Newark to Tokyo Haneda Flights (EWR to HND): Nonstops, Flight Time and Getting into Tokyo

Nonstop from Newark, with New York's other airports as backup

As of recent schedules, United flies nonstop from Newark to Tokyo Haneda, usually once a day, and also serves Narita from Newark. From the New York area as a whole, ANA, Japan Airlines and Delta fly nonstop from JFK to Haneda, so if the Newark flight is full or expensive, a JFK departure is the next option rather than a connection. One-stop itineraries via Chicago, San Francisco or Los Angeles are plentiful but add three to six hours.

Haneda is the airport to want for central Tokyo. It sits inside the city on Tokyo Bay, about 15 km from Shinagawa and Ginza, while Narita is about 60 km out in Chiba. Unless you are heading to Chiba, Tokyo Disney Resort or an onward connection that only Narita offers, Haneda saves an hour or more on the ground at each end.

Flight time and distance

The great-circle distance from EWR to HND is roughly 6,750 miles (about 10,850 km). Westbound, Newark to Tokyo typically takes 14 to 14.5 hours in the air, flying over Canada and Alaska against the jet stream. The return from Haneda to Newark is shorter, around 12.5 to 13.5 hours.

You cross the International Date Line heading west. Leave Newark on a Tuesday morning or midday and you land in Tokyo on Wednesday afternoon or evening local time. Coming home, you can land in Newark on the same calendar day you left Tokyo, in the afternoon.

Departing from Newark Liberty

United's long-haul flights leave from Terminal C, the airline's main hub terminal at Newark, where United also handles most of its domestic connections. Terminal C is large but manageable; security lines are longest in the early morning and late afternoon. Three hours ahead is the right arrival time for a 14-hour international departure with bags.

Newark is reachable from Manhattan by NJ Transit or Amtrak from Penn Station to Newark Airport station, then the AirTrain to the terminals; the whole trip takes about 30 to 45 minutes. Taxis and ride-hail from Manhattan take 30 to 75 minutes depending on the Lincoln Tunnel and Turnpike traffic. If you connect from a domestic United flight, it almost certainly arrives at Terminal C too, so the walk is short.

Arriving at Haneda and getting into Tokyo

International flights at Haneda use Terminal 3, which has its own railway and monorail station on the lower levels. Immigration is quick if you have completed the Visit Japan Web registration and have the QR codes ready; otherwise you fill in paper forms in the queue.

From Terminal 3 into the city:

• Tokyo Monorail: to Hamamatsucho on the JR Yamanote line in about 15 to 20 minutes, with easy changes for Tokyo Station, Shinjuku and Shibuya. Covered by the Japan Rail Pass.
• Keikyu line: to Shinagawa in about 15 minutes, with through trains onto the Asakusa subway line to Ginza and Asakusa. Usually the better choice for the south and east of the city.
• Limousine bus: direct to major hotels in Shinjuku, Ginza, Tokyo Station and Disney Resort, typically 30 to 60 minutes. Easiest with heavy bags.
• Taxi: 30 to 45 minutes to central districts; fixed-fare taxis to defined zones exist and are far more affordable than from Narita.

Trains run until around midnight. A late-evening arrival still has time for the monorail or Keikyu, but check the last train for your destination.

When to fly and when to book

Japan's calendar sets the peaks. Late March to early April for cherry blossom, Golden Week in late April and early May, Obon in mid-August and the New Year holiday are the busiest and most expensive periods, with seats from Newark tight months out. Late October and November bring clear autumn weather and softer demand. January and February are cold, dry and the cheapest months to fly.

June is the rainy season in Tokyo and late August to October is typhoon season; a typhoon can delay flights for a day or two, so avoid tight onward plans then. For the peaks, book three to five months ahead; otherwise six to ten weeks is usually enough.

Entry requirements and documents

As of recent rules, US passport holders can visit Japan for short tourist stays without a visa, but rules change and other nationalities differ, so check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan or your nearest consulate before you book. Your passport should be valid for the whole stay, and the airline may ask for proof of onward travel at Newark.

Japan is strict about certain medicines, including some decongestants, sleep aids and stimulant prescriptions that are legal in the US. Check the rules for anything you take regularly and carry a doctor's letter where required.

Time zones and jet lag

Tokyo is 13 hours ahead of Newark during Eastern Daylight Time and 14 hours ahead in winter, because Japan does not observe daylight saving. Westbound you land in the afternoon or evening after a long day, and most people can get through dinner and sleep at a local hour; the first two mornings bring early waking. The return is harder, landing in the afternoon after a short night; daylight, a light dinner and no long nap on arrival day help most.

Why Newark rather than JFK

For travellers in New Jersey, Manhattan's west side and much of the Hudson Valley, Newark is quicker to reach than JFK, and United's Terminal C is a single building with no terminal change for connecting passengers. The JFK nonstops on ANA, Japan Airlines and Delta are worth comparing on fare and timing, especially if you prefer a Japanese carrier's service, but for a direct comparison of ground time, Newark often wins for the west of the metro area.

What travellers on this route get wrong

The first mistake is assuming all Tokyo flights are the same and booking Narita when Haneda is closer to the hotel. The second is skipping Visit Japan Web and then queueing to fill in paper forms. The third is not knowing which train line suits the hotel: the monorail is best for the Yamanote loop on the west and north, the Keikyu for Shinagawa, Ginza and the east. A quick look at a Tokyo rail map before landing saves a confusing hour.