Transfer International to Domestic
 

Hello,

We are traveling to Japan in January and on our inbound flight we are flying Delta Airlines. After arrival we will be switching over to fly ANA domestically. My questions is, is 3 hours and 20 minutes enough time to collect our baggage, clear immigration, switch terminals, and check in for our flight to CTS?

Thank you,
Ryan

Arriving at and departing from HND? Both flights on the same PNR? Should be fine.

We are arriving and departing from HND. We are flying Delta inbound and ANA outbound from HND. They will be separate PNR's as we will have to check claim baggage from delta and then check in to ANA.

You shouldn't have a problem as long as you've got your QR codes ready and your passport hand for the immigration machine. I was plane to train in less than 45 minutes and since you're going to be at Haneda you just take the bus to Terminal 2 to check in with ANA so about another 10-15 minutes to terminal 2. I haven't flown domestic in a while but checking in in Japan is usually fairly quick and security is similar to the USA. If Delta is on time then you'll have plenty of time to make your flight to CTS, also assuming no schedule changes in the mean time. You can also check in online with ANA and just drop your bags at Terminal 2.

Definitely would recommend arriving into HND for simplicity -- Japan is really still just starting to open up and many things are still not back on line - including the bus services.... Last week several of the bus desks were still closed (only one was open) and the lines were really long -- I'm guessing they are having a hard time staffing back up post COVID -- and for the first time (IME) the buses are now using assigned seats - and blocking seats on the bus -- but only leaving the airport lol... The bus we took from TCAT to Narita today was so full they had to put luggage in the passenger section of the bus....

thank you!

I'm seeing one day earlier UA instead of NH gets into NRT an hour earlier at 1530. But I think I'd rather stay the night and get there in the morning.

Tbh immigration is the unknown, sometimes it is a breeze sometimes it is a disaster
If you don't make the bus, the keisei skyaccess line is one train that goes direct to Haneda, 1.5 hours, every 20 minutes iircThe trains are punctual

Its possible if everything is on time, but seems risky since flights could be delayed and immigration could take a while.

I would say that you would make that connection 98 times out of 100. If you're willing to pony up for a taxi, it's 99 out of 100.

Totally doable with very little risk unless your DL flight is really late.

Recently flew into HND from LAX on AA. Deplaning was awkward.

Something like those who are staying in JP and have QR code to deplane first followed by those without QR code, then those who are connecting etc. The announcement was made by JAL ground staff and was not disseminated properly by the AA FA. So naturally there was a bit of a mess during the process.

And when we eventually got out there was yet another long delay on the transit security. If you need a connecting ticket on a codeshare, since the ticketing counters are after the transit security check point, you will be delayed unless you show some other proofs that you had a connecting flight. The luggage check-in tag receipts work or show some flight information on your app.

The deplaning is decided by the quarantine officers, no airline staff has a say in the order and they do mix it up.

Very few indeed.
We have an ITM-NRT flight on JAL at 2;30pm, then the next day around noon NRT-JFK. This was the only pairing Alaska would let me do, even though there is a ton of award space available ITM-HND.
I am expecting at ITM JAL will check the bags we don't need straight through to JFK. Is that right?

Pre-COVID I would agree -- but since then JAL rules have been a bit messy (my wife flies them a lot - but I don't) -- if you don't want to claim your bags at NRT and then recheck them the next day just tell them at check-in -- it shouldn't be an issue -- but COVID has changed a lot of things so don't be surprised if you have to store the bags at NRT or take them to the hotel....