Thanks for the posts. To answer to some of your responses... First, $1500US is not so good. I could fly Fukuoka-Winnipeg via Narita & Vancouver on AC for about $1159CAD. But that's as good as it gets. Multiply that by 3 and it's about $3500. Remember, I only want one-way tickets.

Kayak is more expensive than the best price I found above on the AC website.

My trip to Tampa is part- business but mainly pleasure. I got a pretty good deal from Seoul to Tampa via Shanghai, LA, & Atlanta.

I looked at routing my family through Seoul. The trouble is that at that time, the flights from Japan to Seoul are VERY expensive compared to the return flights I got the first week of March (21,400 yen each return from Fukuoka on Korean Air!). Even if I could route them through Seoul, the prices from Seoul to North America are quite escalated at that time. Not an option.

JTB handles domestic flights and packages etc. HIS, which owns 98% of the agencies in Japan, including No. 1 Travel, does the international flights. No. 1 often advertises ridiculously low rates to many destinations. When you call, e-mail, or stop in for a quote, it's ALWAYS a completely different ball game. Their prices are usually 3 times higher than their ads, sometimes more. They always say that the highly discounted tickets are sold out. They always advertise FROM certain prices. In the past few years, there is absolutely no benefit in booking any flights through a travel agent in Japan --- like No. 1 Travel. Their prices are higher, they make you pay extra to use a credit card, and their service is horrible. Booking direct with the airlines is much more efficient, cheaper, and you can choose your seats etc.

I've seen ads for Tokyo-Seoul for as little as 10,000-15,000 yen! You check with them and it's always 40,000+ per ticket. They advertise to NY for 45,000 but when you check it's always 90,000+.

I hope someone finds a way to sue their asses one of these years. However, they somehow find a way to make what they do legal as is the case with a zillion other scams here.