Japan’s National Tourism Organization (JNTO) issued a formal airport congestion advisory on 21 August 2026, urging all international visitors to arrive at Narita and Haneda airports well ahead of their usual recommended check-in times through the end of August.
What Is Happening
Japan welcomed 3,442,100 international visitors in July 2026 — a record monthly figure — and elevated arrivals have continued into late August. Both airports are operating above comfortable capacity during peak departure and arrival periods, with extended queues forming at check-in counters, security screening, and immigration.
JNTO identified 7–16 August as the most critical congestion window, but official monitoring data shows queue times at Narita’s international terminals remaining well above average as of 21 August.
Revised Recommended Arrival Times
The advisory applies to international flights:
- Narita International Airport (NRT): allow at least 3 hours before departure
- Haneda Airport (HND): allow at least 2.5 hours before departure
These are minimums, not cushions. Terminal 2 at Narita in particular has seen queue times of 90 minutes or more at security during morning peak hours.
Getting to the Airports
Both airports are well served by rail, and we recommend public transport over driving or taxis during this congestion period — road approaches to both airports are also experiencing delays.
- Narita Express (N’EX): 53–90 minutes from Tokyo Station; runs every 30 minutes
- Limousine Bus: direct city centre services, but subject to road congestion — allow extra time
- Tokyo Monorail: 13 minutes from Hamamatsucho Station
- Keikyu Line: direct to Shinagawa and Yokohama
- Taxis and ride-share: avoid during peak hours due to highway congestion
September Will Ease
The advisory is specific to August. Both airports expect international volumes to drop back toward normal levels from 1 September, when the Obon summer holiday period ends and school terms resume across Japan. If your dates are flexible and the schedule allows an early-September departure, congestion is expected to be significantly lower.
For travellers transiting through Tokyo before onward connections, allow generous buffer time when building any itinerary with a tight connection at either airport this week.