Most airports in Japan have “credit card” lounges which, while simple, can be accessed by holders of a wide variety of (not necessarily that) premium credit cards. I visited one of them, SKY Lounge in Tokyo Haneda Airport’s Terminal 3, on my hardcore trip to South Korea.
Continue reading this review to see what the lounge was like.
Location & Opening Hours
SKY Lounge is located after security check and immigration in Haneda Airport’s Terminal 3 (used by all international flights other than select ANA flights) and is very easy to get to.
To get there, all you have to do is take an escalator that will be right in front of you after you get through immigration. The entrance to the lounge is right at the top of the escalator – you will be able to see it while making your way upstairs.
SKY Lounge is open 24/7 and shares reception (and more as you will see further down) with TIAT Lounge.
Entry Requirements
SKY Lounge is open to passengers traveling on all flights out of Terminal 3 regardless of their class of travel or airline.
It can be entered for free by holders of select American Express, VISA, and other credit cards (I entered it using my Marriott Bonvoy American Express Premium).
Those without an eligible credit card can enter the lounge by paying 1,050 yen (approx. 7.5 dollars) at the reception. Children between 4 and 12 years old pay a discounted fee of 530 yen and younger children are admitted for free.
Like the TIAT Lounge next door (which is slightly better and can be accessed using Priority Pass), the SKY Lounge itself tends to get crowded, and the reception even more so.
As such, you might find yourself waiting in a long line to be checked into the lounge or sitting outside the lounge waiting for a seat to open once you check in.
Lounge Tour
Near the reception was a baggage storage space.
Past that was the main part of the lounge which housed the vast majority of the 56 seats, which the lounge has according to Haneda Airport’s website.
In the middle of the main seating area were sofa chairs in rows facing each other. Between each pair of chairs was a small table with a power outlet.
Along the windows overlooking a good portion of the terminal’s apron, some taxiways, and one of the airport’s runways was a counter. Each seat at the counter had access to a power outlet.
In one corner of the main seating area was a small “buffet” area. I put that in quotation marks as it really is an overkill to call it a buffet, as you will see in the next section.
Extending from the main seating area was a hallway with the lounge’s restrooms, a smoking room, and a relaxation room.
Starting with the restroom, there was only one toilet for men and one for women. Because of that, the restroom door was sporting a sign saying guests could use the public restrooms near gates 110 and 111 and that, if they decide to do so, they should ask for a “re-entry card” when leaving the lounge.
Honestly, if I was in that situation I wouldn’t bother getting a re-entry card and instead just make sure I had all my belongings with me…
The relaxation room was a small room with four lounge chairs with ottomans. The lights were on.
Lastly, in the main part of the lounge, there was also a rack with some reading materials. Most of them were in Japanese, though.
Food and Drinks
Like most other credit card lounges in Japan, no free food (not even snacks) was offered in the SKY Lounge. Free alcoholic drinks were not offered either.
Instead, there was a modest selection of cold soft drinks including water, juices (orange, apple, and tomato), soda (Coke, ginger ale, Real Gold), and cold green tea. Hot drinks included a variety of coffee drinks from an espresso machine and green and black tea.
The lounge also had an a la carte menu of alcoholic drinks including whisky, highball, wine, and beer, as well as of (questionable quality) food.
It’s worth noting that the food selection, which included fried rice and noodles, potato chips, pretzel dogs, ice cream, and so on, was the same as that offered in the TIAT Lounge for free.
In either case, I recommend venturing out into the terminal to get some food rather than buying food in this lounge or eating in the TIAT Lounge.
SKY Lounge Tokyo Haneda Summary
There are cases when mediocre or even subpar lounges still provide a better experience than the public part of a terminal. While that was the case during my recent visit to a lounge at Cluj-Napoca Airport in Romania, that certainly is not the case with the SKY Lounge at Tokyo Haneda Airport.
With that, unless you have a Japanese credit card, this is the only lounge you can enter, and you want to get a cup of Coke or juice, there really is no reason to visit this small and crowded lounge.
First published on 2017/11/14. Fully rewritten on 2024/02/22 based on my latest visit.
