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Airfare deals are typically only available on limited dates. We recommend you use Google Flights to find dates to fly, then book through an online travel agency such as Orbitz or Expedia, which allows you to cancel flights without penalty by 11pm Eastern Time within one day of booking. However, if you’re using The Platinum Card® from American Express, you’ll need to book directly with the airline or through the Amex Travel portal to get 5x MR points. Remember: Fares may disappear quickly, so book right away and take advantage of Orbitz or Expedia’s courtesy cancellation if you’re unable to get the time away from work or family.
This weekend is proving to be a great time to book flights to Japan: Delta is currently offering round-trip flights in the airline's new Delta One Suites from the US to Tokyo for just 120,000 SkyMiles. If you're not big into SkyMiles or were hoping to use them elsewhere, there are also deals on paid flights to Japan to be had. And, many of these fares are available during one of the most popular annual events in Japan: cherry blossom season.
Cherry blossom season, the time of the year during which Japan's beautiful cherry blossom trees begin to bloom, can be witnessed across much of Japan, including major cities like Tokyo and Osaka. It's one of the best times to visit Japan and airfare and nightly rates at popular hotels often reflect this. Luckily, this recent round of discounted round-trip flights can make the trip slightly more affordable.
Multiple US cities can be selected as the origin city to access these fares. However, as many of these fares are nonstop fares on airlines such as American and Delta, smaller cities without direct service to Japan are excluded from these fares. Destination cities include Tokyo and Osaka. Availability is fairly widespread, with fares available throughout March and April, as well as dates throughout the autumn months.
For more on how to best optimize your points and miles while in Tokyo, check out this guide. And lastly, to make sure you don’t miss out on what the country has to offer, check out Get Your Guide’s list of best activities across Japan's top tourist destinations.
To search, head to Google Flights and enter your origin and destination cities. Scroll through the calendar function to find dates and prices that work for you. Finally, click through to book directly with the airline or through an OTA like Priceline or Expedia.
Airlines: American Airlines, Delta
Routes: EWR/LAS/LAX/JFK/ORD/PDX/SEA (+ others) to HND/NRT/ITM/KIK
Cost: $509+ round-trip with stops or $525+ round-trip nonstop
Travel Dates: February - April 2019 and September - November 2019
Pay With: The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on airfare booked directly with the airline), Citi Premier® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve (3x on airfare), American Express® Gold Card (3x on airfare booked directly with the airline or amextravel.com), Citi Prestige Card (5x on airfare) or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on travel)
Here are a few examples of what you can book:
Los Angeles (LAX) to Tokyo (HND) for $509 round-trip on Xiamen Air:
Los Angeles (LAX) to Tokyo (HND) for $525 round-trip/nonstop on American:
Las Vegas (LAS) to Osaka (ITM) for $602 round-trip/two-stops on Oneworld (American/JAL):
Seattle (SEA) to Tokyo (NRT) for $656 round-trip/nonstop on Delta:
Chicago (ORD) to Tokyo (NRT) for $636 round-trip/nonstop on American:
New York (EWR) to Tokyo (NRT) for $656 round-trip/one-stop on American:
Maximize Your Purchase
Don’t forget to use a credit card that earns additional points on airfare purchases, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on flights booked directly with airlines or American Express Travel), Chase Sapphire Reserve, American Express® Gold Card, Citi Premier® Card (3x on airfare), Citi Prestige Card (5x on airfare) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on all travel purchases). Check out this post for more on maximizing airfare purchases.
