Flights To Japan

I can't remember the lounge that Korean Air use at Narita but, man, it was shit.

 

nope. But when I need to I take over the counter phenergan (25 mg). Knocks me out!

 

I'm going for temazepam this time!

Actually I have a few drugs I need to take this time.

I need a letter from Dr and a script yes?

How does that work for the temazepam? I don't have a repeat.

 

Temaz is fine if less than 12g and less than one month supply

 

What about ADs?

 

Qantas red sale to Haneda, from $659 return. No idea if it's snow season though.

 

Okay just correcting this.

The Sakura lounge at Haneda is lovely. The Osaka one is crap!
Except my JAL flight was a sweat box and there were no shower slots left grrrr

 

What do you guys consider a reasonable cost for SYD-TYO flights for January? Need flights for a family of 5 - cant go in Feb/March due to school riding Nagano in Dec/early Jan seems risky snow wise based off the snowjapan.com history.

Flights currently vary between:

China Airlines (but via Taipei) for $700
ANA direct $1000
JAL $1300
Qantas $1300

Do you see specials for much less than these options? Leaning towards the ANA

QF Points seats available on jetstar business (but as if i'd waste points on that!) or JAL business for 180k QF points return per person - thats a crazy 900k points for my family of 5! Also a hard no. Therefore paid tix the go.

Thanks brains trust

 

ANA at 1K is a steal. Thats the cheapest i've seen their fares.
You should be also see Cathay for 850/900 .
If you're going to Nagano , Osaka can be a option as well (to save money on airfares)

 

Wait for sale fares, out of SYD you can definitely get flights for under $1k with Qantas or JAL, ANA should be able to get sub $800. If you're happy to do a stop over you can get around $650 with Cathay.

All of this is based from previous years.

 

Cheers @Donza - I thought it wasn't a bad deal, particularly for peak school hols travel. Wife keen to avoid Cathay/China Airlines indirect options I think, so worth the premium for direct - especially considering the flight going over is a day flight! Bonus with kidlets.

 

For January? I can't say i've seen that happen much.

 

Thanks - for January though?

 

ANA is a night flight? Or do they have two now/changed schedule

 

There's a day and a night flight inbound, overnight return.

 

Ahh the extra slot at Haneda being opened up.

 

Yep January, just need to be ready to pull the trigger quickly when the sales are released.

If you're happy with the ANA offering though, $1k is still pretty good. Plus flying into Haneda and inbound being an overnight flight will give you more time on the snow

 

From To Flight No. Departure Time Arrival Time
Sydney Tokyo (Haneda) NH890 12:00 20:30
Tokyo (Haneda) Sydney NH889 08:45 19:10
Sydney Tokyo (Haneda) NH880 20:55 05:30 (next day)
Tokyo (Haneda) Sydney NH879 22:30 08:55 (next day)

 

Just had a look on SkyScanner, the China Air flights via Taipei for $650 return are pretty sweet! I've never flown with China Air before though

 

If I booked them. I'd go Sydney-Taipei-Toyama.

 

Its a good deal, but there's an hour stopover on the way back - cant imagine it being sufficient with 3 young kids so the $1700 premium across 5 of us is worth it. China Airlines meant to be good though. If it was me solo, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

Thanks gents - booked it. I'm happy with it and have until Sun morning to cancel.

 

I would too, but this trip will be split evenly b/w Tokyo and Shiga - wife and little one not as addicted as me and the older 2 kids

 

Off to Disneysea?

 

Sure, happy to try it if crowds better? Diseneyland last time, which was carnage even on a cold winter midweek. Legoland was well worth the visit also so probly going back there as well as kidzania for something different.

 

Yes, plenty. They work very well, but can be very addictive - even the next nights sleep can be a restless challenge. My doc doesn't recommend taking them on flights for fear of long period of immobilisation which could lead to DVT but I take them anyway.

 

Just booked JAL Melbourne - Narita (direct return) for $1012 in January
-happy with that

 

Narita or Haneda?

 

Narita

 

I booked QFF seats in Dec for January.

 

I just did a trip with a stopover in Singapore , and I would never do it again .

 

It is the long way round, unless you are going somewhere other than Tokyo/Osaka where you have to connect anyway.

 

Depends where you are travelling from too! Works for Perth peeps!

 

I thought I would be thrifty and save a few dollars ( I had also had a few drinks when I booked , another lesson learnt haha ), but it was a real PIA , but if you were going to Hokkaido not so bad .

 

I am a direct flight convert. Worth the extra $$ to save the connection. 1 x 9 hr flight is far better than 2 x 6-7hr flights with connection.

 

Especially coming from Port Macq

 

Yeah we went through Korea one year to save some bucks. Direct flights wherever possible for me.

 

Yeah it's 12-13 hours all up usually. The Changi changeover is usually only one hour in both directions. Direct sounds nice, but not as nice as throwing a bunch of points at the SG fare and only ending up paying about $170 cash.

 

Depends if you're skiing Honshu or Hokkaido IMO
If Hokkaido the Asian stopover is a winner-saves the Airport Hotel rechecking blah blah in Tokyo
Honshu it has to be direct into Tokyo or Osaka
There will be times you don't mind having a few days in Tokyo if you're heading North, but we didn't miss it this year

 

Agreed - I was weighing up the $650 China Airlines special via Taipei in Jan21 but have forked out the $350 pp extra at the Mrs request to go ANA direct SYD-TOKYO. With 3 young kids indirect arguably too hard basket...