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Firstly, many thanks for taking time to read this post – I genuinely appreciate it.
Would anybody possibly be able to advise about the cheapest way — preferably, in terms of airmiles, but possibly cash, too — to pay for domestic business class flights between HND and CTS airports in Japan?
In years past (most recently Feb ‘24), I’ve been able to get 2 x return flights from HND to CTS in business class for a combined 38,000 JAL miles for 2 x pax.
When I go to the JAL site now, identical flights (HND-CTS-HND) are costing 77,000 miles in J for 2 x pax. If I then look at cash flights, JAL wants £375.00 return per person in economy whereas ANA requires approximately £174.00 return in economy (admittedly, a reasonable cash price).
Are there any known workarounds for finding domestic Japanese J flights at much more reasonably-priced airmiles prices for return flights on either JAL or ANA?
I did have a look at both BA and AA websites for return flights from HND to CTS, but I’m getting only indirect flights (HND-FUK(!)—CTS) on BA and when it comes to AA there aren’t even any results for HND-CTS flights: the best AA offers is an alternative airport in Hokkaido, which is even less convenient than CTS.
I did also read that the Qatar Airways website was better-priced in terms Avios for domestic Japanese flights (vs BA) and yet, when I go to the Qatar website or app, they both just return an error message when I search for any HND to Sapporo flights (even when JAL clearly has availability for these flights on these dates).
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks again.
I think Virgin points redeemed via ANA were pretty reasonable previously but the last time I used this it was several years ago so not sure if it is still a decent rate or not.
For when I are you looking for?
JAL (and ANA) have cash upgrade options (class J is 3k yen and F is 10k yen). Just purchase the upgradable fare, it’s not that expensive if purchased in advance.
Removed as the issue was fixed
Thank you for fixing this promptly.
HND-CTS is a 350. The J seats are like premium economy seats, the service is the same on both cabins. The national lounges are just a quiet room with green tea, beer and rice crackers. Since the flight is just over 1hr so don’t worry if you fly economy.
I did have a look at both BA and AA websites for return flights from HND to CTS, but I’m getting only indirect flights (HND-FUK(!)—CTS) on BA and when it comes to AA there aren’t even any results for HND-CTS flights: the best AA offers is an alternative airport in Hokkaido, which is even less convenient than CTS.
I searched a few random dates and I’m seeing loads of availability on JAL via BA’s website for CTS and other Hokkaido airports (e.g., KUH, AKJ) in both economy and first. First pricing is 24000 Avios + £0.00 each way (or 8900 Avios + £180.00 for lowest Avios/highest cash option). Only thing I’m not clear about is whether “first” on BA website equates to j-class or first class for JAL domestic flights. I would be reluctant to pay 24,000 Avios pp for one-way J-class as it is really just a premium economy seat for a short flight (as @yonasl indicates), but I appreciate that others may have different thoughts.
If you’re not seeing direct options for HND-CTS, then those are presumably sold out for your selected dates, I would guess.
Last summer, I booked Avios flights to ensure I had something, but monitored cash flights for a while until I found a good cash price and then cancelled the Avios bookings.
Last year, the best value domestic fares on JAL were Explorer Pass fares. This year, they seem to have soared.
Steven – many thanks for this. I’ll be honest, I’m hoarding VS points for ANA F or J flights (I’ve managed to get 1 x ANA F outbound, LHR-HND for my wife, just waiting now to see if another F or a J seat opens up between now and the departure date). Thanks for the tip, though — I would probably have gone down this route had it not been for the above.
I think Virgin points redeemed via ANA were pretty reasonable previously but the last time I used this it was several years ago so not sure if it is still a decent rate or not.
Meta — many thanks indeed for this. I know you to be a long-time Japan expert, so thank you for these links.
My planned travel dates are: Feb 4, ’26 – HND-CTS ||| Feb 7, ’26 – CTS-HND
All the best
For when I are you looking for?
