Problem Solving: ex-LAX, Visiting NRT & ICN, USD$3000 Budget

[HUGE AL]

I thought I'd put this out to the peanut gallery as I have no clue as to the best solution here for a friend of mine. Particulars:

• $3000 total budget (I figured $2k for airfare/$1k for hotels, but this could be different if an ATW could be accomplished)
• Would like to do an ATW and is OK in whY, but with the new pricing + cost to get to launch point, not sure if this is feasible; if this is not happening, point to point is OK
• Has no mileage that I know of
• Would like to be in Tokyo and Seoul
• Resides in Los Angeles

What would you do?

Danke!


Apologies as I also believe the partying with taipeiflyer and zander is wearing on me...

[KeithMEL]

Since he's only going to Seoul and Tokyo, a RTW isn't worth it. What about a return ticket on JL/NH/OZ etc with a stopover in either city?

[milehighj]

I've no idea what pricing is like ex-LAX, but surely $2k is more than sufficient for LAX-NRT-ICN, vv., on most carriers??

Was the ATW in Y your friend's idea or yours...? If it was your idea, you must not like him/her very much...

[9V-JKL]

NH has offers of LAX-NRT rtn in Y starting from about US$700 so that's a start: http://www.ana.co.jp/wws/us/e/travel...v/e_index.html

OZ is even better for LAX-ICN starting from US$515: http://us.flyasiana.com/Global/US/en...lash&kw=000007

He/She can add a GMP-HND vv ticket along the way

As for hotels in Seoul, a cheap and good one would be Ibis Myeong Dong but I suppose you only know PHS

Tokyo I don't know. PHT perhaps

[HUGE AL]

Amazing what a nap can do!

Since he's only going to Seoul and Tokyo, a RTW isn't worth it. What about a return ticket on JL/NH/OZ etc with a stopover in either city?

I've no idea what pricing is like ex-LAX, but surely $2k is more than sufficient for LAX-NRT-ICN, vv., on most carriers??

Was the ATW in Y your friend's idea or yours...? If it was your idea, you must not like him/her very much...

The ATW came up since he knows I do them. I let him know the old whY fares and he was intrigued. He's considering Spain as well.

NH has offers of LAX-NRT rtn in Y starting from about US$700 so that's a start: http://www.ana.co.jp/wws/us/e/travel...v/e_index.html

OZ is even better for LAX-ICN starting from US$515: http://us.flyasiana.com/Global/US/en...lash&kw=000007

He/She can add a GMP-HND vv ticket along the way

As for hotels in Seoul, a cheap and good one would be Ibis Myeong Dong but I suppose you only know PHS

Tokyo I don't know. PHT perhaps

Yeah, I saw the NH and OZ fares, but is a stopover allowed?

As for hotels, ICN is not a bad situation. For Tokyo, I'll have him do 6 SPG stays so he can grab a weekend over there.

[jhm]

Yeah, I saw the NH and OZ fares, but is a stopover allowed?

If not, then as mentioned above take the cheapest fare to NRT and buy separately GMP-HND r/t for not very much (less than US$400 I think ?).

As for hotels, ICN is not a bad situation. For Tokyo, I'll have him do 6 SPG stays so he can grab a weekend over there.

No need for that!

I would get your friend to ask a TA in LAX for package deals to Tokyo including accommodation. Assuming s/he doesn't mind where in Tokyo s/he stays, it should be cheaper than booking flights plus accommodation separately; and whilst the accommodation may not be luxurious, it's Japan so it'll be clean, the area will be safe and the service good. All the essentials!

[Guy Betsy]

Go to an asian travel agency - or better still a Japanese one and get a JALPAK package which would include the flight through to NRT and ICN with hotel packages thrown in in Japan.

Its also not worth it to do a RTW simply because she also wants to add Spain in. Better do this after the Japan trip seperately.

[Kiwi]

There have been recent fares as low as $400 for US west coast to Japan (and nearby). Far better than spending many times that on a RTW do not need.

[HUGE AL]

Thanks so much, guys! There are some good tips here that I didn't know about.