Gulf carrier Etihad Airways has put a nice price tag on economy tickets from Milan to Tokyo-Narita. For just €578 the carrier offers you a checked bag up to 23 kg and excellent board, food and beverage services on your way to the Japanese capital. Sadly, a long layover in Abu Dhabi is necessary both ways. The availability is limited to departures in December – and a single date in mid-January.
Our calendar displays all available dates for trips of 4 – 28 days:
Etihad uses Boeing 787 planes on all of these flights. You can expect a 3-3-3 seating pattern with personal monitors in every seat back. Reserving an exit row seat costs around €160 in each direction. The last row of the plane is a 2-3-2 row, and reserving a seat in that row of 2 costs €20 per flight.
After flying from Milan to Abu Dhabi for 5 hours overnight, you’ll have 16 hours in Abu Dhabi – basically the entire day. Then you’ll fly another 9 hours overnight to Tokyo. On the way back, you’ll spend 14 hours in Abu Dhabi – however, from midnight until 14:45 – meaning that you’ll have to book a hotel at your own expense.
Search & Book
This fare can be booked until August 30, 2023. The minimum stay requirement is 2 days. Furthermore, your stay cannot exceed 4 months.
Our calendar above displays all available dates for trips of up to 4 weeks. To find additional flight dates, consult Google Flights. As usual, we recommend booking directly with the airline instead of involving a third-party OTA.
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.
Mileage
The tickets are issued in booking class E, meaning that you’ll get:
- 7,956 Award Miles on American AAdvantage
- 7,956 Award Miles on Asiana Club
- 7,956 Award Miles on ANA Mileage Club
- 7,956 Award Miles + 2,000 Tier Miles on CSA OK Plus
- 7,956 Award Miles + 15,910 Tier Miles on Etihad Guest
- 7,956 Award Miles on Hainan Fortune Wings Club
- 7,956 Award Miles on Oman Air Sindbad
- 7,956 Award Miles on Royal Air Maroc Safar Flyer
- 7,956 Award Miles on Air Canada Aeroplan
- 7,956 Award Miles on Saudia Alfursan
- 7,956 Award Miles on Flying Blue
- 3,978 Award Miles on Garuda Indonesia GarudaMiles
- 3,978 Points on Malaysia Airlines Enrich
- 3,978 Award Miles on SriLankan FlySmiLes
- 2,930 Extra Points + 500 Basic Points on SAS EuroBonus
Destination
Hotel prices in Tokyo usually start at roughly €35 but can quickly jump to €70 if you want to stay in a nice location. Whichever category and hotel you opt for, make sure to get the best price! Our recommendation is to search on booking.com, or even on our own Travel-Dealz hotel search:
Information & Tips for Tokyo
Tokyo is Japan’s capital and the world’s most populous metropolis as well as one of Japan’s 47 prefectures, consisting of 23 central city wards and multiple cities, towns, and villages west of the city center.
Today, Tokyo offers a great choice of shopping, entertainment, and culture to its visitors. The city’s history can be appreciated in many excellent museums, historic temples, and gardens. Contrary to common perception, Tokyo also offers many attractive green spaces in the city center.
Best Time to Visit
You can visit Tokyo at any time of year because of its moderate weather. However, the best times to visit Tokyo are from September to November and March to May. Summer in Tokyo is hot and humid and should be avoided.
Although winter in Tokyo is cold, it is not too cold for travel.
Three attractions in Tokyo
- Tsukiji Outer Market
A market for fresh seafood. A very vibrant place with lots to see (and smell). - Akihabara
District for electronic and otaku goods. What one might have in mind when thinking of Tokyo. Newest gadgets to be found. - Koishikawa Korakuen
Landscape garden next to Tokyo Dome. An oasis of calm in the middle of a bustling city.
Airports Narita & Haneda
The Tokyo Metropolitan Region has two international airports: Narita and Haneda. Narita is the airport where most flights from Europe will arrive. Tokyo-Narita is located 55 kilometers east of Tokyo city center and is served by the Narita Express. The journey time between the city center and the airport is approximately one hour.
Only a few international airlines fly to Haneda. From Haneda, which is south of the city center, it is much easier to get to Tokyo city center. The JR Tokyo Monorail System takes you to Hamamatsucho Station, which is not far from Tokyo Station.
→ All Dealz for Tokyo
Information & Tips for Japan
Japan, the ‘land of the rising sun’, is located in the east of Asia and is one of the most popular travel destinations on the continent. Big cities like Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto convince urban fans while ski fans get their money’s worth in Hokkaido and Tohoku.
Flights to Japan are usually a little more expensive than comparable offers to other destinations in Asia, but there are exceptions, and you can sometimes find bargains.
Best travel time
Since the country consists of many climatic zones it is hard to name a perfect time for travelling to Japan. However, summer should usually be avoided, as June is dominated by the rainy season and July and August offer sweltering temperatures with high humidity.
Visa
Most European citizens do not need a visa to enter Japan for a stay of up to 180 days if they do not want to work, study or train. Travelers that arrive under these conditions without a visa will be granted a residence permit as a “Temporary Visitor” for an initial period of 90 days upon entering the country at the airport.
Finding the Best eSIM Plan
We’ve compared various eSIM providers, such as YohoMobile and Nomad. To see which plan is best for your travel needs, and which network offers the best coverage, feel free to read our detailed guide:
The Best eSIM Plans for Japan 🇯🇵 Compared
→ All Dealz for Japan
Cover Picture: Photo by Riccardo Chiarini on Unsplash