‘The world’s best airport’ bounces back from post-COVID malaise

The airport

Tokyo Haneda (HND)

The flight

Virgin Australia VA78 overnight to Cairns.

The arrival

Having previously only flown in and out of distant Narita Airport, it’s a pleasant surprise to find the transfer by van from Tokyo’s Shibuya district takes only about 30 minutes. There’s also a train which takes about 45 minutes from Shibuya Station.

Haneda Airport is much closer to central Tokyo than Narita.Credit: iStock

The look

Terminal 3 is a vast open space with check-in desks clearly marked by large letters. An escalator behind the desks leads to a mezzanine with a wooden bridge marking the entrance to the “Edo Marketplace” – a replica of an Edo-era village filled with restaurants and shops.

Check-in

There is a short queue but there are also kiosks that allow you to print your boarding pass and bag tags. The economy class queue moves quickly – faster, in fact, than the priority lane.

Security

It’s mid-evening and fairly busy but queues move rapidly with staff directing passengers to the shortest lines. Australians can clear immigration through smartgates by scanning their passports.

Food + drink

The replica Edo-era bridge leading to the Edo Marketplace dining area.Credit: Craig Platt

Expectations are high when someone as well-travelled as Traveller columnist Ben Groundwater declares this the world’s best airport, even if they are tempered by the report of its post-COVID decline. It appears to have bounced back, as everything in the Edo village seems to be open. Most of the restaurants in this area offer Japanese cuisine and there are so many you are bound to find a style to suit. I indulge at a yakiniku restaurant for dinner – quality meats you grill yourself at your table. Airside there is less variety so eating before you go through security is recommended.

Retail therapy

Check-in is quick and efficient, even for economy passengers.Credit: Craig Platt

There’s a range of stores including a Don Quijote (Japan’s biggest discount store that sells all manner of products), a toy store, duty-free shops selling various Japanese delights (just make sure they’re OK to bring into Australia). In short, you’re unlikely to find yourself with any leftover yen.

Passing time

I arrive early, several hours before check-in opens, which is fine because most of the airport’s highlights are landside. Aside from the aforementioned replica village, there’s also a huge observation deck where you can take a seat and engage in some plane spotting. For one last taste of a quintessentially Japanese experience, head to the Villa Fontaine Grand hotel where you’ll find an onsen, open to the public 24 hours a day.

The verdict

Fast, convenient and a great place to get a final taste of Japan before you fly home.

Our rating out of five

★★★★½

The writer flew as a guest of Virgin Australia.