Crazy Xmas Y direct fares to Japan

[FL360]

Just a Xmas fare report to Japan from Sydney, even Y are over $3,500 direct. Surprisingly QF is the cheapest, JAL ANA are the most expensive.
I am talking about the ~20 Dec departure and early January return.
This is the highest Christmas Y fare to Japan I have seen over the years.
This means staying in Australia for Christmas are only for the middle classes.

JAL are over $5,000 for Y for some dates ! Economy at Business prices....

 

[Dmac59]

No surprise there @FL360
Peak travel season for Australia, and leaving booking until 4 weeks out is mostly going to disappoint.

 

[FL360]

No surprise there @FL360
Peak travel season for Australia, and leaving booking until 4 weeks out is mostly going to disappoint.

of course, but I remembered in previous years, even 4 weeks before was never so high. Even indirect now is around 2,100 (via China etc).

 

[Saab34]

Not only peak season, but there is a surge in interest for Japan at the moment, not sure how much longer that will go on for but it’s biting pricing in peak. I think half the office has been to Japan in the last year or two. Cycle back last decade it was nobody.

If you can get positioned to SIN you can get decent fares on Scoot or Zipair.

 

[hwy]

Wait until you see the 5star hotel prices in Japan over year end...... Also got to be like an all time high.

 

[FL360]

Wait until you see the 5star hotel prices in Japan over year end...... Also got to be like an all time high.

this is why nowadays when I visit Japan (again next month of course), I always rent a car and do a drive tour - not only you have no need to haul heavy luggage, this also opens up plenty of cheaper and unique accommodation options.

 

[Happy Dude]

This means staying in Australia for Christmas are only for the middle classes.

No it means there are airlines all too happy to exploit the foolish, ignorant or desperate.

 

[FL360]

No it means there are airlines all too happy to exploit the foolish, ignorant or desperate.

Having said that, in the past I was able to see some cheap Y fares to US / Europe via Seoul. even 4 weeks before Xmas. Cheap means below $2,000, which is similar or below their starting price (even if you book 11 months ahead). Then may be I spend too much time in Google flights....

 

[clifford]

Not only peak season, but there is a surge in interest for Japan at the moment,

But not from China....

 

[offshore171]

Just a Xmas fare report to Japan from Sydney, even Y are over $3,500 direct. Surprisingly QF is the cheapest, JAL ANA are the most expensive.

Confluence of the usual factors mean it's peak demand on the AU-JP route. None of these are new though, it's been happening for several years now. Watch the prices drop off in Feb and March.

• Japanese ski season
• AU School Holidays
• Weak JPY.

This is a big one. the AUD is doing poorly against currencies like the USD and EUR, but it's close to all time highs against the Yen and Won and a few others.

The other factor is that you're looking quite late. Most of the cheaper "fare bucket" seats were sold many months ago. You're looking at what's left, ie: the most expensive fare buckets.

 

[FL360]

Confluence of the usual factors mean it's peak demand on the AU-JP route. None of these are new though, it's been happening for several years now. Watch the prices drop off in Feb and March.

• Japanese ski season
• AU School Holidays
• Weak JPY.

This is a big one. the AUD is doing poorly against currencies like the USD and EUR, but it's close to all time highs against the Yen and Won and a few others.

The other factor is that you're looking quite late. Most of the cheaper "fare bucket" seats were sold many months ago. You're looking at what's left, ie: the most expensive fare buckets.

Yes, I have booked 11 months ago. But I always do this exercise to see where else I could go at reasonable prices if I had not sort my holidays out 11 months before.

Also this matches well with the Australian inflation numbers released this week...