Flights to Japan

arrowman

I have been looking at booking flights to Japan and have two options available with Cathay Pacific

Flying inbound and outbound to Haneda airport in Tokyo for a cost of €1280 for 2 of us. This flight has long 10 hour layovers in Hong Kong. Dont really like the idea of such a long stint in Hong Kong - could leave the airport to have a look around the city but would be afraid of my life that we'd get caught in traffic or something and miss the onward flight
Also I the the cost of €1280 will increase if we want to prebook our seats to ensure that we are sitting together ( I didn't think you had to pay to select your seats on long haul- thought that was just Ryanair territory)

The other option is €1860 (for 2 ) to fly into Narita in Tokyo with only around 2.5 hour layovers in Hong Kong (again price will rise if we select seats)

Any opinions on which is the best option? Particularly regarding the layover in Hong Kong

What are Cathay Pacific like to fly with?

Need to make a decision by 11am today!!

limerickabroad

I would take the 10 hour stop-over if I were you. Last year, I had an 11 hour stopover in HK, and I had time to go in to the city and have a good look around Temple Street Night Market and the Kowloon area. Kowloon station to HK airport is only about 20 minutes with the Airport Express train, it was all very straightforward . . .

AGC

Cathay Pacific are very nice to fly with.

Have you looked at a transfer in Europe and flying to Tokyo with Japanese Airlines who are excellent?

arrowman

Many thanks both limerickabroad and AGC

So the long layover might not be a bad thing if I can be happy that i can navigate in and out of the city

Hadn't looked at Japan Airlines - Cathay were doing a deal which is what had me looking at them first

arrowman

Thanks Mr.S

Arrive in HK at 7 in the morning on the way out so the city might be still asleep. Outbound flight from HK is at 16:25

On the way back we'll be in HK at 15:00 and leaving at 01:00

schemingbohemia

There must be other options? We flew with Lufthansa who were great, via Frankfurt to Tokyo.

arrowman

Thanks to you all for your comments
I decided to go with the Haneda option with the longer layover in Hong Kong and I am going to take the chance and leave the airport and have a look at some of the Hong Kong sights.

It might take a little bit of convincing to get my wife to agree with this but I have almost a year to convince her that we wont miss our connecting flights..
We are going to the rugby world cup tournament as well by the way - I somehow was lucky to get tickets for one of the semi-finals and I hope my luck holds and Ireland will be playing in that one.
I am going to have a good look around this forum and others over the next few months and start putting together a wish list of things to do during the 10 or so days we will be in Japan - a country I have always wanted to visit.

drunkmonkey

What's it like as a city, I was looking at going over for the quarter finals of the rugby, it was coming in at 1500 for flights and city center accomodation, flying with KLM, 1 transfer, 18hrs out and 14hrs back. Flying out Friday the 18th and back on Wed the 23rd. It's a city i've always wanted to visit. Would it be very similar to Hong Kong.

zilog_jones

Sorry I missed this thread as I was in Japan at the time. I've gone a couple of times via Heathrow with BA, which only takes about 16 hours total (including connecting flight to Cork). This year I only paid about €570 return, though I bought the tickets back in March (flew in November). KLM have similar options via AMS that don't cost too much, or take much more time.

I've ended up flying into Haneda and out of Narita (or the other way around) just to make the layover time in Heathrow as short as possible (to match the Cork flights). Both are easy to get to from central Tokyo by train - Narita is further out, but there are a few fast services (Keisei Skyliner and Narita Express).

There's a hell of a lot to do in Tokyo, and many places nearby that can be done as day trips if you want to get out of the city. Lots of useful information here: https://www.japan-guide.com and www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravel/