will have a 1.5 hour layover from Singapore to Haneda and Haneda-New Chitose on Japan Airlines. Traveling with young kids and have checked in luggage. JAL is not offering a flight reschedule of the second leg. Any tips and tricks to make it in time for the second leg? Shud we take the monorail from T3 to t1 or bus?

we recently had Chennai-Singapore-Haneda-Osaka on SingaporeAir/ANA with 1hr 20mins layover.

landed in T3 and immigration took 45 mins and when we reached baggage counter a representative came and gave us ticket to next flight as they mentioned we couldn’t make to the next flight in T2. This is our experience with ANA