Got your heart set on getting to Japan this spring without spending a small fortune or emptying your piggy bank of points? We got you – and so does United Airlines.
With little fanfare, United launched an award sale on Tuesday to book roundtrip flights to Japan in economy this spring for just 50,000 United miles. But the real beauty of this deal is that it doesn't just work from United hubs with nonstop service to Tokyo like San Francisco (SFO), Denver (DEN), Chicago-O'Hare (ORD), or Newark (EWR). No, you can depart from almost any city with United service and make a one-stop trip to Tokyo – often with a quick and easy connection – still for just 50,000 miles total.
Get first dibs on the next cheap flight or points deal with Thrifty Traveler Premium+!
This deal is still widely available, and it's a steal. United and most other airlines typically charge 70,000 miles or more roundtrip for flights to Japan. And it's a great way to use your United MileagePlus miles, as many of these same flights would cost $1,200 to $1,500 or more roundtrip.
It may not be a lie-flat United Polaris business class seat, but this is a great, cost-effective way to get to Japan using your miles.
Check out all our favorite ways to book flights to Japan, from the cheapest cash fares to points and miles redemptions!
You'll have to pull off a trip to Japan fairly last minute, as these ultra-low United fares are only available for travel through May 18. But Japan is open and ready for travelers to come back, and spring is the perfect time to explore Tokyo, head down to Kyoto, or dive even deeper into Japan. If you hop on a plane soon, you can even catch the tail-end of cherry blossom season!
Don't have 50,000 United miles to spare? You might have the points to make it happen without knowing it. United is a Chase transfer partner, which means you can send 50,000 points from cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve® instantly to your United account and get what you need. If you're earning points by paying your rent with Bilt Rewards, you can also transfer them to United.
Kick in just $50 or so in taxes and fees, and you're on your way.
To get started, just head to United.com and search for flights from your home airport to Tokyo. Be sure to choose the options to “Book with miles” as well as “Flexible dates.” Once the results start to filter in, you may want to click to see results in a 30-day calendar to ensure you're getting the best deal.
From Akron (ATL) and Atlanta (ATL) to Washington, D.C.-Dulles (IAD) and Wichita (ICT) in Kansas, travelers based at airports big and small nationwide can hop on this deal for just 50,000 United miles roundtrip. Every single fare includes free seat selection and not one but two checked bags. And because you're booking with United miles, you can cancel these flights if plans change to get your miles back without paying a dime.
Depending on which United hub you depart from, you may have the choice between flying into either Tokyo-Haneda (HND) or Tokyo-Narita (NRT). Haneda is always our first choice, as it's located much closer to the heart of Tokyo. Or … you could fly into a different Japanese city altogether.
That's right: You can also fly in and out of Osaka (KIX) for the same, 50,000-mile roundtrip rate with this deal. Osaka is the foodie capital of Japan, and it's also just a brief train ride away from Kyoto. Here's arguably the best deal of all: You can even book multi-city flights that land in Osaka, book a ride on the bullet train up to Tokyo, and fly home from Japan's capital in one fell swoop.
Rather fly than ride the train? You could add in a flight within Japan (flying All Nippon Airways) between your transpacific jaunts using the amazing United Excursionist Perk without forking over an extra mile!
From discounted Delta SkyMiles flash sales to unprecedented award availability to book ANA first class, this is just the latest phenomenal deal we've sent to our Thrifty Traveler Premium+ members to use points for a trip to Japan in 2023. We're more than on board with this trend … but what gives?
Airlines have brought back many of their nonstop flights to Japan since the country reopened last fall. But while the appetite for visiting Japan is clearly growing, it clearly hasn't been strong enough for the airlines to fill all those seats. Supply of flights to and from Japan is outpacing demand for those seats, and that has opened the door wider than ever to put some points and miles to use.
