#120 Sample prices of Flights from Japan 2016

When I was going to Japan, I thought I could easily get a €40 return flight to Korea, considering the low cost airfares for around Europe these days. However, this is definitely not the case and it is almost impossible to escape Japan for less than 10,000 yen (€80).


I fly out of Nagoya (Chubu Centrair) because it's my closest airport. Flights are usually a little more expensive than Tokyo or Osaka, but since it's faster and cheaper for me to travel to Nagoya it usually evens out. It's also won Best Regional Airport in the World a few times and is a really nice, clean, modern facility so I enjoy using it.

Here is a sample of the prices of return flights I have paid, the airline and when I was travelling:

Tokyo Narita - Dublin €701 (for December 2015) Etihad Airways

Nagoya - Manila €78 (for February 2016)* Cebu Pacific

Nagoya - Beijing €266 (for May 2016) Etihad Airways

Nagoya - Seoul €157 (for July 2016) Asiana Airlines

Nagoya - Bangkok €257 (for August 2016) Vietnam Airlines

*From what I have seen, the only real bargain I got was for my flight to Manila, which was very cheap. Flights are usually closer to €200+. 

The good thing is that despite the higher air fares in comparison to Europe, you usually get a decent baggage allowance. Etihad give about 23kg, while Vietnam Airlines are giving me a massive 40kg!! Which is ridiculous, it's twice the amount British Airways allowed me for moving across continents...Anyway!

Similarly to other countries, flights go through the roof on weekends, long weekends and holiday periods, especially to close destinations like South Korea. 

You can also get cheaper flights from places like Fukuoka which is geographically closer to places like Taiwan, S Korea, Philippines etc.

If you constantly scour airline comparison sights you could get lucky and find a cheap flight - I once saw €50 flights to Thailand from Osaka...never booked them in time though :(