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British Airways resumes flights to Tokyo and Hong Kong

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Finally …. with covid restrictions now reduced in both countries, British Airways is reinstating flights to Japan and Hong Kong.

The only downside is that these are not technically ‘new’ flights and so there has not been a huge opening up of Avios availability today.

British Airways flights return to Tokyo, Japan

British Airways returns to Japan

The first Tokyo flight since November 2021 will depart for Tokyo Haneda on 13th November.

Flights will operate daily from then on.

…. and Hong Kong

The first Hong Kong flight since December 2021 will depart on 5th December 2022.

There will be four flights per week until 18th December, at which point a daily service will resume.

British Airways flights return to Hong Kong

Before rushing to book, it is important to look at the new covid rules, whilst remembering that things could well change again by the time you fly.

The news on Japan is very positive. It appears, subject to any small print, that anyone who is triple-jabbed will be able to enter the country with no restrictions.

From 11th October, tourists will be able to visit the country without a visa, will not need to go through a travel agency and will not be impacted by a daily cap on arrivals.

The new Hong Kong rules are less clear cut. Whilst mandatory hotel quarantine is being removed from 26th September, visitors will still be subject to multiple rounds of testing during their stay and will be banned from bars and restaurants for the first three days. It certainly isn’t ‘business as usual’ just yet.

Looking for Avios seats?

In terms of Avios availability, there has NOT been a seat dump today. This is because these flights had already been loaded, and then suspended, earlier and the guaranteed 14 Avios seats per flight were taken at that time.

There are seats available on selected dates, of course, but it isn’t ‘all flights, all days’ as it would be if this was a new route announcement.

The situation will improve if additional flights are added, as these will represent ‘new’ services and we will see every flight available for redemption.

How to earn Avios from UK credit cards

How to earn Avios from UK credit cards (April 2024)

As a reminder, there are various ways of earning Avios points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses!

In February 2022, Barclaycard launched two exciting new Barclaycard Avios Mastercard cards with a bonus of up to 25,000 Avios. You can apply here.

You qualify for the bonus on these cards even if you have a British Airways American Express card:

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Barclaycard Avios card

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There are two official British Airways American Express cards with attractive sign-up bonuses:

British Airways American Express Premium Plus

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You can also get generous sign-up bonuses by applying for American Express cards which earn Membership Rewards points. These points convert at 1:1 into Avios.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold

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You should also consider the British Airways Accelerating Business credit card. This is open to sole traders as well as limited companies and has a 30,000 Avios sign-up bonus.

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There are also generous bonuses on the two American Express Business cards, with the points converting at 1:1 into Avios. These cards are open to sole traders as well as limited companies.

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Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which earn Avios. This includes both personal and small business cards.

Category

British Airways and Avios

Comments (53)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • John T says:
    23 Sep23 September 15:08

    My third jab will have been a year ago when the Tokyo flights resume. Surely the vaccine has very little use after that long?

    • BJ says:
      23 Sep23 September 15:23

      They will probably revise it to four anyway once Japan and other countries make inroads into their winter boosters. The next potential headache for travel to some places could be such a requirement for fourth, or perhaps even bivalent jabs when in UK for instance only over 50s and vulnerable groups will have them.

      • Gavin says:
        23 Sep23 September 15:42

        Surely they are more likely to drop the vaccine requirement completely after not too long, as almost all of Europe has done already, and Thailand is doing from 1st October (I believe Malaysia and Vietnam have already dropped vaccine requirements too).

      • Harry T says:
        23 Sep23 September 17:22

        I have had a bivalent fourth dose in the last 24 hours and I am not that vulnerable 😉

    • Vit says:
      23 Sep23 September 15:46

      Two of mine in the UK and my 3rd one was in Thailand. I am not even sure how this is going to work if they even going to required 4th dose… 😀 I am thinking of getting my “3rd” one here asap…

      • BJ says:
        23 Sep23 September 17:13

        Yes, @Vit can add the Thai vaccine, but will need to visit the relevant nhsinform page in Scotland. Googling ‘nhsinform request upgrade vaccination record’ should pull it up.

