Reply To: Japan Avios

[Jon]

I was looking at this the other day, albeit from London not Manchester. Not sure when you’re going but I was looking at Oct/Nov/Dec. My observations:

Seems to be a fair bit of availability direct LHR-HND and back, on JAL, in both Business and PE, a few F, and one or two on BA. Also indirect via Frankfurt with BA for the LHR-FRA bit, albeit at higher cost.

I had thought Japan would be one of those places where it’s cheaper to book two one-ways, but no – it’s about £50 cheaper as a return. 185500 Avios plus £775 versus 92750 each way and £500 out, £320 back (for Business – fewer Avios for PE but as the taxes etc are the same, I’d find (buy, even) the extra Avios to go in Business if there’s availability on suitable dates).

Cash prices are absurd (the same flights were pricing up at around £6000 return and £3-4000 each way separately). Cheaper to buy the full amount of Avios needed!

But as @Gavin454 says, if you can get a cheap cash fare to somewhere nearby – and I see today’s article covers a Finnair sale that includes Hong Kong and Seoul – then HKG-TYO return in Business prices at around 50000 Avios plus £110 (can’t find anything from ICN from a quick look just now on BA.com though). And of course you’d earn, what, 10-20k Avios each way on the longhauls.

Another (relative) sweet spot I found, albeit cash not Avios, was Osaka – London on MH, via Kuala Lumpur (with a stopover if you wish) at £1800 in Business. I was tempted to combine that with an Avios redemption on JAL direct LHR-HND for the outbound, but in the end went with a cash open-jaw on Finnair (£3300), out to Tokyo and back from KL via Singapore, with a redemption KIX-KUL using MH Enrich miles, as that suited plans better.