Visiting the Land of the Rising Sun isn’t the cheapest vacation. Even though flights to Japan are universally known to be on the higher side, that doesn’t mean you can’t save if you know where and when to look. Keep in mind that there are four major islands to which you can fly: Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku, and Hokkaido. Both Tokyo and Kyoto are on the main island of Honshu.
Tokyo isn’t the only place to visit. There are ancient temples, beautiful gardens, pagodas, cherry blossoms, historic sites, Mount Fuji, and many other sites to see. There are specialized vacation packages to Japan, including skiing packages, sightseeing tours, etc. Some packages may include airfare.
It’s recommended to fly outside of the peak seasons if you wish to save money. Peak seasons in Japan include Christmas and New Year, summer holidays, and Golden Week (end of April – beginning of May).
Most international flights are taken care of by Narita International Airport, Chubu Cetrair International, and Haneda Airport (Tokyo). Sometimes using low-cost carriers such as JetStar or AirAsia, which serve Japan from a number of Australian and Eastern Asia locations will save you more money. Flying to one of the airports served by these low cost carriers and then flying to Japan may save you more money than if you were to fly straight to Japan. Most major airlines across the globe offer flights to Japan. All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japan Airlines (JAL) both serve a wide range of international destinations, making it easy to find flights out of Japan when your vacation is over.
US Flights to Japan
If you’re flying from the US, it’s generally considered cheaper to fly to Narita rather than Haneda. While Haneda is closer to Tokyo, many US flights require at least two stops on the way to Haneda, some of which require a long layover. Many West Coast cities in the US offer direct flights to Narita airport, and from there you can simply fly to Tokyo (if Tokyo is your destination).
If Tokyo isn’t your main destination, you can check out other flights to Japan and go with the easiest and/or cheapest option. Once there, you can take regional flights, trains, buses, etc.
The most important thing about visiting Japan is patience. Keep checking the airfare everyday to see if it goes down any. Sign up to receive alerts whenever something within your price range pops up. You should also look over special vacation packages and compare prices. As long as you are patient, a good deal will eventually pop up.
Even if you can’t find cheap flights to Japan, you still might be able to balance the price out by finding hotel discounts. There are always ways to save.
The best place to begin your search is Expedia. Discount travel to anywhere in the world, including Japan, can be found at this bargain travel site. Expedia promo codes are available to help you get good deals on flights to Japan and other destinations across the globe.