Any tips on the cheapest place in Europe to fly to Japan?

Transport
1

I know the request is a bit specific. Does anyone have any tips or ideas on the cheapest place in Europe (preferably Eastern Europe or Scandinavia) to get to Japan without stopping in China on the way?

I’m currently in Poland but can travel wherever in Europe. I need to get to Japan within the next few weeks. I don’t want to enter China though, and a lot of the flights obviously enter China on the way, with long stopovers and multiple airlines.

Are there any cities you know of that are a bit cheaper to fly out of? I’m thinking maybe I could fly to either Abu Dhabi or India, then jump directly to Japan, or via Korea if necessary. Any other ideas welcome.

2

If it’s a deal breaker not going via China, the cheapest one-way routes I’m aware of are

Istanbul to Japan via Abu Dhabi about £300

Istanbul to Japan via Mongolia about £350

Milan to Japan via Bangkok about £350

Rome to Japan via South Korea about £350

3

CDG has a less than $900 USD flight to Tokyo which is direct.

Maybe you can find some random other flights through your Googling, but for the most part, China airlines are the cheapest because they still fly through Russia. While everyone else takes more costly detours.

4

Try Turkish air thru Istanbul.

5

I flew from Warsaw to Tokyo directly last year. It cost around 950 USD. I even saw some flights this year for the same flight cost around 500 USD. Check LOT airlines.

6

Have you checked the other way? Cheapest destination in Europe when flying from Japan? Should give you a hint.

Edit: I can see a direct flight from Madrid with return. Start of December, 850 USD.

Edit: MAD-CDG-HND 2-10 Dec, 592 USD.

7

Check out Google Flights; it can show you the cheapest dates direct or with stops, you just need to double-check where the stop is.

8

You can get roundtrips as cheap as 500€ from third parties from Budapest to Tokyo with Chinese airlines.

I just even found with Google Flights for 415€ in December.

9

Use kiwi.com search engine. Usually Budapest or Frankfurt has the cheapest options. Or from Greece to Singapore via Scoot. And a cheap flight from there to Japan.

10

Check mad bcn fco mxp vie osl cph.

11

Cheapest roundtrips I saw are:

  • Tokyo: £363

  • Osaka: £363

  • Fukuoka: £396

  • Okinawa: £397

  • Nagoya: £407

From London (China Eastern Airlines).

12

Mika said:
Cheapest roundtrips I saw are:

  • Tokyo: £363

  • Osaka: £363

  • Fukuoka: £396

  • Okinawa: £397

  • Nagoya: £407

From London (China Eastern Airlines).

OP specified not stopping in China for some reason (although clearly missing out on by far the cheapest fares by doing so!). I recently flew back from Tokyo to London for £230, staying a very nice 4* airport hotel for the China stop for £30 which included airport shuttle. Was a nice way to break up the long journey! And I must admit, China Southern had very decent food and entertainment, I was pleasantly surprised.

13

Paris or Amsterdam should be the cheapest in my opinion.