Advice for booking trans-pacific flight

[FlaMariner]

Flying from Tokyo to Orlando (or somewhere nearby..not opposed to MIA if a deal) in October after a trans-pacific cruise and a week touring Japan.

 

We are newbies to Asia.

 

Can I get some advice on how best to cross the Pacific in a plane?

 

Points to consider:

 

• Looking always for best price....but not interested in flying for 2 days (economy coach is fine...we don't pay for extra legroom, sofa beds, fine wine, etc)
•  
• Concerned about the long flight time....do folks consider a connection on the west coast to stretch your legs and then connect onward or just take the medicine and get there?
•  
• Any stop over experience (like Icelandair offers to Europe) where we could hang out in Fiji or somewhere along the way?
•  
• Use cruise air (already seeing a tempting $726 flight on Air Canada that routes us to Montreal, Toronto and then Orlando...yikes, see bullet one....oh Canada!)
•  
• Doesn't have to be Tokyo for departure....perhaps other Japan cities are worth touring and then flying from? Good excuse to take a bullet train and add a city.  

 

Thanks for tossing your comments my way.  Always benefit from the experienced folks on cruise critic who have already blazed the trail.

Edited December 5, 2022 by FlaMariner

[Zach1213]

Connecting on the West Coast is a waste, in my opinion. It's a bit of a misnomer that the west coast is a good break area - it's actually quite a bit out of the way of the direct path. For example, Tokyo to Orlando nonstop is 7251; Tokyo to Los Angeles to Orlando is actually about 400 miles (5.8%) longer. Maybe you could stop in Vancouver along the way (which is closer to being in a straight line between your origin and destination), but there aren't a lot of options on the Vancouver to Orlando route without having to change planes...again. I would just suck up and take it.

 

There are a million amazing places to visit in Japan, but Tokyo is your best bet to fly in and out of. Even if you're elsewhere in the country, the trains make it so easy to get back to Tokyo, and very few other airports in Japan offer nonstops to the US (aside from maybe Hawaii-bound flights). As far as Tokyo airports go, Haneda is easier from the city center, but Narita will likely offer you more options. Both area easy to get to, but Narita is further out from the city. 

 

 

[CruiserBruce]

If I were in your shoes, I think I would be looking at non-stop flights from Tokyo to New York/Newark, DC or Chicago, then connecting to Orlando. I think that would be the most direct, and wouldn't worry about laying over anywhere. JMHO.

[Zach1213]

48 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

If I were in your shoes, I think I would be looking at non-stop flights from Tokyo to New York/Newark, DC or Chicago, then connecting to Orlando. I think that would be the most direct, and wouldn't worry about laying over anywhere. JMHO.

 

Minneapolis or Detroit might be a great balance of being pretty much along the most direct route (especially Minneapolis) and easy to connect through. Both have nonstops from Tokyo (I believe Haneda) on Delta. 

[Zach1213]

2 hours ago, Zach1213 said:

For example, Tokyo to Orlando nonstop is 7251;

 

 

 

Too late to edit, but damn, realized I didn't put any units in this. Tokyo to Orlando is, obviously, 7251 giraffe's apart in distance*.

 

* - and by giraffe's, I mean miles. 

[Gardyloo]

First, here's a "great circle" map showing an idealized Tokyo - Orlando flight route.  

 

You can see that the nearest big city along the route where you could stop over is Chicago.  Places like Fiji or Hawaii, not to mention some west coast US city, would be way out of the way.  Remember too that you'll be crossing the international date line en route, so you'll land in the US the same day you left Japan, maybe even earlier on the clock.  

 

 

I did, however, have a thought that I'll toss out, maybe for naught, but what the heck... 

 

By any chance do you have any plans (or maybe a bucket list) for where you might want to go in the year following this cruise?  Because you might think about using your return from Japan in the context of a round-the-world air ticket that could conceivably leverage quite a lot of travel relatively economically.  

 

For the time being Japan is one of the least expensive countries in the world from which to start (and end) round-the-world air tickets.  These tickets allow up to 16 flights over the course of a year, provided you cross both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans in the same direction and end in the country where you started the ticket (not necessarily your country of residence.)  You can stop over in intermediate locations and do quite a lot of zigzagging within given continents in the meantime.

