When to arrive at NRT?
 

I have a Cathay Pacific flight at 15:40 on Saturday from NRT. I'm oneworld sapphire and no checked baggage. What time should I arrive at the airport?

Edit: Cathay says 3 hours, which I hope is absurd.

I often arrive at the Airport 2-3 hours early on international flights out.

Check-in, security, exit immigration, can be long at times.

Since it takes 1-2hrs to get to Narita Airport from Tokyo, I'd leave somewhere around 11am.

I would agree. The lines can be long at NRT.

I also usually target to arrive at Narita around 2 to 3 hours before my flights. Usually this is overkill, but it gives me the chance to catch a bite to eat and relax in the lounges if all goes smoothly.

On the occassions when NRT security/immigration is really backed up (sometimes well over 1 hour in line), it really helps to have the extra minutes so you don't worry about missing your flight, particularly if Cathay Pacific likes to board early.

CX in J can manage 1 hour before with no problems. I have done this a few times. However there are some excellent shops in the landside part of the airport, good selection and prices, so worth alloting an extra half hour and use it to look at the very cool stuff in some of the shops (including lots of electronics that you cannot yet buy in the US).

I'll usually time it to arrive 90 minutes before my flight. I've always had at least the chance for a 10-15 minutes in the lounge, enough to download my e-mail and get a quick drink. Arriving one hour before is cutting it close these days. 2 hours is fine, gives you some more time to chill in the lounge. 3 hours is overkill.

For the CX 15:40 flight (which I've been on many many times) I'd take the 13:03 NEX out of Tokyo station (or the 12:42 out of Shinjuku). Puts you at the airport at 13:57, almost two hours before your flight. Plenty of time.

Using an elite check-in line, I've never planned to arrive more than about 90 minutes in advance of the flight and that is plenty of time. I take the train to NRT so traffic is not a worry.

If the lines are huge at outbound immigration (the only place that is a problem typically) and time gets close, staff people circulate calling out the flight number and hurry you through, but you might have to watch for them as sometimes they are not very vocal.

The only time when this would be wrong are holiday times like Golden Week. Never been at Narita at the start of Golden Week, but I bet it is scary.

I find the return rush from some of the popular destinations during these peak holiday times to be scarier, notably Guam. I still cringe when I remember the lines for check-in stretching most of the length of the terminal. These lines continued on at the baggage security check (where one had to hand over one's boarding pass with the luggage to be checked, and wait for your name to be called after your bag was cleared to pick up your boarding pass), and at the security check. The only saving point was that there were/are relatively few elites among these travelers which allowed me and my family to bypass most of these lines.

Back on topic, I try to time things to arrive at NRT two hours (maybe adding on an extra 30 minutes during peak season travel) before my flight and have never had a problem. But then again, I like to be able to visit the NW lounge and grab a cup of noodles before the flight. :)

Sounds like the 12:42 NEX from Shinjuku should work, as should the 11:50 limo bus from my hotel (Keio Plaza). It will likely take 15 minutes to get to Shinjuku and another 15 to buy tickets, get to the platform, etc. So no real timing difference.

On a related topic, how is CX451 in coach? At least I get elite check-in and lounge access. Is the CX lounge nice?

The 11:50 limo bus was fine. It stopped at Shinjuku station at 12:00 and took about 100 minutes to get to Terminal 1-N. The lounge had snacks and free wi-fi. We got an exit row on the flight, which was helpful.

I have a flight leaving NRT at 1045hrs. I am staying in Shinjuku area and given that there are only 2 Narita Express trains at around 7am and 8am, should I take the 7am train or the 7.20am Airport Bus? Would there be heavy traffic from Shinjuku station to T1 NRT via Airport Bus? I am leaving on Tues morning, which is a work day in end Dec.

The 7:07am train you KNOW will be there at 8:37, traffic or no traffic.

According to my check of the schedule, the limo bus leaves the Park Hyatt at 7:05, not 7:20. If you want a more frequent schedule, you'd have to go to Shinjuku station.

Personally, with this minor difference, I wouldn't even be asking about the traffic (which obviously can vary), I'd just take the train.