What Is the Best Priority Pass Lounge at Tokyo Narita Airport?

Over the last couple of months, several significant changes related to Priority Pass facilities available at Tokyo Narita Airport.

On the positive side, there is now a capsule hotel participating in the program in addition to a pair of newly participating restaurants, one in Terminal 2 and 3 each. On the unfortunate side, ANA Lounges and Korean Air’s KAL Lounge can no longer be accessed with Priority Pass.

Continue reading to find out which lounges and other facilities at Narita Airport participate in Priority Pass, how they compare, and which is the best one.

Priority Pass Lounges in Tokyo Narita Airport Terminal 1

As mentioned earlier, ANA Lounges, which used to be the best option in Terminal 1, are no longer an option for Priority Pass members departing from Tokyo Narita. The KAL Lounge used to be the second-best option.

In a more distant past there used to be one more lounge – T.E.I. Lounge. That one no longer exists but considering its quality (or lack thereof), that is not a big deal.

With that, there are two Priority Pass lounges in the terminal: IASS Executive Lounge and the recently opened IASS Superior Lounge NOA. The first can be used both upon departure and arrival while the other is airside and so can only be used when departing on an international flight out of Terminal 1.

In either case, neither of the two lounges is worth arriving early for.

IASS Executive Lounge

The IASS Executive Lounge is a typical Japanese “card lounge.” The only advantage of this lounge is that it is located landside – this means that in addition to being accessible to departing passengers, it can also be accessed by passengers arriving at Narita. In fact, using it as an arrival lounge is the only way I would use this lounge since if you are departing there are better options airside.

Seating in the lounge consists of a counter with a dozen or so seats and rows of sofa chairs each of which has access to a USB port and a power outlet. The lounge is tiny and there’s minimal spacing between the rows of seats. In terms of refreshments, there are soft drinks, canned beer, and some rice crackers.

IASS Superior Lounge NOA

The IASS Superior Lounge NOA is operated by the same company as the IASS Executive Lounge. That said, rather than being landside and only offering drinks, this lounge is airside and offers a selection of food, albeit a very limited one. To get there, you need to go through security and immigration and then head toward gate 26.

Given the small size of the lounge and due to being open to all Priority Pass members, as well as select credit card holders, the lounge might get busy at times.

Seating in this lounge consists of sofa chairs, lounge chairs, and seats along a counter overlooking some of the airport’s taxiways and one of its runways.

Priority Pass Options in Tokyo Narita Airport Terminal 2

While in the past there used to be only one Priority Pass option at Tokyo Narita’s Terminal 2 – the IASS Executive Lounge – now there are four. In addition to two lounges, there is also a capsule hotel and a restaurant participating in the program. If your flight is departing from Terminal 2, it is not possible to visit the lounges that are airside in Terminal 1.

IASS Executive Lounge

While I haven’t visited the IASS Executive Lounge in Terminal 2 yet, as far as I understand, it is more or less the same as the one in Terminal 1. Being located landside, it can be accessed not only by departing but also by arriving passengers. Alas, that is where the positives end.

In terms of seating and refreshments, there are rows of sofa chairs set quite close to each other and there are soft drinks, canned beer, and, presumably, some rice crackers. In other words, nothing that would make the lounge especially worth a visit before departure.

IASS Superior Lounge KoCoo

The IASS Superior Lounge KoCoo is the Terminal 2 version of the IASS Superior Lounge NOA. It first welcomed guests in July 2023 like its Terminal 1 counterpart.

While the lounge has a different design concept than NOA (it is much darker), otherwise it is very similar. Lounge KoCoo is located airside, past security and immigration in Terminal 2 and so can be used by international passengers traveling on JAL and other oneworld airlines, Emirates, and other airlines using the terminal.

Teppanyaki Dotonbori Kurita

Located in Terminal 2’s airside food court, Teppanyaki Dotonbori Kurita is one of Narita Airport’s two Priority Pass restaurants. The restaurant serves a variety of dishes cooked on top of an iron griddle including steaks, noodles, etc. It is run by the same Botejyu group that also runs the Priority Pass restaurant in Terminal 3 that I will talk about later on.

Priority Pass members departing on an international flight out of Narita Airport Terminal 2 can, after passing security and immigration, enjoy one of two different set meals for free. They can choose either:

• Osaka Dotonbori Set which includes okonomiyaki, takoyaki, dorayaki, and a drink
• Teppanyaki Steak Set which includes a steak, vegetables, rice, and miso soup

9h nine hours Narita Airport

The last option in Terminal 2 is the 9h nine hours Capsule Hotel. The hotel is open non-stop and located landside in Terminal 2 so can be accessed by both arriving and departing passengers, regardless of whether they are traveling domestically or internationally.

Priority Pass members can get a free five-hour stay at the hotel (subject to availability) between 9AM and 6PM. At other times, Priority Pass members can get a 3,400 yen discount off their bill.

In addition to being able to use a sleeping capsule, guests also get an amenity set that includes pajamas, earplugs, a dental kit, slippers, and towels.

Priority Pass Restaurant in Tokyo Narita Airport Terminal 3

Considering that Terminal 3 is Narita Airport’s low-cost terminal, it is nice to even have a Priority Pass option there. It is even nicer that it is an actual restaurant rather than some mediocre-at-best lounge.

Botejyu Express

Terminal 3’s Priority Pass restaurant – Botejyu Express – is run by the same company as Teppanyaki Dotonbori Kurita. Unlike its Terminal 2 counterpart, Botejyu Express is located landside. This is exciting as the restaurant can not only be enjoyed by passengers departing from and arriving at Terminal 3 but also by passengers using the other two terminals.

The restaurant serves yakisoba fried noodles among other things and Priority Pass members can enjoy a free Osaka Dotonbori Set. Its contents are slightly different from those in the one offered in Terminal 2. The set includes modanyaki (a type of okonomiyaki), karaage (fried chicken), takoyaki, dorayaki, and a drink.

What Is the Best Priority Pass Lounge at Tokyo Narita Airport?

With the airport’s ANA Lounges and KAL Lounge no longer participating in Priority Pass, there are no solid Priority Pass options at Narita Airport anymore. At least when it comes to lounges.

The IASS Executive Lounges are not even worth talking about. While the IASS Superior Lounges are better, they are still nothing to write home about.

On the brighter side, now there are two restaurants that are worth stopping by before (or even after) your flight if you have the time. That’s especially the case if you are departing from Terminal 2 on an international flight. In other cases, however, you can still visit Botejyu Express in Terminal 3.

In case you have a long transfer that overlaps with the time Priority Pass provides free usage of the 9h nine hours capsule hotel, you might want to take advantage of that as well. If for nothing else, then to take a shower.

Going back to the lounges, if you want to visit one, then one of the IASS Superior Lounges will be your best bet. Don’t have high expectations, though. Depending on the time of the day you visit, you might just be the best off getting a drink and a snack from a convenience store for a couple of dollars and waiting in the gate area.

First published on 2017/05/29. Last updated on 2023/12/07 to remove KAL Lounge which no longer participates in Priority Pass.