 

So let me fantasize about a possible plan for you (of course while knowing nothing about your own experiences or priorities.)  Say you finish your transpacific cruise in Japan next October, pick up a RTW ticket while in Japan (booked well in advance online) and use it to fly home.  If you have time, you could stop in, say, Hawaii, to decompress, or simply change planes in Chicago and head home and back to work or whatever.

 

So maybe sometime in the new year you fancy a cruise out of LA.  Use the RTW ticket to fly to California, do the cruise, then fly back home.  A few months later, maybe Alaska beckons.  Same idea.  You're allowed up to six flight segments within North America (which includes Central America and the Caribbean.)  

 

In the fall, but before a year has elapsed since the first flight, you want to cruise somewhere in Europe or the Middle East.  Since you've got to get back to Japan via the Atlantic this time, stop along the way someplace.  The Mediterranean?  Scandinavia?  Or maybe you don't want to cruise but Africa has been on your bucket list.  Fly from Orlando to, say, London, then maybe to Spain and Israel, then down to Johannesburg and Cape Town.  Then it's back, via Qatar and Singapore, to Tokyo to end the ticket.  Here's another map showing a possible route, one of an infinity of options.  

 

 

When you're done with the RTW, you can use some of the many thousands of frequent flyer miles you've earned to fly home, or if this sort of thing appeals, just start another RTW - maybe Australia and South America this time...

 

The base price for a Oneworld (American, Alaska, British, Qatar, Japan Airlines et al) four-continent economy-class RTW ticket originating in Japan is US$2605.  If you pass on Africa (or could be Australia or South America) a three-continent ticket (Asia, North America, Europe/Middle East) is $2462, so obviously the 4-continent one is a better deal.  By comparison, the same 4-continent ticket starting and ending in the US is almost $5400, more than double.  (And for what it's worth, the savings in business class are way better.)  

 

So just an idea.  It strikes me that people on Cruise Critic are fond of planning for their vacations and cruises way farther out than other travelers, so maybe working up a "3-year plan" that includes an RTW or two might be of interest.  I'm happy to answer questions if needed.

Edited December 5, 2022 by Gardyloo

[Zach1213]

2 minutes ago, Gardyloo said:

Here's another map showing a possible route, one of an infinity of options.  

 

 

 

 

Psht, skip Johannesburg and come next door to Namibia. We're way cooler. 

 

Signed, 

A Namibian Who Speaks The Truth

 

(Keep Cape Town though, it's bad ass)

[Gardyloo]

Agreed.  When exactly will Windhoek get nonstop air service from Madrid or London?

[Zach1213]

3 minutes ago, Gardyloo said:

Agreed.  When exactly will Windhoek get nonstop air service from Madrid or London?

 

I miss the days when we had WDH-FRA-LGW. That was handy. Alas, I don't see it happening anytime soon 🙂

 

As a OneWorld frequent flier, there was a time when it was awfully nice to have Comair operating BA-coded flights in to Windhoek. Alas, they finally ceased to exist as an airline this year. 

[FlaMariner]

@Gardyloo That's an awesome alternative.....I found the website and going to play around with it.....From what I gather thus far, you have a year to fly around the world.....Need the trip around Earth to coincide with the bucket list and the Holland America Line cruises!

 

Thanks for the suggestion.   Now to get to a spreadsheet. 

[em-sk]

3 hours ago, FlaMariner said:

@Gardyloo That's an awesome alternative.....I found the website and going to play around with it.....From what I gather thus far, you have a year to fly around the world.....Need the trip around Earth to coincide with the bucket list and the Holland America Line cruises!

 

Thanks for the suggestion.   Now to get to a spreadsheet. 

 

The Air Canada option sounds good to me.  Toronto and Montreal are setup to streamline international transfers.  That includes connections to the US.  Coming back you would clear US customs in Toronto and Montreal, and your bags would automatically be transferred.   If you come back through New York or Chicago, you will need to clear customs and security again. 

 

Other thing to keep in mind is Tokyo has two airports.  Haneda is close to downtown.  Narita it a longer train ride and just outside the city.  Both work quite well for getting into Tokyo but you should take into account the difference. 

 

 

 

[FlaMariner]

Thanks for all the info.....

 

I just booked Tokyo to Toronto to Orlando for $726 via FlightEase (HAL's air) w/Air Canada.

