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Cheap flights to
Japan

Save hundreds on your next flight with deals on highly rated airlines.

Flights to Japan overview

Going searches for the best fares and sends members deals bookable 1-12 months in advance. Going members save approximately 35% compared to normal flight prices to Japan.

Cheapest Going deal

$321

Average price roundtrip

$1284.92

Average Going deal price roundtrip

$841.60

Best month to fly

Going found the most deals with travel dates in January.

January

Worst month to fly

Going found the least deals with travel dates in June.

June

Top tips for finding a cheap flight to Japan

Book in the Goldilocks Window

One of our favorite tricks for finding the cheapest flights is to book during the Goldilocks Window. That’s about 1-3 months before a domestic flight. But for international flights to Japan, you have a bit more time, around 2-8 months. If you plan to travel during the high season, for a holiday, or another occasion where your dates are not flexible, look on the earlier side.

An easy way to think about it is to book in opposite seasons. So, if you want to visit Japan for the cherry blossoms in the spring, start looking for flights in the fall. If at all possible, don’t wait until the month of your departure to book a flight. Fares almost always rise at the 21-, 14-, and 7-day points before trips.

Use the Greek Islands Trick

Some fares never seem to get any cheaper, no matter how often you check them. But don’t stop dreaming about fresh sushi just yet. Try our Greek Islands Trick. We came up with it as a great way to get to the busy Greek Islands for cheaper, but it can work for lots of places. The goal is to get as close as you can to your final destination, then find a budget flight for the last leg.

If flights to Japan are prohibitively expensive, try looking for flights to Seoul and then finding a budget airline flight from Seoul to Tokyo. Plus, from South Korea or other nearby countries, you can often fly to other airports around Japan that you can’t get to from the US.

Search alternative departure airports

This is like the Greek Islands Trick but in reverse. If flights from your home city are too expensive, look for flights from other airports. If you live in Austin, for example, consider driving to Dallas or Houston, which both have direct flights to Japan and could have better deals. You could even consider departing from somewhere out of state. If you see a $350 deal from San Francisco to Japan, it might be worth booking a $200 flight to San Francisco. Do some playing around with airports and prices, and you could be surprised how much money you can save if you’re willing to do a little extra travel.

Fly when it’s cheaper

Traveling in the off-season is a great way to take advantage of low fares. Summer is slow in Japan, meaning cheaper flights and hotels. It can be hot and rainy, but if you’re planning indoor activities or don’t mind walking around with an umbrella, it can still be nice. Shoulder seasons, the periods rolling off high season and before low season, are also a great time to visit for good weather and lower prices. In most of Japan, that’s February, June, and October. Thanksgiving is also a hidden cheap week to fly overseas because most US travelers are flying domestically.

If you do plan to travel during spring or fall, the high seasons, try to book on cheaper days of the week. Fridays and Sundays are expensive days to fly, but Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays are often cheaper.

Set alerts for specific trips

One of the easiest ways to save on flights is to set a fare alert so you don’t miss any price drops. Simply set up an alert for your dates and wait for an email telling you prices have fallen into your price range. If you’re flexible on dates and departure airports, set a few alerts. Or, sign up for Going, and we’ll monitor all flights from your home airport and let you know when we find the best deals. Take these steps ahead of the Goldilocks Window we talked about to make sure you’re getting the best deals.

Tokyo is decently serviced from the US. There are 11 airports with direct flights and three with additional flights to Osaka. From the US, most travelers in mid-size or larger cities will only need to make one connection.

Frequently asked questions about flying to Japan

When is high season in Japan?

In general, March–May and September–November are the high seasons in Japan due to cherry blossoms in the spring and beautiful fall foliage. The end of April to mid-May, during which blossoms are typically most in bloom, are especially busy. But it does depend on where you’re going. If you plan to ski in Hokkaido, December–March is the busiest time on the slopes.

When is the best time to visit Japan?

For much of Japan, March-May and September–November are the best times to visit. The weather is mild, and as mentioned above, the blooms and leaves are a big draw. June-July is the rainy season in much of Japan, including Tokyo. This can be a cheap time to visit, but make sure to pack an umbrella. Later in the summer, Japan can be very hot and humid. But if you plan to visit museums and other indoor activities in Tokyo and Kyoto, it’s a great time to save money. Shoulder season, the period between high and low seasons (February or December in Japan), can also still have decent weather but lower prices.

How many airports are there in Japan?

There are five major international airports in Japan. Haneda Airport (HND) and Narita (NRT) in Tokyo are by far the busiest and where most international tourists enter the country. Osaka International Airport (OKA), the closest airport to Kyoto, is also busy. Naha Airport in Okinawa (OKA) and New Chitose Airport (CTS) in Hokkaido are also popular with US travelers, but to reach them, you’ll have to make a connection in Japan or outside of the US.

Which city in Japan is the easiest to get to?

Tokyo is the easiest city in Japan to reach. There are direct flights to Japan from Seattle, Honolulu, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, DC, Houston, and New York. If you live in San Francisco, LA, or Honolulu, Osaka is also easy to reach on a direct flight.

Which city in Japan is the shortest flight from the US?

The shortest flight from the US to Japan is from Honolulu to Tokyo and takes about 9 hours. From Seattle, the flight is about 10 hours, and from California, it's between 11 and 12 hours, depending on your departure city. From New York and DC, the nonstop flight to Tokyo is about 14.5 hours. From Chicago, Minneapolis, and Texas, the flight is about 14 hours. And from cities that fly to Osaka (San Francisco, LA, Honolulu), the flight is about an hour longer.

Which city in Japan has the most direct flights from the US?

Tokyo has direct flights from 11 US cities: Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Minneapolis, DC, Houston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Honolulu, and New York.

What are the rules for traveling with pets to Japan?

If you plan to travel from the US to Japan with your pet, start planning at least six months in advance. Your pet will need lab testing done for rabies at least 180 days before departure. You’ll also need to apply for an import permit at least 40 days prior to arrival in Japan. Your pet should have up-to-date vaccinations and a health certificate issued by an approved veterinarian and will need to be fitted with a microchip. On arrival, your pet may need to quarantine for up to 12 hours.

How long is the flight to Japan?

There are 11 cities with direct flights to Japan, with flight times ranging from 9–14 hours depending on where you’re flying from. If you don’t live in Chicago, Dallas, Minneapolis, Denver, DC, Houston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Honolulu, or New York, you’ll have to make a stop in one of them (typically on the West Coast) or Vancouver.

Going helps you find flight deals to Japan and save big. Try Going Premium today.

Number of deals

Total to Japan in the last month

946

Total Mistake Fares

Airline slip-ups we've caught to Japan

12
Going

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40-90% off flights.

Most members save an average of $550 on international economy flights and $200 on domestic.

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* Prices are per person and include all taxes & fees in USD. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing, however, prices are not guaranteed, as airline pricing can change by the minute. Average Going fares are based on average prices of deals found by Going.

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