Star Alliance member Air India is offering a deal from Milan to Tokyo & Seoul starting at just €1,676. This deal includes 2×32 kg checked luggage and all the business class perks. Departures are available between July to April 2025.
While this is a decent price for business class to Japan, it comes at the cost of two lengthy layovers at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Airport. A fifteen-hour-daytime layover is necessary on the way to East Asia; while an overnight layover is required on the way back to Europe. According to Air India’s transit rules, you need an Indian e-visa to exit the airport and spend the night in a hotel.
Our availability calendar highlights all possible flight dates at the lowest price for trips up to 28 days. It will forward you to Skyscanner with your selected flight dates under €1,800. From there, you can proceed to Air India or check what OTAs have to offer, as they sell these tickets up to €150 cheaper:
First, you will fly with Air India from Milan to Delhi. A Boeing 787 is used for this leg, offering 18 seats in a 2-2-2 configuration in business class. All seats can be fully converted into a flat bed. The seat pitch is 188 centimeters.
Unlike the Bangkok or Singapore deal, you will fly all the segments on the Boeing 787 equipped with flat-bed seats, although with two long layovers. Your outbound flight flight from Milan will arrive at 6 AM in Delhi, your journey will resume in the evening towards Japan or South Korea. On the inbound flight, you will need to spend the night in Delhi before returning to Milan.
Search & Book
This deal doesn’t have an expiration date or a minimum stay requirement of four days; however, a maximum stay of three months applies. Departures are available between July to April 2025
You can find suitable dates using our calendar above or with the help of Google Flights. We recommend booking directly on Air India’s website, but you can find cheaper prices with Skyscanner. However, booking on OTAs has its downsides.
While online travel agencies offer cheaper tickets, we recommend booking directly with Air India. According to the comment section on our German website, Air India even offered free transit visas on its own website in the past.
Why is booking with an airline better than with an online travel agency?
More often than not, online travel agencies offer lower fares than airlines do. We still recommend booking with the airlines directly. There are two main reasons for that:
Better Customer Service
In case any problems like delays, cancellations or missed connections arise, you can communicate directly with the airline. The airline has to take care of you because you have a contract with them.
If a travel agency issues your ticket, you may have to reach out to them first. You also depend on your OTA to forward information like flight changes instead of receiving them directly from the airline. In many cases, you may get a prime exhibition of responsibility shifting rather than problem-solving.
This especially applies to premium tickets. You don’t want to spend more than €1,000 to wind up with some budget OTA’s telephone hotline in case anything goes wrong.
Baggage and Other Fees
Economy fares not including hold luggage are industry standard by now. In most cases, travel agencies charge much higher baggage fees than the airlines themselves. If bags are not included in your fare, airlines are often the cheaper alternative.
This also applies to other things like food services, insurances or priority treatment. In almost all cases, you pay less for additional amenities when booking on the airlines’ website.
Air India currently has numerous other destinations within India available at a low cost, if you wish to fly in business class. We have already presented the potential destinations departing from Copenhagen separately in this deal:
Miles & Points
This ticket is issued by Air India in booking class Z. Here are the miles and points you can earn from this deal to Tokyo:
- 29,992 Miles on Aegean Miles+Bonus
- 29,992 Miles on Ethiopian ShebaMiles
- 29,992 Points on SAS EuroBonus
- 29,992 Miles on TAP Miles&Go
- 22,494 Miles on Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
- 22,494 Award Miles + 480 Points on Miles&More
- 18,746 Miles on Asiana Club
- 18,746 Miles on Air Canada Aeroplan
- 18,746 Miles on EVA Infinity MileageLands
- 18,746 Miles on Copa ConnectMiles
- 18,746 Miles on Singapore KrisFlyer
- 18,746 Miles on Thai Royal Orchid Plus
- 18,746 Award Miles + 14,996 Tier Miles on Avianca LifeMiles
- 18,746 Miles on ANA Mileage Club
- 14,996 Award Miles + 2,504 PQP on United MileagePlus
- 14,996 Miles on Egyptair Plus
SAS and its loyalty program EuroBonus will exit Star Alliance on August 31, 2024. You have to be back in Milan by that day to earn the EuroBonus points mentioned above.
Destination
Information & Tips for Tokyo
Tokyo is Japan’s capital and the world’s most populous metropolis as well as one of Japan’s 47 prefectures, consisting of 23 central city wards and multiple cities, towns, and villages west of the city center.
Today, Tokyo offers a great choice of shopping, entertainment, and culture to its visitors. The city’s history can be appreciated in many excellent museums, historic temples, and gardens. Contrary to common perception, Tokyo also offers many attractive green spaces in the city center.
Best Time to Visit
You can visit Tokyo at any time of year because of its moderate weather. However, the best times to visit Tokyo are from September to November and March to May. Summer in Tokyo is hot and humid and should be avoided.
Although winter in Tokyo is cold, it is not too cold for travel.
Three attractions in Tokyo
- Tsukiji Outer Market
A market for fresh seafood. A very vibrant place with lots to see (and smell). - Akihabara
District for electronic and otaku goods. What one might have in mind when thinking of Tokyo. Newest gadgets to be found. - Koishikawa Korakuen
Landscape garden next to Tokyo Dome. An oasis of calm in the middle of a bustling city.
Airports Narita & Haneda
The Tokyo Metropolitan Region has two international airports: Narita and Haneda. Narita is the airport where most flights from Europe will arrive. Tokyo-Narita is located 55 kilometers east of Tokyo city center and is served by the Narita Express. The journey time between the city center and the airport is approximately one hour.
Only a few international airlines fly to Haneda. From Haneda, which is south of the city center, it is much easier to get to Tokyo city center. The JR Tokyo Monorail System takes you to Hamamatsucho Station, which is not far from Tokyo Station.
→ All Dealz for Tokyo
Information & Tips for Seoul
Seoul is the capital of South Korea and with 11.8 million inhabitants and a metropolitan region of around 25.6 million also the largest. The city is an important cultural and economic center in the Asian region.
Flights to Seoul
Flights to Korea are unfortunately not as cheap as to China or Southeast Asia, but there are – especially if you are flexible – some bargains that are definitely worth it.
For flights to Seoul, one should usually be prepared to pay between 400€ and 500€ for a good deal. Often there are also bargains in Business Class, especially from LOT.
You should avoid the school holidays, especially the summer holidays. During this period, airfares quickly rise to more than 700€ and partly reach heights of up to 1.000€ for a direct flight in economy. Good deals are not to be expected during this period.
Best Time to Travel
The best time to visit Seoul is from March to May or from September to November. Thanks to comparatively mild temperatures and plenty of sunshine, these months are best suited for tourism.
From the Airport to the City Center
International long-haul flights usually arrive at Seoul-Incheon Airport. The express train to the city centre departs every 30 minutes and takes 40-45 minutes and costs approx. 6,50€. For a taxi you pay between 47€ and 70€.
→ All Dealz for Seoul
Cover Picture: Ditmar Lange