UK to Tokyo - cheapest flights?

[meryll83]

Now I know they ain't ever gonna be particularly cheap, but can anyone recommend the cheapest airlines / time of year to go / book?

I'm thinking I might be best looking at January sales prices, but if anyone has any experience of how and when to get the best fares, and who with, it'd really help me out.

Thanks in advance!

 

[davewasbaloo]

Now I know they ain't ever gonna be particularly cheap, but can anyone recommend the cheapest airlines / time of year to go / book?

I'm thinking I might be best looking at January sales prices, but if anyone has any experience of how and when to get the best fares, and who with, it'd really help me out.

Thanks in advance!

Sadly most of the sales are over with now. The main carriers between the UK and Tokyo are Virgin, BA, Emirates (via Dubai), JPA, Nippon, and Cathay.

The cheapest tends to be Emirates (with really comfy passage). Try Expedia and eBookers, also if you have a barclaycard, there is a special deal with Emirates.

Trying to get to Japan from the UK seems to be very challenging. Good luck.

 

[meryll83]

I'm in no rush, it would be either 2008 or 2009 I think before we'd get there, but thanks for the advice on which airlines to check!

 

[it398]

i heard BA are slashing prices, because of all the bad press from the luggage fiasco, and strike problems.

not sure if its all flights or just selected ones.

 

[meryll83]

That's cool, sure they will be sorted out by 2008/2009 though :lol: but still interesting to know for any unexpected ventures in the near future!
Thanks!

 

[cmatt]

Now I know they ain't ever gonna be particularly cheap, but can anyone recommend the cheapest airlines / time of year to go / book?

I'm thinking I might be best looking at January sales prices, but if anyone has any experience of how and when to get the best fares, and who with, it'd really help me out.

Thanks in advance!

ive been looking and i will certainly be flying with virgin, premium economy just for the leg room....:sohappy: if your going to tokyo may aswell push the boat out

 

[meryll83]

I normally fly with Virgin to Orlando, so I must admit they would be my preferred airline.
Plus I'd rather travel direct if at all possible.
Will have to see how my pennies are faring at that time, I still have 2 holidays to go on this year first! Shouldn't really be even thinking about it, but you know what it's like......

 

[mkt]

I just did a sample search, for this April going various UK airports-NRT just to test the waters.

Here are the results I've gotten.

LGW. Don't bother. SAS with 2 stops each way, £1400. HELL NO. Unless you truly enjoy vodka and question living life, avoid this one like the plague.

LCY. KLM with one stop each way, £575

LHR. Cheapest: Aeroflot (HELL NO), one stop each way £500.
LHR. Cheapest Decent: KLM, one stop each way, £520.
LHR. Cheapest nonstop, ANA (All Nippon Airways, Japan's second largest carrier), £675. ANA has one benefit... if you collect miles on BMI, they're both members of the Star Alliance, so you get credit on BMI for your ANA flight.

MAN. KLM with one stop each way, £575

LPL. Don't bother. 2 stops each ways and you have to change carriers. And one of the stops in the france :lookaroun. £925

NCL. KLM with one stop each way, £575

 

[it398]

i'm using Virgin in april.

Virgin also organised my connecting flight between Tokyo and Hongkong with Cathy Pacific. although i paid in 1 lumpsum to virgin. was a bit pricy though
nearly £1600 in total

 

[meryll83]

LHR. Cheapest nonstop, ANA (All Nippon Airways, Japan's second largest carrier), £675. ANA has one benefit... if you collect miles on BMI, they're both members of the Star Alliance, so you get credit on BMI for your ANA flight.

Thanks Rob!
This one looks the most appealing to me at the moment, think I'm leaning towards paying that bit extra to go direct. (I was thinking we would be talking about £800) Know anything about what they are like service wise?

I thought about Cathay, thinking that I could do a stopover in HKG to visit Disney there aswell, but I don't think it's worth paying soooooo much more, and I hear HKDisneyland isn't all that anyway. (Doesn't stop me still contemplating a visit though!)

Thanks again for all the research you've done! :kiss:

PS. Is Aeroflot really that bad?

 

[mkt]

Yes... Aeroflot is that bad

 

[meryll83]

Yes... Aeroflot is that bad

:lol: Guess we'll leave it at that then!
I noticed that they have really cruddy connection times, you either have to wait alllllll day in Moscow or go out the next day, doesn't sound too appealing!

 

[mkt]

:lol: Guess we'll leave it at that then!
I noticed that they have really cruddy connection times, you either have to wait alllllll day in Moscow or go out the next day, doesn't sound too appealing!

There is nothing as appealing as Russian customer service and Soviet-era Russian Jets