 

Total Flight time is ~16 hours.  Not bad.  Price seems good.  Schedule seems doable. Don't have to pay up until July.  Fly in October. 

 

We shall see if this schedule holds...and I will need to play the "seat selection dance" later!

 

Again, thanks for the advice!

[Zach1213]

1 hour ago, FlaMariner said:

I just booked Tokyo to Toronto to Orlando for $726 via FlightEase (HAL's air) w/Air Canada.

 

Total Flight time is ~16 hours.  Not bad.  

 

This should be a pretty good/easy routing. Note you'll clear US immigration in Toronto, so make sure you have some extra time for that. 

 

16 hours always sounds like a lot, but when you realize you're going from freakin' Japan to Florida, it starts to become apparent how amazing modern air transport is. 

[FlaMariner]

2 hours in Toronto......Does that seem reasonable to clear immigration and get to the Orlando flight?

 

What's bizarre for us is wrapping our heads around the fact that we leave Tokyo at 5:40pm and arrive in Orlando at 9:40pm....THE SAME DAY!  Talk about time travel.  

 

 

[Zach1213]

23 hours ago, FlaMariner said:

2 hours in Toronto......Does that seem reasonable to clear immigration and get to the Orlando flight?

 

What's bizarre for us is wrapping our heads around the fact that we leave Tokyo at 5:40pm and arrive in Orlando at 9:40pm....THE SAME DAY!  Talk about time travel.  

 

 

Two hours should be fine if everything is on time (the caveat for every connection, of course). I wouldn't want any less than two hours, personally, but you'll likely be okay. 

 

I'm a somewhat regular on the Australia/New Zealand flights where you leave Auckland at, say, 8pm and arrive in to Los Angeles at like 11am on the same day. I have a friend who is from Japan but lives in Hawaii - her Tokyo to Honolulu flights gain even more time (leave Tokyo at 8pm and arrive at 8am the same day). 

Edited December 9, 2022 by Zach1213

[desibee]

On 12/8/2022 at 12:46 PM, FlaMariner said:

2 hours in Toronto......Does that seem reasonable to clear immigration and get to the Orlando flight?

 

What's bizarre for us is wrapping our heads around the fact that we leave Tokyo at 5:40pm and arrive in Orlando at 9:40pm....THE SAME DAY!  Talk about time travel.  

 

 

2 hours through Pearson for a North America flight should be ok if you aren't delayed but even if you are delayed there are tons of flights from Toronto to Orlando and they can just book you on the next available if you miss your connection.

[em-sk]

On 12/8/2022 at 9:46 AM, FlaMariner said:

2 hours in Toronto......Does that seem reasonable to clear immigration and get to the Orlando flight?

 

What's bizarre for us is wrapping our heads around the fact that we leave Tokyo at 5:40pm and arrive in Orlando at 9:40pm....THE SAME DAY!  Talk about time travel.  

 

 

 

As others have said, two hours should be fine.  

 

Just follow the signs for US connections it is fairly streamlined process.  Bags are automatically transferred.

 

[Zach1213]

13 hours ago, desibee said:

there are tons of flights from Toronto to Orlando and they can just book you on the next available if you miss your connection.

 

Well, kind of. It looks like the NRT-YYZ flight arrives in to Toronto at around 4pm. While there are plenty of YYZ-MCO flights, there only appear to be 4-6 nonstops per day on Air Canada depending on the season, and its' unlikely Air Canada will only put you on their own planes (or, maybe, a United flight, which would then involve another connection). Of those 4-6 YYZ-MCO flights per day, it looks like only one allows for the connection from Tokyo, meaning an overnight in Toronto isn't out of the realm of possibility. 

 

I still think two hours is generally fine, but there's a bit more to it then a simple "you'll be on the next available one" if there's a misconnect. 

Edited December 14, 2022 by Zach1213

[Zach1213]

2 hours ago, Zach1213 said:

and its' unlikely Air Canada will only put you on their own planes (or, maybe, a United flight, which would then involve another connection)

 

Looks like my fat fingers could cause confusion - it should say "it's LIKELY Air Canada will only put you on their own planes". 

Edited December 14, 2022 by Zach1213

[CruiserBruce]

Then of course, there is the whole question of available seats on those "tons of flights".