jp4120

Hi all
planning a trip for Mar/Apr 2025 - and have a few basic questions
- we will be 68 and 65 at time of travel
- we did travel to china and hong kong pre-covid - using BA miles went thru heathrow with a UK layovers and sitting in coach for 2 9 hour flights was a not something i want to do again.
- we want to fly direct this time from newark NJ
we are thinking of flying United but wondering if any has any airline comments - is it worth it to pay for united premium plus (premium economy) its about $3200 pp vs economy which is about $2000 pp.
- we were thinking of tokyo - Osaka - Kyoto - traveling by train but am open to any suggestions - i am just getting started so haven't read the forum threads yet.
- would the above 3 cities say 3 or 4 nights in each be too much? too little?
thanks in advance for any comments.

Wilk67

Hello!

-Going in March / April? Maybe hoping to see the cherry blossoms? So is everyone else, so be prepared for the crowds. You aren't the only one with that bucket list item!

-United international is as unexceptional as United domestic. Either go with the upgrade, or better still, get on a code-share flight operated by their partner ANA (All Nippon Airways, a Japanese flag carrier which has vastly superior service)

A route of Tokyo - Osaka - Kyoto would be like a Japanese person visiting the US for their first time and going only to NYC - Philly - DC and imagining they will get a good sense of what the US is all about from just those 3 spots, without ever seeing the Grand Canyon, or wandering through Bourbon Street, or gazing at redwood forests, or eating some lobster bisque in Bar Harbor, or watching a rodeo in Big Sky Montana, or learning how to two-step at a country-western dive bar in Nashville.

So rather than mull around in a few dull grey cities where every relatively tiny park will be packed to the gills with cherry blossom seekers, maybe instead check out the vastness and variety the rest of the country has to offer. (and perhaps consider going in May, after Golden Week, when the weather is warmer, the days are longer, the crowds are fewer, and all the trees of every species are vibrantly full of fresh green leaves).

Or, just ignore me.

mrwunrfl

Newark means United. I liked United PP a lot (787). You get a lot more leg room and wider sieat. There are two seats between the window and aislr vs three seats on the side in economy. Is it worth an extra $600 each way on 14-hour flights? I suppose so. They fly to Tokyo Narita Airport.

Flying from JFK means you could fly ANA or JAL (oneworld partner with American and BA). Typically better service. Maybe lower price and they fly to Haneda Airport which you would prefer over Narita.

>> - would the above 3 cities say 3 or 4 nights in each be too much? too little?
Let's just say that you are planning a 10-12 day trip. That is long enough to make it worthwhile, more would be better. Thinking 4 nights in each is ok for now, at this point in your planning. While I don't find those three cities to be "dull" or "grey", they are big cities and there is a lot of natural beauty in Japan outside of the cities. You could skp Osaka.

plambers

we are going for the first time in a few weeks. I'd suggest you read a bunch of trip reports and see what interests you and then ask questions. this forum has been a huge help to me.

jp4120

All comments are welcome so thanks for yours....we are not lovers of crowds so you make very good points.

jp4120

is it difficult to purchase economy tix and then upgrade to PP using miles? i didn't enjoy playing the 'log on every day and see if they release flights for miles game' that airlines play (i was doing this on BA since i had tons of miles from business travel)
does newark to tokyo for $2000 per person economy and $3200 per person premium+ seem too expensive? I noticed premium+ as high as $4000 per person varying dates only by a few days.
any recommendations are welcome...thx

mjs

I often fly through EWR on the way to Europe but fly out of SFO to Japan. Flights to Japan out of San Francisco have gotten much more expensive over the last 5-10 years. I always used to pay about $800 RT but now they are much more. I think it’s in part due to the increase in tourism to Japan and the change from larger planes to smaller planes. No more 747s and fewer 777s and more 787s. LAX tends to significantly less expensive. Zip Air is a new budget airline flying out of California to Japan but that won’t help you. Flew premium economy on ANA last year and it was a nice upgrade and similar but slightly better than United domestic business. Premium economy on United is not as nice as the ANA version. Upgrading on United depends on the route, the time of year and the load. We were able to upgrade to Polaris SFO- KIX last year but not TYO- SFO. Flyertalk comments were that it was easier to upgrade to KIX than TYO. I don’t know anything about upgrading from United Economy as I start with Economy plus due to status. I do know that it’s easier to upgrade from United premium economy to Polaris than from Economy plus. We just upgraded ATH-IAD yesterday for 20K miles plus $550 to Polaris. Upgrade to Premium Economy was 20K. Upgrade to Osaka was 30K miles and $550 if memory serves me. Cash cost to upgrade to KIX Polaris was $6000.
I find it always cheaper to use miles plus cash to upgrade on United.

curiousgeo

If you fly premium economy on ANA from JFK you will be ruined forever lol. Seriously, you have lounge access and comfortable seats with attentive service helps pass those 15 hours. And landing at Haneda is a nice bonus. Well worth it if you can swing it.

mrwunrfl

>> I don’t know anything about upgrading from United Economy as I start with Economy plus due to status.

But you do, mjs. You bought an economy class ticket and were able to choose E+ seating. Then you upgraded to business class seating.

peolsolutions5684

For direct flights from Newark NJ to Japan, United Airlines offers a convenient option. Upgrading to United Premium Plus (premium economy) can provide added comfort for long-haul flights, but the decision depends on your budget and preferences. Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto offer diverse experiences; spending 3-4 nights in each city allows for a balanced exploration of culture, history, and cuisine.