San Francisco Tokyo

Four terminals connected by an automated AirTrain that loops the complex. The International Terminal anchors the west end with high ceilings and natural light. Three domestic terminals line the east side. The walk between the farthest domestic gate and the International Terminal takes about 15 minutes on the AirTrain, so leave time for connections across the complex.

BART sits one level below the International Terminal departures hall, making transit access straightforward on the international side and a short AirTrain ride from the domestic gates. Security lines can run long during afternoon departure banks when transpacific flights cluster together.

The airport sits on the bay, and marine layer fog is a regular summer feature. Morning departures in June through August can push 30 to 60 minutes. Afternoon flights are typically clear. If on-time departure matters, book the afternoon.

Two terminals, both compact enough to walk end-to-end in under five minutes. The airport sits in the middle of Silicon Valley, closer to most South Bay offices than any other Bay Area airport. Security is usually quick, and the drop-off curb is steps from the check-in counters.

The terminal buildings are low-rise and functional. Limited food and shopping compared to larger airports, but the short distances and fast processing make up for it. VTA light rail connects to the north side of the airport for local transit.

Narita sits 60 kilometers east of central Tokyo in Chiba prefecture, and that distance defines the entire airport experience. Built in the 1970s when Haneda ran out of international capacity, the location was a political compromise that passengers have been paying for ever since. The airport itself works well: three terminals, clear English and Japanese signage, efficient security lines.

Terminal 1 handles most full-service international carriers. Terminal 2 splits between international and domestic service. Terminal 3 is the budget terminal for low-cost carriers, with a stripped-down fit-out and a long walk from the train station marked by a running track painted on the floor. Food across all three terminals is good, especially the ramen shops in T1 and the family restaurants in T2.

Inside the building, the experience is smooth. Immigration has e-gates for many nationalities. Duty-free shopping is extensive. The problem starts when you leave: you are an hour from central Tokyo by express train. If you miss the last Narita Express or Skyliner, the taxi ride into the city costs around 20,000 to 30,000 yen and takes over an hour on the highway.

Haneda is a city airport in every sense, sitting 15 kilometers south of central Tokyo on the edge of Tokyo Bay. Terminal 3 handles international departures. The building is modern, well-signed in English and Japanese, and compact enough that walking from immigration to your gate rarely takes more than 10 minutes. An observation deck on the top floor looks out over the runways with the Tokyo skyline behind them.

The fourth floor of Terminal 3 recreates an Edo-period street lined with restaurants. Ramen, tonkatsu, sushi, tempura. The food is better than it has any right to be inside an airport. Below the departure level, shops carry Japanese snacks, cosmetics, and last-minute souvenirs without the tourist-trap markup you find at Narita.

Domestic terminals (T1 and T2) are separate buildings connected by free shuttle buses. If you are connecting to a domestic flight to Osaka, Sapporo, or Okinawa after arriving internationally, budget 90 minutes for the terminal transfer and second security screening. Immigration moves faster here than at Narita because international arrivals spread through the day instead of hitting in one wave.