Tokyo Narita Airport

❎ Not Verified | One of the worst airports I’ve been to. Queues from the start to finish. Started and ended the holiday with a bad experience of Japan, which is a shame because my time in Japan was amazing. Hopefully they are planning to improve or add another terminal.

✅ Trip Verified | I arrived at Narita with 12 of my students who had just finished a home stay in New Zealand for 3 months. Their parents were waiting and I was the foreign teacher left with the responsibility of bringing them home safely. When we arrived, we got off the plane and I was told that foreigners were to go to the left and Japanese to the right. Goodbye students? The line for foreigners to go through immigration was literally blocks long (hundreds and hundreds of seemingly un moving tourists/foreigners). I later found out that it had taken people 2.5 hours to get through immigration. Incredible. Luckily, I have a residence card and could go through with my students. Took 10 minutes. Then it hit me! Narita Airport! I have been using Haneda Airport only for the past number of years (7). It is excellent and always smooth. Stay the heck away from Narita. I really hate that airport. Maybe the worst I have ever been to.

✅ Trip Verified | Third world service, Japanese efficiency, no sign of it at Narita. Shambolic immigration. 1 desk open for a long line of foreigners. Better service in all other Asian countries, especially China. No wonder the Japanese economy is in the toilet. They could learn from China.

✅ Trip Verified | Check in and navigating this airport is a nightmare. We flew with Jetstar and how they are still operating is beyond me. Their check-in counter staff are clueless with the most limited of English skills. I was better served at Mr Donut, at one stage there was only one check-in counter operating to check in a 787 dreamliner international flight. At most they only had two check-in counters for the flight. We arrived 3 hours before the flight departed and still it took about 1.5 hours just to check in.

❎ Not Verified | Narita was designed to cater international flights only, and it's located further out of the city than Haneda. I would pick Haneda in a heartbeat, as Narita will only be good for transit purpose should you travel to/from US/CA to any other destinations. The transportation options to get to the city are limited and all are expensive. Taxi is horribly expensive (talk about hundreds of dollars) and will only be good so long if your destination is not blanketed with traffic jam. NEX is another fast and direct option, which cost a fraction of cab but still will cost you US$30 one way. The airport was easily navigated so it's a plus point.

✅ Verified Review | The below applies to Narita Terminal 2 as of November 2017. Having lived 5+ years in Japan in 2012, I used to enjoy the calm and quality of Tokyo Narita. However in recent years, the airport has shown a significant degradation in terms of quality. This includes: lengthy security check despite using the Fast lane, single gift shop overcrowded and unable to cope with the recent influx of Chinese tourists (20+ minutes to check out!). Staff constantly addressing in Chinese regardless of the customer, poor choice of food at the business lounge (measly choice of completely dried out pastries). Old/dark terminal with unappealing shops layout. Compared to newer terminals Narita used to be miles ahead from western airports but has now fallen behind pretty much any airport I have been to recently. The airport management seems to solely dedicate its efforts to cater for their growing Chinese customers. It would be wise not to forget other customers especially business ones and provide a real Japanese experience.

✅ Verified Review | Super easy airport to access from Tokyo using the Skyliner. Perhaps the easiest check-in experience we have had at any international airport. Security and immigration very fast and efficient. Did not spend much time looking through the retail airside but seemed extensive. Multiple lounge choices in Terminal 2 but a bit underwhelmed with the JAL First Class Lounge.

✅ Verified Review | Very nice airport. On arrival fast and smooth immigration procedure. Baggage was already on belts, when we arrived there. Good information about transport to Tokyo and well organised. On departure, our check-in took a bit longer (we immediately recieved a free candy from observant staff. Staff very friendly and kind and helpful. Plenty of shoping and dinning options with good prices. Very clean. Comparable to Haneda (second Tokyo airport), one of the best airports I've visited (if not the best).

✅ Verified Review | We landed at the furthest gate of the satellite terminal but after 7 hours on the aircraft I welcomed the walk through a deserted facility. Despite the walk we went from aircraft to Limosuine bus stop in 30 minutes. Extremely efficient formalities and baggage delivery in a very clean and organized terminal. I struggled to believe how quiet it was on arrival at 6.00pm on a Friday. Departure on a Sunday morning was busier but equally quick. Overall a most impressive airport.

❎ Unverified | Transit from Noumea to Paris: excellent airport as usual (5th time in Narita). The airport is clean, luminous with a lot of shops. I have appreciated the traditionnal stores and museum to taste Japanese culture during transit time. Narita is one of my favourite airports in the world.