United Availability to Japan this Spring
- Book roundtrip flights to Japan (Tokyo-Haneda, Tokyo-Narita, and Osaka-Kansai) for 50,000 miles total
- Best availability from early April through May 18
- Search at United.com
- Choose to “Book with miles” when you search
Departure Cities
Akron (CAK) – 50k
Albany (ALB) – 50k
Albuquerque (ABQ) – 50k
Allentown (ABE) – 50k
Anchorage (ANC) – 50k
Appleton (ATW) – 50k
Arcata (ACV) – 50k
Asheville (AVL) – 50k
Atlanta (ATL) – 50k
Austin (AUS) – 50k
Bakersfield (BFL) – 50k
Baltimore (BWI) – 50k
Bangor (BGR) – 50k
Billings (BIL) – 50k
Birmingham (BHM) – 50k
Bismarck (BIS) – 50k
Boise (BOI) – 50k
Boston (BOS) – 50k
Bozeman (BZN) – 50k
Buffalo (BUF) – 50k
Burbank (BUR) – 50k
Burlington (BTV) – 50k
Calgary (YYC) – 50k
Cedar Rapids (CID) – 50k
Charleston (CHS) – 50k
Charleston (CRW) – 50k
Charlotte (CLT) – 50k
Charlottesville (CHO) – 50k
Chattanooga (CHA) – 50k
Chicago (ORD) – 50k*
Cincinnati (CVG) – 50k
Cleveland (CLE) – 50k
Colorado Springs (COS) – 50k
Columbia (CAE) – 50k
Columbus (CMH) – 50k
Corpus Christi (CRP) – 50k
Dallas (DFW) – 50k
Dayton (DAY) – 50k
Denver (DEN) – 50k*
Des Moines (DSM) – 50k
Detroit (DTW) – 50k
Devils Lake (DVL) – 50k
Dickinson (DIK) – 50k
Duluth (DLH) – 50k
Edmonton (YEG) – 50k
El Paso (ELP) – 50k
Erie (ERI) – 50k
Eugene (EUG) – 50k
Fargo (FAR) – 50k
Fayetteville (XNA) – 50k
Flint (FNT) – 50k
Ft. Lauderdale (FLL) – 50k
Fort Myers (RSW) – 50k
Fort Wayne (FWA) – 50k
Fresno (FAT) – 50k
Grand Junction (GJT) – 50k
Grand Rapids (GRR) – 50k
Green Bay (GRB) – 50k
Greensboro (GSO) – 50k
Greenville (GSP) – 50k
Gulfport (GPT) – 50k
Harrisburg (MDT) – 50k
Hartford (BDL) – 50k
Houston (IAH) – 50k*
Huntsville (HSV) – 50k
Idaho Falls (IDA) – 50k
Indianapolis (IND) – 50k
Jackson (JAN) – 50k
Jackson Hole (JAC) – 50k
Jacksonville (JAX) – 50k
Jamestown (JMS) – 50k
Joplin (JLN) – 50k
Kalispell (FCA) – 50k
Kansas City (MCI) – 50k
Key West (EYW) – 50k
Knoxville (TYS) – 50k
Lafayette (LFT) – 50k
Las Vegas (LAS) – 50k
Lexington (LEX) – 50k
Lincoln (LNK) – 50k
Little Rock (LIT) – 50k
Los Angeles (LAX) – 50k*
Louisville (SDF) – 50k
Lubbock (LBB) – 50k
Madison (MSN) – 50k
Manchester (MHT) – 50k
McAllen (MFE) – 50k
Medford (MFR) – 50k
Memphis (MEM) – 50k
Miami (MIA) – 50k
Midland (MAF) – 50k
Milwaukee (MKE) – 50k
Minneapolis (MSP) – 50k
Minot (MOT) – 50k
Missoula (MSO) – 50k
Mobile (MOB) – 50k
Moline (MLI) – 50k
Monterey (MRY) – 50k
Montreal (YUL) – 50k
Myrtle Beach (MYR) – 50k
Nashville (BNA) – 50k
New Orleans (MSY) – 50k
Newark (EWR) – 50k*
Norfolk (ORF) – 50k
Oklahoma City (OKC) – 50k
Omaha (OMA) – 50k
Ontario (ONT) – 50k
Orlando (MCO) – 50k
Ottawa (YOW) – 50k
Palm Springs (PSP) – 50k
Panama City (ECP) – 50k
Pasco (PSC) – 50k
Pensacola (PNS) – 50k
Peoria (PIA) – 50k
Philadelphia (PHL) – 50k
Phoenix (PHX) – 50k
Pittsburgh (PIT) – 50k
Portland (PDX) – 50k
Portland (PWM) – 50k
Providence (PVD) – 50k
Raleigh (RDU) – 50k
Rapid City (RAP) – 50k
Redding (RDD) – 50k
Redmond (RDM) – 50k
Reno (RNO) – 50k
Richmond (RIC) – 50k
Roanoke (ROA) – 50k
Rochester (ROC) – 50k
Sacramento (SMF) – 50k
Salt Lake City (SLC) – 50k
San Antonio (SAT) – 50k
San Diego (SAN) – 50k
San Francisco (SFO) – 50k*
San Luis Obispo (SBP) – 50k
Santa Ana (SNA) – 50k
Santa Barbara (SBA) – 50k
Santa Fe (SAF) – 50k
Sarasota (SRQ) – 50k
Savannah (SAV) – 50k
Scranton (AVP) – 50k
Seattle (SEA) – 50k
Shreveport (SHV) – 50k
Sioux City (SUX) – 50k
Sioux Falls (FSD) – 50k
South Bend (SBN) – 50k
Spokane (GEG) – 50k
Springfield (SGF) – 50k
Springfield (SPI) – 50k
St. Louis (STL) – 50k
Syracuse (SYR) – 50k
Tampa (TPA) – 50k
Toronto (YYZ) – 50k
Traverse City (TVC) – 50k
Tucson (TUS) – 50k
Tulsa (TUL) – 50k
Vancouver (YVR) – 50k
Washington, D.C. (IAD) – 50k*
West Palm Beach (PBI) – 50k
Westchester County (HPN) – 50k
Wichita (ICT) – 50k
Wilmington (ILM) – 50k
* = nonstop
Bottom Line
The points and miles deals to Japan just keep coming, and we are here for it. Roundtrip flights to Tokyo or Osaka for 50,000 United miles nationwide? Yes, please.
While you'll need to hop on the plane within the next six weeks to make this deal work, it's a great way to get to Japan in 2023 for less and an outstanding way to put some United miles (or Chase points!) to use.