Osaka Kansai Airport review by Quek Keng Guan

4 June 2008   Customer Rating :

Used Osaka airport in May 08. Upon arrival at 7am, there is a long Q at the overseas visitors section in the immigration. There is only 2 counters opened as compared to 4 counters opened for their local people. They should have opened more counters for the overseas travellers. Airport is clean and friendly to use. Train stations is located in the 3rd level of the airport and its easy to locate, unlike Narita airport which is at basement. Airport is smaller compared to Narita. There is plenty of shops at the airport. Managed to purchase Royce chocolates at the duty free shops. Overall its pleasant to use. Will give 5* if there is more counters opened for overseas travellers at the immigrations upon arrival.

Osaka Kansai Airport review by S Sinai

15 April 2008   Customer Rating :

I've only done one arrival here, but I was shocked and impressed that it only took about 3 minutes from the time we first touched down on the runway to the time we were docked at the gate. Wow. Immigration and customs took almost an hour though, which wasn't so wow. Except for passing through customs and immigration, this is a very efficient and nicely designed airport. Pretty far from the center of Osaka, but the transportation into town is very good, too.

Osaka Kansai Airport review by D Leopold

11 December 2007   Customer Rating :

It is easy to get around and very beautiful. There are dozens of places to eat, relax, have a drink and you can even smoke there! This airport is efficient, airport staff wonderful. Getting off the airport which is on an island was easy as you can choose either a bus, train, taxi, car, boat and just about any other means to use you can think of. The airport observation deck was interesting as was the way the trains travel under the highway bridge to and from the mainland

Osaka Kansai Airport review by Michael Weaver

19 January 2007   Customer Rating : n/a

Spotless, fantastic selection of food, efficiently run, security was comprehensive but non-intrusive. The Hotel Nikko within the complex is A+. The management of this airport should sell their management skills to other airports worldwide, including the unforgivably, horrific LAX, JFK or LHR. Osaka Kansai is Singapore's Changi airport is a ballgown! (but I still like Changi) If you are visiting or transiting Japan, this is the best.

Osaka Kansai Airport review by Nishi Takahiro
17 December 2006

Excellent Airport! Always clean, uncrowded and great. Immigration lines for international passport holders sometimes gets long, but a great airport. Also the 200 Yen coin showers located on the 2nd floor is great for getting a quick shower after such a long flight. Transit system to the city and other places in Japan are pretty good. The only complaint I have is that lot of the jet ferry service has been cancelled increasing time it takes to places such as Kobe or Tokushima by an hour or so.

Osaka Kansai Airport review by Tyler Higson
15 October 2006

Flying out of Kansai after 2 weeks in Japan. The airport is beautiful. There was no hassle with Check in. I checked in early enough to request a window. A bunch of other flights were heading out at the same time as mine, but that did not effect the customs queues. It is a good procedure that they have. They have 2 lots of passport control. gates 1-??? go on the north side and the others on the south side. It makes it time saving. Lots of shops and restaurants before and after customs. The train that you have to catch to some gates is very fast. It says every 3 minutes, we just missed one and ours was gone with in a minute. Very good airport and I will use it again!

Osaka Kansai Airport review by Kevin Armstrong
12 August 2006

Just made my third visit to Japan through KIX and starting to warm to this place. Arriving passport control was much quicker and baggage collection is good too. Onward transportation links are superb. Departing the queue for security check was pretty long, but seemed to go through very smoothly and, again, passport control was fast. Overall an excellent airport

Osaka Kansai Airport review by Andrew Cruz
29 May 2006

Airport is beautiful, however, my flight from the US came at the same time as a bunch flights from Korea. Having these arrivals all at once made immigration forever! There were too few officials for those who served the non-residents as opposed to the citizen's line which basically had no wait whatsoever. Aside from this inconvenience, I found the airport nice and airy.

Osaka Kansai Airport review by Jay Duce
20 May 2006

This might be about the best airport I have ever seen. It is easy to get around and it is very beautiful - for an airport that is. Here you will find none of the current problems you find in America. There are dozens of places to eat, relax, have a drink and yes you can even smoke there! This airport is efficient, airport staff is wonderful. Getting off the airport which is on an island was easy as you can choose either a bus, train, taxi, car, boat and just about any other means to use you can think of. The airport observation deck was interesting as was the way the trains travel under the highway bridge to and from the mainland. If ever there was a 5 star airport this is it.

Osaka Kansai Airport review by Andrew Wright
6 May 2006

KIX was very efficient during our arrival and it did not take us long to collect our luggage after disembarking. Note that passengers from Australia and presumably Europe and America do not need to pass through quarantine. The railway station (along with the JR office) is located a few floors up and outside the main terminal building - just follow the signs.

