Finding last-minute availability to Japan for December?

[kebeliever]

Hi all,

Off to Japan this winter for the first time over new year to spend some time in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto before skiing for a week. Currently, I’m booked in Y with JAL outbound from LHR on Boxing Day, and returning in J class with Iberia to MAD on Jan 12th (both Avios redemptions – a grand total of around 70k Avios with about £500 in taxes and fees, so great value!).

However, I’m not keen on the economy outbound flight and would love to find a reward seat in W, J or F. Open to any route really – I’ve already had a good search from various different starting points (e.g. HEL, FCO, CDG, AMS) but not found anything yet.

Obviously far too late for initial availability, and potentially too early for last-minute availability. However, for those more experienced with redemptions to Japan, I’d love any tips or particular routes/combos to keep an eye on or anything else I can do to increase my chances (have SeatSpy alerts set for BA and IB).

I’d need to depart December 26th or 27th. Thanks in advance!

[kevinchoi]

There was a post here recently saying that JAL regularly releases an F seat on the LHR-HND route for redemption a couple of weeks beforehand