Singapore Changi Airport offers this as a service, but I have not heard about it in other locations. This is not a pandemic thing in Singapore, it has been around far before that.

Thanks, I'll certainly inquire about that pick up service with my airline (ANA).

An option B I'm considering is to just pay a few hundred bucks to UPS/Fedex my checked bag directly to the 3rd country, so I can be carry-on only at Haneda and not have to leave airside.

There is no pick up service for your bag in Haneda. But as long as the next flight is a Star Alliance flight no problem checking your luggage in. But, you'd also want to think about the airline in the other direction. Though most Star Alliance carriers are fine with checking in across separate tickets.

20 hour layover in NRT
 

Hi guys! I need some help. The flights i’m looking at are from new york (JFK) to malaysia (KUL). They all have crazy long layovers in Japan (NRT). Has anyone been in this situation? Are transits even allowed in japan? Do i need a transit visa? If so, How do i get one? Can i leave the airport & come back? ANY help is appreciated. note my nationality is saudi arabian, if that changes anything. How about if I find something with a shorter layover? What about Haneda?

Currently, that is not a possible transit. The airport terminal closes overnight, and non resident foreigners can't enter Japan, unless on a pre approved business trip, sponsored by a Japanese company. In Narita it needs to be same day transit. Haneda is fine as long as the transit is below 24 hours.

There are currently rumours that the borders may be eased in June, but no actual information about what that means, and especially if the former transit visas that pre pandemic allowed overnight stops in Narita will make a come back.

Not sure what the normal visa/visa waiver situation for Saudi Arabian nationals are. But currently, all visa waivers are suspended, so everyone needs a visa. And I doubt that will change even if the actual entry procedures gets easier.

Thank u sm for your reply! Ive also seen some flights that are a 20 hour layover, but with an airport change(JFK>NRT, then switch airports & wait 20 hours, HND>KUL) Is this a possible route since its thru Haneda?

No, that is also a no go as long as the borders are closed. As it would require you to enter Japan. Needs to be same arrival and departure airport for now.

Aah okay. If i do find a shorter layover, do I need any documents/transit visa to pass through? If its just a 2 hour layover in NRT per say

If same day in Narita, or within 24 hours in Haneda, no documents required for Japan.

Ok one LAST question, if I can somehow find a flight that leaves NRT earlier, & book each flight completely separately, is that allowed? Because on the first flight it would look like japan is my final destination, but i would have a separate reservation out of there

Yes that's allowed as long as you adhere to the other rules (no overnight, can't enter Japan for luggage, can't change airports). When you check in at your departing airport, they will verify you have an onward ticket to your destination and it doesn't matter if they are on the same itinerary. If they are the same airline or alliance, then you typically are ok checking luggage through, otherwise you would have to enter Japan to retrieve and recheck your luggage, which wouldn't be allowed.

Currently (7:45pm) sitting in NRT T1 waiting for the Ethiopian flight so Seoul which departs in about 3 hours.

Important thing to note that wasn't clear to me is that when they say the ANA lounge is open until the last departure, they mean the last ANA departure (not other *A airlines). So, the lounge is closed... Luckily I grabbed a snack from the 7-11 when I got here and I'm not hungry.

This might sound a little crazy. Will SQ allow me to fly into Narita, and then fly back on the same day from Narita? Thinking of a SIN-NRT (one way), and NRT-SIN-LHR-SIN-NRT (down the road assuming Japan opens up...).

I don't suppose I'll need a visa if SQ allows. Alternatively, does flying into Narita on ANA for the SIN-NRT leg make it easier?

Assuming that you can't enter Japan under the current rules, same day SIN-NRT and then NRT-SIN would not be allowed since you would be connecting to the same country you arrived from. Connecting/transiting to a different country would be permissible.

Thx for the reply! I don't suppose b2b flights are doable in this era? I suppose the alternative would be to fly in from a non-SIN location...