Yonasl — many thanks for this. This is good to know and much appreciated. 🙂
HND-CTS is a 350. The J seats are like premium economy seats, the service is the same on both cabins. The national lounges are just a quiet room with green tea, beer and rice crackers. Since the flight is just over 1hr so don’t worry if you fly economy.
RK228 — thanks so much for this. This last piece of advice, too, is really interesting — I think I might well try to copy suit here. Very good tactic. 🙂
Many thanks again.
Last summer, I booked Avios flights to ensure I had something, but monitored cash flights for a while until I found a good cash price and then cancelled the Avios bookings.
AlexG — you’re spot-on here. It really is quite a sizeable change in Exlorer fares now.
Last year, the best value domestic fares on JAL were Explorer Pass fares. This year, they seem to have soared.
Meta — many thanks indeed for this. I know you to be a long-time Japan expert, so thank you for these links.
My planned travel dates are: Feb 4, ’26 – HND-CTS ||| Feb 7, ’26 – CTS-HND
All the best
For when I are you looking for?
JAL (and ANA) have cash upgrade options (class J is 3k yen and F is 10k yen). Just purchase the upgradable fare, it’s not that expensive if purchased in advance.
Last year, the best value domestic fares on JAL were Explorer Pass fares. This year, they seem to have soared.
I would do the same. There are offers closer to the date from JAL (on their Japanese website as they compete against train fares).
My planned travel dates are: Feb 4, ’26 – HND-CTS ||| Feb 7, ’26 – CTS-HND
Presumably Sapporo Snow Festival then? This could explain difficulty finding direct flights on BA site and the increased prices you’ve been seeing.
Last year, the best value domestic fares on JAL were Explorer Pass fares. This year, they seem to have soared.
The Explorer fares haven’t been that competitive in a few years in my experience and their refund/change terms are very restrictive compared to other available options. I buy normal cash fares through the JAL site nowadays or use Avios.
Yonasl — again, many thanks for this. Much appreciated again. 🙂
Last year, the best value domestic fares on JAL were Explorer Pass fares. This year, they seem to have soared.
I would do the same. There are offers closer to the date from JAL (on their Japanese website as they compete against train fares).
RK228 – again, thank you for this.
Yes, the snow festival. 🙂 This will be my fourth trip to it in seven years (’19, ’23, ’24 & ’26*), in fact — I used to live in Japan, you see, so try to return as often as I can.
Weirdly, and including last year, I have never had issues finding flights at reasonable (miles) prices this far out — to date, always JAL and never more than 38K in J for 2 pax, though Avios availability had also previously been good on this route at this time; not so this year, though, as discussed above. As many are saying above, too, both points and cash prices seem to have elevated a fare bit of late.
I decided to take the plunge a short while ago and book ANA Y — 2 x pax, RTN (HND-CTS-HND) cost me £132.00 per person. I have LH Senator status, so should benefit from lounge access and improved baggage allowance. Also, as Meta says above, ANA Y fares are upgradeable for a modest fee, availabiilty permitting, so this seemed like the best option. Ordinarily, I might have spent 20K AA miles per pax on this route instead for F, but my (Aussie) wife devoured my stash of AA miles two weeks ago on an unplanned trip back to the motherland, so that avenue closed quickly. And anyway, as Yonasl says — and as I can attest to — it’s a quick flight, so no problem in Y for a duration of this kind.
Again, thanks for all your input, RK 228 — very much appreciated. 🙂
My planned travel dates are: Feb 4, ’26 – HND-CTS ||| Feb 7, ’26 – CTS-HND
Presumably Sapporo Snow Festival then? This could explain difficulty finding direct flights on BA site and the increased prices you’ve been seeing.
Last year, the best value domestic fares on JAL were Explorer Pass fares. This year, they seem to have soared.
The Explorer fares haven’t been that competitive in a few years in my experience and their refund/change terms are very restrictive compared to other available options. I buy normal cash fares through the JAL site nowadays or use Avios.
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