Air Canada, which serves more U.S. cities than any foreign airline, is running an incredible fare to Tokyo that’s available from October 2020 through April 2021, excluding the Christmas holidays.
You can fly one-stop via Montreal from Pittsburgh; Raleigh; Cleveland; Cincinnati; and Fort Lauderdale to Tokyo and prices start at $162 roundtrip. This doesn’t require an off-brand travel agency to book, either, you can ticket this at Priceline.com.
The deal works at other sites, too – though I am seeing it for as much as $40 more. Pittsburgh is the cheapest city to fly from. This appears to be fare basis KLXJJ which should earn 25% of flown miles when credited to Aeroplan and 50% of flown miles when credited to United’s MileagePlus. The base fare here appears to be $75 in each direction.
It’s not clear that travel between the U.S. and Japan will be unrestricted this fall, but at $162 it’s reasonable to make a bet on early spring. Tokyo from the East Coast is a long way to go in coach, but this is one of the best fares I’ve ever seen.
We don’t know for certain how Air Canada will feel about such a deep discount airfare sale, whether they might get seller’s remorse, so I’d wait a few days after buying additional travel or making additional non-refundable plans around the fare.
In theory an airline refusing to honor a sale like this would have to reimburse any out of pocket costs you incurred but Air Canada is currently flagrantly defying U.S. Department of Transportation rules on refunds, so I wouldn’t rely on that myself.
(HT: Secret Flying)
Air Canada is also flagrantly defying Canadian rules and European Union rules of delayed flights compensation. A number of Canadian residents have taken them to a Canadian court over these practices.
Yeah, I’m sure they will honor this, lol
That is definitely a steal price if you ask me. To travel from the United States to Tokyo for a virtual can of beans is music to some peope’s ears.
I wouldn’t fly Air Canada even if it was free after my experience. They would have to pay me to fly them but even then, they will figure out someway to hold my money.
Care to make an interest-free loan to a company about to go bankrupt? Didn’t think so.
@Tom – Do you think Canada wouldn’t bail them out? I’m honestly asking as I have no idea but think even if they filed bankruptcy, it would be to reorg their debt. I have a hard time believing they would go belly up.
Yeaaa. Probability that Japan will permit transit for tourists during this time feels low. I’ve got ANA first class tickets in December and again in March. It’s feeling unlikely. Don’t know that I’d throw money at a mistake fare.
Air Canada must be desperate. $hit airline that will cancel the flights and steal your money.
They were crap even before covid, and now are only afloat on stolen refund money.
As a Canadian I would love to see them go bankrupt!
Gary – other sites are reporting this is a mistake fare that likely won’t be honored and advising people who book it not to make any other reservations right now.
Regardless of COVID this fate doesn’t make sense and AC will almost certainly cancel the ticket since courts have ruled they don’t have to honor mistake fares.
@AC – I advised folks not to make other arrangements now as well. But why call something a mistake? Airlines have used their being called mistakes in frequent flyer forums as evidence people booking them knew they were mistakes.
Not a chance am I making this flight from east coast to Tokyo in coach. Not a chance in hell. Did bangkok to NYC via Taipei on China Eastern when I was in my 20s and it was easily the worst experience of my life. I’m barely willing to do east coast to mainland europe in coach anymore.
We flew coach on the JFK/NRT/SIN $343 R/T fare 3 years ago on JAL. Flying coach once in a while helps strengthen character. 😉
FYI, on a A/C flight CPH/Montreal in coach, the pre-arrival snack was the worst of anything ever offered by an airline to a passenger. I don’t recall what it was, but geez.