Increase in Flights, Are Restrictions Lifting?
Aug 29, 2022, 11:59 am
#16
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,417
LAX is a very competitive airport for flights to HND/NRT and in fact Asia in general.
I just did a quick search for random dates in November. LAX-NRT will use the A330neo but it doesn't seem to operate every day, nor is the westbound timing (morning departure) good for connections from most other places in the USA. D1 looks more expensive than before the pandemic, and so is PS. However, when I search for connections to HND from MSP (the nonstop hasn't returned yet), PS fares look very reasonable. It's strange, as I would have expected lower fares from LAX, but changing the dates by one day results in very reasonable PS fares from LAX, definitely lower than I saw for TATL or TPAC PS RTs before the pandemic, and also much lower D1 fares from LAX. Also, when I skim award availability (much of which routes through ICN from MSP, unlike for nonaward tickets), the redemption values look pretty decent. I don't think this can be explained by a claim that few other carriers offer PE cabins on the LAX-HND route. The DL app isn't showing me fare classes, and I don't want to go too far toward purchasing a ticket.
The COVID-19 testing and quarantine rules are prominent on the search page but to see that DL says you need an exception to enter Japan as a USA citizen, you need to dig further.
I just did a quick search for random dates in November. LAX-NRT will use the A330neo but it doesn't seem to operate every day, nor is the westbound timing (morning departure) good for connections from most other places in the USA. D1 looks more expensive than before the pandemic, and so is PS. However, when I search for connections to HND from MSP (the nonstop hasn't returned yet), PS fares look very reasonable. It's strange, as I would have expected lower fares from LAX, but changing the dates by one day results in very reasonable PS fares from LAX, definitely lower than I saw for TATL or TPAC PS RTs before the pandemic, and also much lower D1 fares from LAX. Also, when I skim award availability (much of which routes through ICN from MSP, unlike for nonaward tickets), the redemption values look pretty decent. I don't think this can be explained by a claim that few other carriers offer PE cabins on the LAX-HND route. The DL app isn't showing me fare classes, and I don't want to go too far toward purchasing a ticket.
The COVID-19 testing and quarantine rules are prominent on the search page but to see that DL says you need an exception to enter Japan as a USA citizen, you need to dig further.
