emmagus

We go to Japan somewhat regularly (my mother in law lives there). We need to go in March but so far the tickets are really really expensive. Am I looking too early? too late? Any tip?

this is the same time as the vacation for NYC public schools. But my MIL needs us to visit and so this is when we should go (she is in a nursing home).

NYC to Tokyo (we need to get to Fujisawa)

Thanks for tips

Kathie

I expect the price is high due to anticipation of the sakura (cherry blossoms). You might change your dates a bit and see if you can find a better price.

mjs

Kathie is right, particularly towards the end of March

Mara

I use yapta and itasoftware to keep track of prices for my flight from JFK to Tokyo - also leaving towards the end of March. This year the price has only gone down once which was when I bought my ticket back in the beginning of October....

Last year (I kept my yapta emails) it dropped quite a number of times throughout October, November and December....

I don't know if it's the same on every route but at least from NYC this year it's not dropping...as of yet...

Adastra2200

March is spring break for Japanese students, so that is one reason why prices can be higher. Also, the best time to start searching for tickets (unless you're going during a peak time like Golden Week, end/start of the year etc) is about 3-4 months prior to your departure. That's when most airlines start allocating more empty seats to cheaper air fares.

Prices also vary widely by how many stops along the way you make, and how much competition there is on that route. Not to mention what agent you use. However, these days even through the airline's websites you can sometimes find some sale fares that are competitive with travel agencies. You might find some really cheap fares on China Eastern for example, but you may have a very long layover in Shanghai along the way.
You could find a good airfare though with just a short connection through Seoul or some other city. And it's unclear exactly how much "really really expensive" is for you. The price of oil has a profound effect of ticket prices too, and fuel surcharges are adjusted every couple of months.

Just remember also that you get what you pay for. If you go through one of those cheap-o online agencies, you can often get a good airfare, but God help you if you need to make a date change or refund. Then the runaround begins and they try to foist you on the airlines to have it done, even though if it's before your outbound departure the agency has to do it since the tickets need a reissue and they issued it in the first place.

bussa17

yup, check the forecast for the Chery blossom, cuz that really spike up the prices. You can see a price rise even in fall for the Momiji, but not as much. For the rest fares are quite standard in price

emmagus

OK prices went down. $825 round trip ANA

kalihiwai2

Some buzz here in Hawaii about Scoot Airlines, subsidiary of Singapore Air,
HNL (Honolulu) to KIX (Kansai Osaka).
https://www.flyscoot.com/en/

Discounted fares, bare bones accommodations, no food injunction.
Talked to folks who have used for inter Asia/Australia travel, mixed reviews but low cost. Not an endorsement but possibility.

Made our reservations HNL/NRT in March for $750 rd trip with"extra comfort" on Hawaiian Air.
Will consider Scoot in future but let the buyer beware.

BigRuss

<<no food injunction>>

What is a food injunction? And why would you want to have food enjoined?

kalihiwai2

Hah! I should have used the word "prohibition".
I heard from passengers that no food is allowed on board the aircraft other than that which is purchased from a cart.
I don't know what the penalty would be if a passenger was found sneaking a granola bar mid-flight ?

Adastra2200

An interesting option - as low as US$150 each way HNL-KIX, and on a B787 too.
Still, with these low cost carriers, the devil is in the details. You must watch the baggage allowances too, and be careful you are not nickle and dimed.