Air Travel to Japan

1. Total Travel Time

When you are looking at flights, it is best to start with total travel time. This includes all layovers and connections.

From the United States, flying to Japan takes approximately 14 hours from the east coast and 10 hours from the west coast. Every connection and layover adds to this time.

For example, if you’re traveling from Los Angeles to Tokyo, the direct flight of 10 hours is a breeze. However, travel 14 hours from Los Angeles to Shanghai, spend 6 hours waiting in the airport, and then fly 3 hours to Tokyo, and you will arrive in Japan feeling completely exhausted.

2. Time of Arrival

It is best to arrive in Japan in the afternoon or early evening. Most hotels do not allow you to check-in until 3:00 pm, so if you arrive early in the morning, you will not be able to shower or rest after your long flight.

Arriving in the afternoon or early evening allows you to check-in to your hotel, eat dinner, and have a restful sleep. You will feel refreshed and ready to start sightseeing bright and early the next morning.

3. In-flight Comforts

The flight to Japan is very long, so you want to be as comfortable as possible. Not all planes or airlines are created equal. Every flight has a different seat configuration and entertainment options.

Before booking air travel to Japan, research the flight number to get an idea of the seat map. A 2-4-3 configuration can feel less claustrophobic than a 3-3-3 configuration.

Also, check the airline website to research seat pitch (amount of legroom in front of you) and seat width (from armrest to armrest). This can make a big difference in comfort.

Nearly all international flights have personal monitors for entertainment, but you may want to check monitor size and entertainment selection.

4. Complimentary Alcohol

If you’d like to have a complimentary drink during your 14-hour flight; beer, wine, and spirits are free and limitless in all classes on most international carriers.

However, you may want to check the latest information from the particular airline. For example, Delta Airlines offers complimentary beer, wine, and spirits to all passengers on flights to and from Japan.