Tokyo-London Availability April 2020
Jun 28, 2019, 3:17 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: UK
Programs: BA, VA
Posts: 266
Tokyo-London Availability April 2020
I've been looking at longer term planning for a trip to Australia. I'm planning on returning Sydney/Melbourne-Narita, then Narita-LHR-MAN as this routing would allow us to use daytime flights (albeit over 2 days) rather than an overnight flight.
Although not planning to travel until Spring 2021, I've been checking on flights for the equivalent dates next year (April 2020), and have noticed that there is no availability in PE, CW or First (see below). Just wondering if there are any major events next April in Tokyo to cause this lack of availability, or is this unavailability an "annual" occurrence? If the latter, just need to be prepared to be booking at 355 days out!!!!
Many thanks.
Although not planning to travel until Spring 2021, I've been checking on flights for the equivalent dates next year (April 2020), and have noticed that there is no availability in PE, CW or First (see below). Just wondering if there are any major events next April in Tokyo to cause this lack of availability, or is this unavailability an "annual" occurrence? If the latter, just need to be prepared to be booking at 355 days out!!!!
Many thanks.
Jun 28, 2019, 3:24 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Falkirk, Scotland,VS Red, BA Gold, HH Diamond,UK Amex Plat
Programs: Master of the Privy Purse des Muccis
Posts: 17,912
Hi.
The start of April may well coincide with the sakura cherry blossom season.
The end of April will be the start of golden week but not sure of the amount of impact on the ba routes
Also there may be more demand in 2020 as the Olympics approach but April is in advance of the main Olympic rush I would have thought
Regards
Tbs
The start of April may well coincide with the sakura cherry blossom season.
The end of April will be the start of golden week but not sure of the amount of impact on the ba routes
Also there may be more demand in 2020 as the Olympics approach but April is in advance of the main Olympic rush I would have thought
Regards
Tbs
Jun 28, 2019, 3:26 am
#4
Join Date: Jun 2003
Programs: BA, IHG, 5C
Posts: 4,413
And the UK school holidays. BKK, PVG and PEK are also daytime flights. The latter is in a lower avios band and has good availability, so is not a bad option even if you need to connect to PEK via HKG or TYO (in which case you can have a visa-free stopover).
Jun 28, 2019, 4:29 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: UK
Programs: BA, VA
Posts: 266
Thanks everyone for the replies. Looks as if I may have to keep my eye on the ball nearer release dates!!
Thanks pauldb - I think that the dates we are planning on travelling in 2021 mean that we should avoid the school holidays as Easter is at the beginning of April. I also had BKK as an option, as we could (hopefully) book the direct Qantas flight from SYD using Avios. Will look at the PVG option as it looks as if Qantas fly direct from both SYD and MEL - thanks for that suggestion.
Thanks pauldb - I think that the dates we are planning on travelling in 2021 mean that we should avoid the school holidays as Easter is at the beginning of April. I also had BKK as an option, as we could (hopefully) book the direct Qantas flight from SYD using Avios. Will look at the PVG option as it looks as if Qantas fly direct from both SYD and MEL - thanks for that suggestion.
Jun 28, 2019, 4:33 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Falkirk, Scotland,VS Red, BA Gold, HH Diamond,UK Amex Plat
Programs: Master of the Privy Purse des Muccis
Posts: 17,912
Hi.
How about osaka to lhr. The service is not daily but is a daytime flight and might be easier than Tokyo for award availability.
Are you using a 241 as otherwise I might also suggest the daytime cathay flights from hkg
Regards
Tbs
How about osaka to lhr. The service is not daily but is a daytime flight and might be easier than Tokyo for award availability.
Are you using a 241 as otherwise I might also suggest the daytime cathay flights from hkg
Regards
Tbs
Jun 28, 2019, 4:59 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: UK
Programs: BA, VA
Posts: 266
Hi Tbs - yes, I will be using a 2-4-1 voucher. If all goes well, I'm hoping to get the outbound flight MAN-LHR-SIN-SYD as a through ticket so should be able to apply the 2-4-1 for the entire journey. Coming back, unless I can get the same routing, I will probably have to split the journey, hence looking at the options for BA operated flights so that I can use the 2-4-1 for the bulk of the return leg - hope that makes sense!!! Unfortunately, there don't seem to be any direct flights SYD-Osaka, and only JAL connecting via NRT that I could use Avios with.
Jun 28, 2019, 8:18 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,528
We got award flights to and from Tokyo for April 2020 out J back F, just booked when flights first opened.
Jun 28, 2019, 8:31 am
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brighton. UK
Programs: BA Gold / VS /IHG Diamond & Ambassador
Posts: 14,196
next April for example there are the World Gymnastics Championships and Diving World Cup (the into a pool type)
https://tokyo2020.org/en/games/sport/testevents/
Jun 28, 2019, 12:18 pm
#10
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 276
Has been difficult to get availability in April for this route for a couple of years now. I wanted two seats and was watching some specific dates in mid April and booked at T- 355. Generally by the following morning all the J availability had gone.
Jun 28, 2019, 10:36 pm
#12
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: NRT / HND
Programs: AA EXP, NH Plat, Former UA 1K
Posts: 5,665
Be aware, Golden Week in Japan starts April 24th in 2021. Usually award availability is non-existent out of Tokyo and Osaka during the first few days of GW for long haul flights. Usually it's a lot easier to get a separate ticket to PVG or HKG then get the long haul flight from there instead during that weekend.
Jun 29, 2019, 1:39 am
#13
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: UK
Programs: BA EC
Posts: 524
Be aware, Golden Week in Japan starts April 24th in 2021. Usually award availability is non-existent out of Tokyo and Osaka during the first few days of GW for long haul flights. Usually it's a lot easier to get a separate ticket to PVG or HKG then get the long haul flight from there instead during that weekend.
Jun 29, 2019, 5:24 am
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: UK
Programs: BA, VA
Posts: 266
Thanks again for your replies/suggestions.
Hoping to be returning to the UK mid-April, so fingers crossed before the rush. TBH, we could use Avios to book Cathay direct from Aus to HKG, but the BA flights are overnight whereas we want to try to fly during the day (if unable to get a SYD-LON redemption!!).
Be aware, Golden Week in Japan starts April 24th in 2021. Usually award availability is non-existent out of Tokyo and Osaka during the first few days of GW for long haul flights. Usually it's a lot easier to get a separate ticket to PVG or HKG then get the long haul flight from there instead during that weekend.
HKG to Japan is not easy to book as well... especially CX blocks avios redemption. CX is also unlike BA, they do not guarantee the number of award seat available on each flight. It will be much a better option to route via PVG that JAL always has good awards availability on PVG-TYO route.
Jun 29, 2019, 6:12 am
#15
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: UK
Programs: BA EC
Posts: 524
Thanks again for your replies/suggestions.
Hoping to be returning to the UK mid-April, so fingers crossed before the rush. TBH, we could use Avios to book Cathay direct from Aus to HKG, but the BA flights are overnight whereas we want to try to fly during the day (if unable to get a SYD-LON redemption!!).
Hoping to be returning to the UK mid-April, so fingers crossed before the rush. TBH, we could use Avios to book Cathay direct from Aus to HKG, but the BA flights are overnight whereas we want to try to fly during the day (if unable to get a SYD-LON redemption!!).
HKG-LON is the busiest route of CX with little availability in J year round, they can sell it anyway due to high demand. However, Y or PEY of the three day flights do have good availability according to my observations.Anyway, can I ask why you prefer a day flight?