Osaka Kansai Airport review by Geoffrey McNab
31 August 2005

An excellent airport. Bright, spacious and impossible to get lost in. I found, this being my first visit, all staff to be helpful and speak reasonable English. How many airports have smart staff in white gloves at the foot of the escalators bowing to you as ascend! It may seem slightly confusing at first owing the Japanese signage. But there is always an English equivalent even if sometimes in smaller letters. There is an excellent Airport layout leaflet with good maps of all the facilities. The airport is on a man-made island connected by a causeway to Rinku Town. The only hotel at the airport is the Nikko Hotel (quite expensive). A cheaper, and just as comfortable, option is the Washington Airport Hotel 2 mins walk from the Rinku Town station There is a hotel shuttle but not during the middle of the day. Otherwise its a mere 8 min train ride from either train line at the Airport station. Rinkyku Town is the first stop and the hotel is very easy to find once you come out. I found Immigration to be polite and efficient and I did not queue very long at all. There are excellent left luggage lockers for all sizes. If too early for check-in (or just enjoy planes and people watching) it is well worth taking the shuttle bus (100 yen each way) from Bus Stop 1 at Ground Level to the Skyview observation complex at the end of one of the runways. This superb facility has out door terraces, stunning views of the landing and departing aircraft, a very reasonable priced cafe and "The Concorde Experience" which is a restaurant serving meals on aircraft style trays out of old Ansett Airlines of Australia meal carts! All in all an excellent airport to transit through or just enjoy before or after flying.

Osaka Kansai Airport review by Roland Gollmer
8 August 2005

Having arrived and departed there quite a few times, I like its pleasant airiness (huge windows and high ceiling), the train station near-by and I find it really hard to get lost there (there's only left or right - almost foolproof!). It's true Immigration is a bit slow, but I have seen far worse arriving at LAX or JFK or even NRT for that matter. Only, never (I mean: NEVER) forget to keep enough cash to pay the airport tax. Otherwise, if you have a morning flight (to Europe i.e.) you'll have to wait for the counter to open to charge it on your card which is not possible on the machines. After that, you may have to run to catch your plane.

Osaka Kansai Airport review by Jackie Andrews
7 July 2005

I use KIX several times a year and I find some of the complaints baffling. It's a beautiful building, never appears crowded or claustrophobic (even when it's stuffed full of people) and the food outlets are good. I don't visit airports for the shopping, though I know a lot of people do. Yes, I do always get searched by customs and yes, there are sometimes long waits at immigration, but no worse than a lot of other places. Try visiting the USA if you think you're hassled at KIX. 

Osaka Kansai Airport review by A Hilbun
29 June 2005

I have connected through Kansai many times on my trips to/from Okinawa. For many years (until the recent opening of the new Nagoya airport), the only alternative was to fly to Narita and then take a 90-minute bus ride to Haneda. On my last two connections through KIX, I found the staff to be extremely courteous and helpful (yes, even toward westerners) if you speak Japanese. This hasn't always been the case. Ten plus years ago you could say something in Japanese to an airport employee and they would look at you in total bewilderment. For all its complexity, the airport is so well designed that it never seems crowded, even when it is. The free wi-fi is a huge plus and there is an array of shopping and dining options in the main terminal area. My only "complaint" would be that shops and eateries are scant in the gate areas. It would also be nice to have a currency exchange past the security checkpoint, if nothing more than an automated kiosk like at the Naha Airport in Okinawa.

Osaka Kansai Airport review by A Hilbun
29 June 2005

I have used Kansai airport for many times in my travels to/from Okinawa, since (until the recent opening of the new Nagoya airport) the alternative was to fly to Narita and then take the 90-minute bus ride to Haneda. If you can communicate in Japanese, you will have no problem with airport staff. In the past, this wasn't always the case. A westerner that spoke fluent Japanese would be greeted with dumbfounded looks, so it's safe to say that airport staff have become more cosmopolitan over the years. The only complaint I would have is about the scant collection shops, eateries and services past the security checkpoints. In all other respects, this airport is wonderful. It's so well-designed that it never seems crowded, even when it is, and the free wi-fi is a definite plus, allowing you to be productive while you are killing time during layovers.

