Tokyo has long been one of the most expensive cities in the world. However, over the past few years the United States Dollar has become stronger against the Japanese Yen. As a result, tourism to some of Japan’s popular cities has been on the rise.
Getting to Tokyo for Cheap
Since tourism to Japan has been hot the past couple of years, airlines have had price wars on their Japan flights. This means there are always deals popping up for steeply discounted fares. Web sites like Airfare Watchdog can help you spot these great deals. If you don’t want to spend US$600 or more on a flight, then the best way to fly to Tokyo on a budget is to use credit card airline miles.
There are quite a few different airlines that fly into Tokyo’s two airports (Narita and Haneda). Unfortunately, quite a few of the airlines charge a premium for the number of miles it requires. Here are a few of your best options to maximize your miles. (Read more about how your credit card can help with vacation costs, here: The Best Credit Cards for Travel Insurance.)
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines offers flights to Tokyo for just 50,000-80,000 miles in coach, 100,000-140,000 in business class or 125,000 in first class. Alaska is also an airline partner of American Airlines, Delta, and Korean Air, which means you can also use miles from those airlines to travel on Alaska Airlines. You can also transfer points from your Starwood Preferred Guest account to Alaska Airlines at a 1:1 ratio.
If you don’t currently have enough Alaska Airlines miles, then you can apply for the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card, which will give you 25,000 bonus miles after your application is accepted.
American Airlines
American Airlines offers competitive miles redemption levels and has a lot of rewards space available. An off-peak coach ticket is 50,000 miles round-trip, a peak coach ticket is 65,000 miles, 100,000 for a business class ticket and 125,000 miles for first class. Just like Alaska Airlines, you can transfer points from a Starwood Preferred Guest account.
If you need to earn additional miles to make this trip work on American Airlines, then they have several co-branded credit cards from Citi. One of the most lucrative right now is the Citi AAdvantage Executive card. With the card, you will receive 75,000 miles if you spend US$7,500 in the first three months. If you don’t think spending US$7,500 in three months is realistic then you can get the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select card. If you spend US$1,000 in the first three months, then you will receive a 30,000 miles sign up bonus. (Learn how to make your next flight smoother, here: 3 Things Travelers Value When Flying.)
Singapore Airlines
A third way that you can travel to Tokyo is with Singapore Airlines. If you have never flown with this airline, then you are missing something special. Their first class is a little pricey for the number of points it requires, but it offers great amenities. A seat in coach costs 65,000 miles, business class would be 155,000 miles and first is 175,000 miles. If you book your seat online, then they offer a 15% discount, which would drop the amount of miles needed to just 52,250, 131,750, and 148,750 respectively for coach, business, and first class.
Singapore Airlines is also a transfer partner of Air Canada, ANA, Asiana Airlines, and United Airlines. You can also transfer points from Starwood Preferred Guest, American Express Membership Rewards, and Chase Ultimate Rewards.
If you need to boost your Singapore Krisflyer miles, then an excellent way to do so would be with one of the Chase credit cards that earn Ultimate Reward points. You could get the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and earn 40,000 Ultimate Reward points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months. You can also add an authorized user to your account for an additional 5,000 points after they make their first purchase.
Where to Stay Once You Get to Tokyo
Tokyo is one of the largest cities in the world, which means there is an endless supply of hotels. You can find everything from low-end hostels to five-star luxury hotels. If you don’t have an issue with tight spaces, you can even stay in a capsule for just US$30 per night.
If that isn’t your thing, then check out one of the many hostels that you will find all around Tokyo. These are even cheaper than a capsule, starting at around US$14 for a shared dorm room.
If you want to stay in luxury, then try to use some of your hotel points. A fantastic option is either the Park Hyatt Tokyo or the Grand Hyatt Tokyo. The Park Hyatt is a category six hotel, which means it costs 22,000 Hyatt points per night. The Grand Hyatt is a category five, so it’s slightly less costly at 18,000 points per night.
For those of you that have Starwood points, you could stay at the Westin Tokyo for 20,000 Starpoints per night or the Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Hotel for 12,000 points per night. (Read more about travel costs, here: Travel Cost Comparison: New York Vs. Tokyo)
Experiencing the City Without Spending a lot of Money
When visiting Tokyo, you will notice that a lot of the major tourist attractions are free for visitors. One of the main attractions is the Imperial Palace and the gardens surrounding. If you are hoping to catch a glimpse of the Emperor, then you need to plan your trip around either January 2 or April 29. These are the only two days when the main palace gardens are open, and the Emperor makes frequent appearances to the public.
Every tourist also needs to make a trip to the city's Asakusa district where you will find the Senso-ji temple. This is Tokyo’s most famous shrine and is surrounded by little shops and restaurants. If you are looking to purchase an authentic kimono, then this is the place to check out.
No trip to Tokyo is complete without doing a little shopping. For this, you can head over to Ginza where you will find streets with trendy shops. If you have kids, they might like visiting the Hello Kitty flagship store.
If you’re not too afraid of heights, then you can make your way to the 634-meter tall Tokyo Skytree. A trip to the top of this will give you amazing views of the entire city. Just don’t go on a cloudy day. Adult tickets for the Tokyo Skytree Tembo Deck cost US$20, but the view is worth it.
Eating in Tokyo Really Can Be Cheap
If you are looking to stay on budget while you are in Tokyo, then ramen is the way to go. I’m not talking about the packaged ramen that you probably ate throughout college. This is the real stuff, but it’s also relatively cheap. One of the best ramen restaurant chains throughout Tokyo is Hidakaya. You can find basic ramen bowls for as low as 390 yen, and you can put together a full meal for less than 1,000 yen.
No trip to Tokyo is complete without a trip to a sushi restaurant. There are several sushi restaurants where you pick items off a conveyor belt. The prices are fairly reasonable as long as you stay away from some of the high-end areas. Just make sure you grab things right after they are prepared. No one wants sushi that has been going around in circles for hours. (Learn how to get the best exchange rate, here: Traveling Abroad? Get the Best Exchange Rates)
The Bottom Line
Tokyo is one of the most vibrant cities in the world. It is easy to find delicious and affordable meals in Tokyo such as ramen and sushi. An excellent way to save on your flight and accommodations is to redeem points from your travel credit cards.
