The short answer: Haneda, if you have the choice. The long answer requires knowing your airline, your final destination in Japan, and your tolerance for transfer time.
The case for Haneda
Haneda (HND) sits on the southern edge of Tokyo Bay, roughly twenty minutes from central Tokyo by train. The Keikyu Line to Shinagawa takes eleven minutes and costs 300 yen. From Shinagawa you are on the Yamanote Line to anywhere in the city. You can realistically be in your hotel in Shinjuku within forty-five minutes of clearing immigration.
The international terminal has been extensively renovated and expanded. It is modern, efficient, and well-signed. Facilities are good, transit is smooth, and the proximity to the city means you do not need to waste a day on airport transfers.
The case for Narita
Narita (NRT) is sixty to ninety minutes east of central Tokyo. That is a significant chunk of time after a long-haul flight. The transfer is not difficult - the Narita Express is comfortable and straightforward - but it is a genuine inconvenience compared to Haneda.
So why would you choose Narita? You usually do not choose it - your airline chooses it for you. JAL’s London service, for example, uses Narita rather than Haneda. Several budget carriers and some connecting flights also route through Narita. If your cheapest or most convenient flight lands at Narita, the transfer time is manageable. It is not a reason to rebook.
Narita does have one practical advantage: several airport hotels within shuttle distance (the Hilton Narita and Nikko Narita are both solid) for late arrivals or early departures.
When neither airport is the answer
If your final destination is Kyoto, Osaka, or anywhere in the Kansai region, consider flying into Kansai International (KIX) instead of routing through Tokyo. The Haruka Express runs directly from KIX to Kyoto Station in seventy-five minutes. Going via Tokyo adds hours and cost for no benefit unless you are planning time in the capital.
The decision framework
Choose Haneda when: Your airline offers it, you want the fastest route into central Tokyo, or you are arriving late and want to reach your hotel quickly.
Accept Narita when: Your airline dictates it (JAL from London, for example), the fare difference is significant, or you are happy to take the N’EX and use the journey time to decompress.
Choose KIX when: Your first stop is Kyoto, Osaka, or the wider Kansai region and you have no reason to start in Tokyo.
For detailed transfer guides, see Narita to Central Tokyo and Haneda to Central Tokyo.