As mentioned earlier, for this campaign, the Shanghai, Dalian, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen routes can be used from 8,500 miles for a round trip. The author believes these are the prime targets.
Additionally, this campaign includes departures from overseas. If one chooses to depart from China, there are two benefits.
The first benefit is the ability to have a stopover. With ANA international flight award tickets, aside from the final destination, one stopover (a connection exceeding 24 hours) is allowed if departing from overseas. This is a significant advantage for residents in Japan. Details will be explained later with a sample itinerary.
The second benefit is the calculation of the fuel surcharge. As of September 2024, the fuel surcharge from Japan to China is 10,500 JPY, but the fuel surcharge from China to Japan is 312 Chinese yuan. Since one yuan is roughly 20 JPY, it’s about 30% cheaper.
If It Were Up to the Author? Sample Redemption
Let’s introduce an example of a ticket issuance. The first segment is “Shenzhen → Tokyo/Haneda.” Since Shenzhen is also easily accessible from Hong Kong and Macau, it’s not necessary to make Shenzhen the final destination. One could also head there by train or ferry on the departure day. The flights from Shenzhen in the evening arrive at Haneda Airport late at night, making it convenient to stay in the surrounding area.
The next day, “Tokyo/Haneda → Sapporo/Chitose” heads to Sapporo. This is just a connection, so the connecting time must be within 24 hours. With almost a day of layover in Sapporo, one can enjoy sightseeing and gourmet dining.
The last segment of the outbound journey is “Sapporo/Chitose → Shizuoka.” Shizuoka Airport has daily flights to and from Sapporo/Chitose and Okinawa/Naha, but it seems to have low visibility and thus is a secret spot relatively easy to find seats even during peak seasons. It’s a favorite of the author.
Enjoying the “Genco Hamburger” at the charcoal-grilled hamburger restaurant “Sawayaka” and hopping between Shizuoka oden bars might be good. The fare for the ordinary car unreserved seat from Shizuoka to Tokyo Station on the Tokaido Shinkansen is 5,940 JPY, making it convenient for residents in the metropolitan area.
The first segment of the return journey is “Nagoya/Chubu → Okinawa/Naha.” Plan to enjoy a late dinner at Kokusai Street or elsewhere. With a full day to spend the next day, you might extend your visit to the beach or the aquarium. Then, connect within 24 hours to “Okinawa/Naha → Tokyo/Haneda.”
For the return journey, take advantage of the stopover benefit of the international flight award ticket departing from overseas, opting for “Tokyo/Haneda → Shenzhen” in February. If there are available seats on the China routes, other cities like Shanghai could also be options.
Thus, the outbound route is “Shenzhen → Tokyo/Haneda → Sapporo/Chitose → Shizuoka,” leveraging a stopover for “Nagoya/Chubu → Okinawa/Naha → Tokyo/Haneda,” and the return trip is “Tokyo/Haneda → Shenzhen,” requiring only 8,500 miles. With additional fees for fuel surcharges and taxes around 20,000 JPY and a total flight distance over 6,000 miles, if averaged out per flight, it’s approximately 1,500 miles + 3,500 JPY, also including services like in-flight meals on international routes. It’s incredibly cost-effective.
For entry into China, Japanese nationals generally need a visa. For this itinerary, obtaining a double-entry visa or utilizing the transit visa exemption system through Seoul, Hong Kong, or Taipei might be advisable. Please check the detailed entry requirements yourself.
The author has already secured this award ticket and hopes to present an actual usage report if given the opportunity.
Notice
This article was generated using automatic translation by GPT-4 API. The translation may not be accurate.
