Originally Posted by
Unimatrix One
Don't forget the EQMs! Japanese domestic flights get double EQMs, plus the 400 EQM bonus per segment for certain fares! My roundtrip to Osaka netted 2,300 EQMs! (Not bad for a flight where the actual mileage is only 280...)
I worked it out in Excel once, and long-haul flights in eco-wari Y are still the best bang for the buck in EQM terms since the domestic segment lengths are so short in comparison to the ticket prices. Even with all the bonuses, the Osaka round-trip in discounted C gives you 2,300 EQMs for ~40,000 yen, whereas a round-trip to JFK or IAD in Y in the right season gives you ~10,000 EQM for ~90,000 yen, and includes some free meals and booze.
The most cost-effective domestic EQM runs on NH seem to be HND-OKA in full-fare C and HND-OSA in full-fare Y -- either will get you EQMs for 12-13 yen each. Eco-wari to the US or Southeast Asia in low season runs more like 10-11 yen. Of course, domestic runs are obviously much less time-consuming and much more pleasant, and you are less likely to be mistaken for a smuggler.