ANA: Moves Sydney flights to Terminal 2 at Haneda Airport

As luck would have it, later this year, I will be travelling through Haneda Airport with Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA), so this change in terminal will affect one of my connections.

The Change

ANA is moving its Sydney/Tokyo flights from Terminal 3 and Haneda to Terminal 2. The change takes effect on 29 October 2023. ANA flights departing Haneda Terminal 2 will triple moving from five to 16 flights. That includes all flights to Europe, Honolulu, Singapore, Sydney and Shanghai.

If you transfer from an international flight to a domestic All Nippon Airways flight, which also runs out of T2, you could save around 15 minutes in transfer time, since you won’t have to change terminals. You still need to allow a niminum of 55 minutes. But the real advantage is that you will be able to use the almost pristinely new lounges in the terminal. Check out ‘Lounges’ below.

Background

Remember the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the ones that got delayed and were nearly cancelled, and then they held them but basically didn’t allow anyone to attend due to COVID-19?

Well, they had this plan to zhuzh up the whole airport, including turning T2 into an international hub for the Star Alliance. Everything was set and ready, including new lounges, and then March 2020 saw the shutdown of everything due to COVID.

The Lounges – the real prize in this terminal change

Effectively, these will be opening on 29 October. OK, actually, it’s a re-opening since they originally opened for less than a fortnight back in 2020.

First Class ANA Suite Lounge

There is a new flagship First Class ANA Suite Lounge in line with the name of ANA’s Boeing 777 First Class ‘The Suite’. You need to be either an actually first-class passenger or a Mileage Club Diamond ANA Frequent flyer. If you have ANA Million Miler program status, you can also get in. You’ll get everything from a la carte dining to a six-seat napping area and a cocktail bar. See you by the entrance on the fourth floor between the traditional Japanese garden and the bamboo forest!

ANA Lounge

If you are stuck in old tawdry Business or Premium Economy Class, or have premium status with ANA (Platinum & Super Flyers) or Gold with another Star Alliance partner airline, then you also have access to the new ANA Lounge. Unfortunately, having status with Virgin Australia won’t do the trick. They are not a member of Star Alliance. However, if you don’t qualify, you can always pay for access.

But be warned, it’s a big lounge, with space for 900 guests. On the upside, it has big windows with tarmac views, which makes it both fascinating and light and airy.

Opening hours, access and Arrivals Lounge

Both The Suite and the ANA Lounge are changing their operating hours to accommodate the new flights. Both will open at 5 am, and close after the last international departure from T2.

The one thing that you won’t be able to access until late in 2023 at the earliest is the totally new and unopened ANA Arrival Lounge. There you will be able to enjoy a shower, or a simple footbath and some lighter type dining

Here is a table of eligibility before you book online, and here is more details on all the available All Nippon Airways lounges in T2.

2PAXfly Takeout

Looks like I will get to review at least one of these lounges in November, while transiting the airport. I’m not telling yo where I am transitting from or transiting to. We all have to retain some mystery!

It’s good to see Japanese travel moving closer to normal operations after their long lockdown for COVID-19. I’m only going to be transiting, but I hope to visit Japan properly soon.