Planning my first solo trip and completely lost on booking
Posted by guyse2015u@reddit | Shoestring | View on Reddit | 19 comments
Been wanting to visit Japan for years and finally pulling the trigger. Every time I search though, Delta seems to be the only one flying direct from Seattle and the prices shift a lot depending on the day. Do you guys usually just watch prices for weeks or is there a smarter way to go about this? Any tools or habits that actually saved you money would mean a lot.
Every-Indication-648@reddit
what search engines are you using for flights? JAL and ANA fly direct to tokyo from seattle. with that being said connecting flights can be a good idea. vancouver, la, etc might be cheaper to fly from. skyscanner is good but if you are using points then pointsyeah is excellent. also connecting flight to osaka and starting there as opposed to flying directly into tokyo can save you money.
Viscera_Eyes37@reddit
Yeah I check daily quite a ways out. If you're booking direct it's pretty much the earlier the better I think, unless it's like now and you're banking on fuel prices coming down (I wouldn't). The sweet spot for me trans pacific was always like 30 to 45 days out but almost always for a non direct flight.
iShakeMyHeadAtYou@reddit
I suggest using skyscanner, as I've had some ridiculous finds there. For example Australia to Canada for $300.
Effective_Tackle_195@reddit
If you are shoestring, you should be open to non-direct flights aswell
guyse2015u@reddit (OP)
True, I am open to it. Just wanted to see what the direct pricing looked like first before going down that rabbit hole. Appreciate it though.
PronatorTeres00@reddit
Google flights has a calendar showing the cheapest flights each day. You can select if you prefer non-stop (which will probably cost more), as well as choose which airlines to show if there are ones that you refuse to touch.
To save on bag fees, get yourself an expandable travel backpack as a carry-on instead of using suitcases.
aeb3@reddit
You can put alerts on Google flight routes
ChestChance6126@reddit
I usually start by searching flexible dates instead of fixed ones. Flying out on a Tuesday or Wednesday has randomly saved me a few hundred before. for Japan specifically, I’ve also noticed prices dip for a day or two and then jump right back up, so I try not to overthink the perfect deal too much. One thing that helped me mentally was budgeting more for the actual trip than the flight. I still remember spending like 600 yen on a tiny bowl of ramen in a train station that ended up being more memorable than stressing over airfare for three weeks.
No-Lecture6318@reddit
for japan flights iusually start by checking google flights with the calendar view open for a few weeks at a timee... even if you want direct only, shifting departure by like 1-2 days can randomly drop the pricee a lot....
Technical_Goose_8160@reddit
I like kayak, it gives you a good grid up find the cheapest days.
Get a credit card that offers you travel insurance.
Check that there aren't any holidays going on before you go.
Book hostels in advance. They fill up.
FlounderSensitive217@reddit
Make sure you clear your "cache" on your device before you go back to an airline's website. They know you were already there looking and suddenly the prices double. Clearing cookies is even better. As if you're new every time. And don't sign into your FF (frequent flyer) account until you have looked at prices. Then sign in and look again.
Dan-tastico@reddit
Google cheapest time to travel to Japan.
Use google flights tool to see best days.
Be open to booking 6months ahead of time.
Always use incognito mode to browse prices.
Jena71@reddit
I’ve seen a hack on social media of people using a computer at the library to book tickets, so that you get the lowest price!
mike_lowrey214@reddit
Delta, ANA, and JAL are the only three non-stop option from SEA. The two Japanese carriers rarely run a sale. As others have mentioned ve prepared for a layover somewhere if you're trying to save money.
robplays@reddit
Don't get hung up on direct flights.
Don't get hung up on return tickets.
Investigate flying back from a city other than the one you flew into.
enzo_da_great@reddit
Google Flights is a good starting point but honestly it has been showing really expensive results lately, at least for this route. Kiwi has been way more helpful for me recently, worth throwing your dates in there and seeing what comes up.
guyse2015u@reddit (OP)
thank you
Salt4292@reddit
Do you have a travel credit card? Depending on how much you plan on spending it could be worth it for the points and the portal (but pay off IMMEDIATELY). I usually book a trip then get 1/4 of my next trip free through points. Set google flights and hopper alerts. Experiment with skip lags. Try all flights going nearby (aka Taiwan and Korea) then look up cheap local airlines to book separately. There’s a direct nonstop SEA to TPE Taipei on delta that is actually pretty cheap, then look up air Asia or peach airlines (make sure it’s from Taoyuan airport not songshan) to Japan-usually super cheap (150ish) if not during a local Taiwan holiday. What prices are you getting now?
IUchicago@reddit
if you're having trouble here already, i have bad news for you....