Airfare - Japan

Airline travel is designed mainly for the business and tourist traveler. The lowest priced tickets usually have a maximum return date of 90 days (the tourist visa for Americans is good for 90 days). It is smart to schedule the return ticket for a date that is before you expect to run out of money to support yourself, which is perhaps before the end of your teaching contract. One-way tickets are not an option (and are not really any cheaper) unless you have a prearranged work visa granted in the U.S.

In recent years, travel costs between the US to Japan have dropped. The major carriers are All Nippon Airlines (ANA), Japan Airlines (JAL), United Airlines, Northwest, and Korean Air. The non-Japanese airlines tend to be a bit lower priced, with service to match. To Canada, Air Canada has low-cost flights from Vancouver and Toronto. Air France, JAL, Emirates, British Airway, Virgin, Finnair, and ANA operate direct flights to Tokyo from Europe. Lufthansa, JAL, Finnair, ANA also fly non-stop to Kansai International Airport (KIX) in Osaka. The new Nagoya airport, Cathay Pacific, Austrian Airlines, Emirates, Alitalia, Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, Thai Air, Qatar, Singapore Airlines, Malaysian Air, KLM and Aeroflot also offer connecting flights to mainland Europe. Airfares range from about US$1200 onwards for a round trip.