Japan: China Eastern Starting at €510 from Rome in May (Incl. 2×23 Kg Checked Bags)

SkyTeam member China Eastern Airlines brings us a deal to travel from Rome to Japan with short layovers starting at €510. What caught our attention the most is that they offer competitive prices for less popular airports in Japan, which we find interesting for optimizing your trip or escaping the over-tourism of Kyoto and Tokyo. The fare includes two checked bags weighing up to 23 kilograms and is available for travel in May.

Here’s a list of the airports where you can take advantage of this deal without a overnight stay in Shanghai in the inbound flight:

• Tokyo at €510
• Nagoya at €514
• Fukuoka at €525

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. From there, you can proceed to China Eastern or check what OTAs have to offer, as they sell these tickets up to €30 cheaper:

On the flight from Rome to Shanghai, you will fly in an Airbus 350 with a 3-3-3 economy class configuration. The flight from Shanghai to Japan will be on an Airbus 320 with a 3-3 economy class configuration.

Search & Book

This deal doesn’t have a minimum stay or an expiration date, but it does have a maximum stay of twelve months. Departures are available in May.

For Fukuoka, Nagoya, and Tokyo, it is possible to lower the price by €50 if you add an overnight stay with a 20-hour layover, which you can use to explore Shanghai. You can also get to Osaka if you don’t mind an overnight stay on the inbound flight.

You can use Google Flights (instructions) to find available dates quickly and easily. The flights can be booked directly through China Eastern’s website, but they can also be found on OTAs on Skyscanner for less money than on the airline website. However, these savings will come with some downsides, as we explain here:

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.

Multi City Ticket

To make the most of this deal, you can opt for an multi city ticket by entering Japan through one city and departing from another. For instance, you could fly from Rome to Osaka and return from Fukuoka. With this combination, you can take advantage of a 7-day JR-WEST All Area Pass for JP¥26,000 (~€156), which is more cost-effective than a regular JR Pass. This allows you to use bullet trains between Osaka and Fukuoka, giving you the opportunity to visit Hiroshima and Himeji along the way.

You can check out our article about alternatives to the Japan Rail Pass: regional rail passes in Japan starting at €10/day for inspiration for your next trip to the Land of the Rising Sun.

Mileage

The flights are issued by China Eastern with booking class Z. Here are the miles or points you will earn if you book these flights from Rome to Tokyo:

Cover Picture: © SeanPavonePhoto - stock.adobe.com