      • Vit says:
        23 Sep23 September 22:17

        Thanks SL & BJ. Very useful! Never a big fan of a needle anyway 😀

  • mynameisjonny says:
    23 Sep23 September 15:57

    Do we reckon they could add a second Tokyo flight for winter?

  • Comrade Chag says:
    23 Sep23 September 16:18

    Do we have more spending power in Japan and Hong Kong?

    • John says:
      23 Sep23 September 16:21

      Yes to Japan and no to Hong Kong.

    • Chris says:
      23 Sep23 September 17:01

      In short – no. If you look at the trend of GBP-HKD it mirrors the same devaluation we’ve seen against USD. JPY a little better but have heard some recent stories about costs of day to day items rising significantly.

      • BJ says:
        23 Sep23 September 17:16

        There were also reports yesterday that Japanese government plans to intervene to support the yen.

      • John says:
        23 Sep23 September 20:30

        You don’t need to look at the trend, HKD is pegged to USD at 7.75 to 7.85. However, this will cease in 25 years and may cease before that.

        • meta says:
          24 Sep24 September 01:15

          Everything is cheap in Japan. Prices haven’t really gone up since 2000s. Of course, you can go to expensive Michelin star/like restaurants and pay as much as in London. However, a bowl of ramen is about 800 yen, beer around 300 yen in izakaya. Bottled drinks are 50-70p in convenience stores, 30-40p in supermarket.

          Alcohol is very cheap and Japanese are not drinking as as before. The government has launched a campaign Viva Sake! to encourage young people to drink more.

  • Voldemort says:
    23 Sep23 September 16:21

    12 tests in HKG to secure your freedom.

    • JDB says:
      23 Sep23 September 16:45

      Their rules are strange in HK – friend who lives there went back recently, did his quarantine (at least shorter than the three weeks he did last year) for £2,400/couple. Then for the next five days not allowed to visit restaurants, bars etc. but can go to work and travel on public transport, visit shops.

    • kevinchoi says:
      23 Sep23 September 17:58

      I’m flying to HKG tomorrow so I look forward to getting nose bleeds after having my nose poked 12 times.

  • Simonbr says:
    23 Sep23 September 18:37

    Does anyone know if BA plans to resume direct flights to BKK next year? Ever??

  • NorthernLass says:
    23 Sep23 September 18:54

    Coincidentally (or not) my son’s school emailed me today about a school trip to Tokyo in July 2023, I feel they are being somewhat hasty having read all this!

    • meta says:
      24 Sep24 September 01:25

      I think they’ll be fine. However, I am still not convinced that Japan will not close again. Sure elections are over, but Kishida might be under threat of removal if the popularity ratings go down significantly due to increase of foreigners.

      Second, I don’t think people realise here the internal social pressures and how it’s policed. Temperatures are taken on entrance at most restaurants/establishments and if you have 37.5 or above you are not allowed to enter.

      The other day, I was at an outdoor event. The section was cordoned off, temperatures taken on entering the area. I repeat an outdoor event.

      You have to wear a mask inside and on public transport. Sure you can choose not to as the law can’t make you wear one outside or public transport, but you’ll get the looks. As an additional complication the government has just passed a law that allows hotel owners to kick you out for not wearing a mask.

  • Char Char says:
    23 Sep23 September 19:42

    I remember the days where 4th jab was just a meme….

  • AW says:
    23 Sep23 September 20:48

    I’ve managed to book redemptions flights (QR out and VS return) to Hong Kong for June 2023. I hope the three day ban on restaurants is relaxed by then otherwise I will postpone the trip. I really want to go, two of my close University friends live there and I haven’t seen them in over five years!!!

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