Osaka Kansai Airport review by Kevin Armstrong

8 December 2004

I arrived in Japan for the first time via Kansai. Seems I had a similar experience to other non-Japanese. At immigration there were 3 desks open for about 100 Japanese and 3 desks open for about 500 non-Japanese! Spending almost an hour waiting for my passport to be stamped while tiny Korean children run all over my feet is not my idea of a good time, and the only airport that I've been made to feel less welcome at is Tel Aviv. Had no problems once I got through customs and things improved. It may have just been culture-shock but I was a little confused about how to get into the city from the airport. But the people at the information desks are extremely helpful, and can also book hotel rooms at reasonable rates. Internet access is also easy and cheap. Transport into Osaka city and points beyond seemed pretty good too.

Osaka Kansai Airport review by Iwan Morgan

21 October 2004

Kansai international airport would be more aptly renamed Kansai for Japanese only airport. I am well used to this airport having lived for 3 years just outside Osaka. Immigration at this airport calls all non- Japanese foreigners and even stamps Japanese passports. Customs stops everyone and even the Japanese show their tickets. Foreigners are usually searched thoroughly without exception. Customs officials are often monoglots. Bureaux de change require travellers to fill a form to list the currency they are exchanging. Signs within the airport are often in Japanese only. Airport restaurants treat non-Asians like little green men from Mars. The restaurant menus are mainly in Japanese only. The Airport bus ticket machines show destinations in Japanese only. Bus drivers are monoglots. No wonder hardly any tourists go to Japan. I was lucky. I speak Japanese.

Osaka Kansai Airport review by Ratana Patumwat

30 August 2004

Kansai is the one of the best airports in the world. The duty free shops are fine, and transportation to/from the airport to Osaka is very convenient. There is also some Hi-speed computers near the gates too. However the whole building was a little complex, but I'll say its overall fine.

Osaka Kansai Airport review by Andrius Uzkalnis

24 May 2004

One of the best airports in the world: airy, light, unbelievably. Never crowded, never rushed, it just oozes efficiency. After a red-eye flight from Europe, nothing beats Osaka Kansai - after I exit through immigration and customs, I get myself a can of chilled tea from a vending machine and from then on I know my trip will be fine and everything is good. Airside shopping is substandard but then it is hardly a transit destination. On the way back to UK, I always manage to get all the sake I need. Hotel Nikko Kansai, within 5 minutes from the terminal, is convenient and efficient. Again - so much space everywhere, so much air. Ultimate stress relief.

Osaka Kansai Airport review by Peter Geran

4 April 2004

I went through Kansai in January and February. On my second trip, the immigration was useless. It took one hour to go through immigration, and I have been going in and out of Japan since 1988. Not enough officers manning the " Foreigners " immigration counter, and they only waited until all Japanese were processed before opening up additional counters. As for shopping, forget it. Selection of shops is poor, and just the usual Japanese high priced cosmetics and French scarves. Prices for drinks and food once you had gone through immigration were excessive. Nothing to recommend the place. Also don't make the mistake of staying at a hotel on the " land side" of the airport. We caught the HARUKA Express from Kyoto, then decided to take a shuttle bus to hotel. Shuttle buses don't start until 5:00PM, so we took a taxi back. Yen 4,900 approx for a short trip - unreal

Osaka Kansai Airport review by Zach Herin

27 February 2004

It's a wonderful airport with Internet access for cheap - beautiful ceilings, glass walls.

Osaka Kansai Airport review by Aaron Yong

8 February 2004

Osaka's Kansai airport has to be one the best airports I have been to. It is a beautiful airport, with plenty of glass making for an airy feel. The train system is very pleasant, and the whole airport is very clean.

Osaka Kansai Airport review by Alex Ter Haar

12 May 2003

I think the Kansai int airport is the best airport - there is a convenient airport hotel (Nikko kansai airport) right at the airport terminal. The airport offer a great choice of restaurants and many shops on different levels. The airport is a very clean airport with clear signs in English and Japanese, and also there is a convenience store on the arrivals section where you can buy all types of foods and drinks!

Osaka Kansai Airport review by Ben Brown

20 August 2002

I too have been to Kansai Airport and was very disappointed at the selection of shops. The terminal is the longest terminal in the world (1 mile) but it is rather uninteresting. If you were stuck in transit for more than 2 hours I would think you would become very bored. However immigration is efficient and the airport is not crowded.

Osaka Kansai Airport review by Vincent Hui

13 August 2002

An airport with great architecture, however inside was not good at all. Not very big and too dark. There are a lot of shops, but selection is very limited. Immigration is okay. Having passed the immigration, there was some shops. But not impressive at all. You have to use mono train to go to your gate. Near the gate, it is still very dark and not so much light. you have to walk downstairs for toilet, not convenient at all. Facilities are not new at all.



 

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