Hey all,
It's that month of the year again where Jetstar seem to have their Japan sale.
The sale is normal fare there but $1 on the return leg which for me comes to about $480 return from Gold Coast to Tokyo when I plugged in some random dates, which is a pretty good price to me.
Travel period is mostly 24 Sep - 11 Dec 2013 but depends on where you fly from. Sale ends 23:59 3 Sep so you'd better start harassing your bosses for leave soon!
And what happens when they delay or cancel your return flight? A refund of 1 dollar?
With a $1 cancellation fee
You're thinking Tiger
You must be thinking tiger cos jetstar don't give refunds!
Yeah i got bumped due to overbooking on Jetstar.
They moved me to a flight 24 hours later
Said thats all they would do.. no compensation
Then said.. we have some business class seats left.
sweet i said, until they wanted mer to pay $510 for the seat.
I needed to be on that flight, negotiated it down to $300 for the seat.. paid it
Got $150 back when i returned… they would not move an inch.
OH and started fares cant be refunded if u cancel… so if u cancel your refund wont be $1 it will be $0
More of an issue - what if you need to change return date. Usually charged rebooking fee plus fare difference. I did this from Tokyo after 2011 quake. Now will charge full new fare!
That's what travel insurance is for, mate. And if you are a true ozbargainer, you would be getting travel insurance for free from any one of the bank credit cards
Totally wrong, mate!
People change their travel dates for a variety of reasons. Travel insurance does not cover change of date due to change of mind. I simply decided to return home early. Nothing to do with the earthquake. There would have been no basis for a claim.
My post was just a warning about buying a $1 return ticket.
Others may also want to change the date of return, and find they will have to pay the full return price.
Besides the fees charged on Gold CC for that "free" travel insurance with conditions is too expensive in my circumstances. Almost all I do is travel (usually on hols OS 9 months a year - without insurance). Did the figures with several providers. I would have to pay extra fees to book my flights as they needed to be bought with their card. As each trip is with discount airlines & I do not stay in hotels over $50/n - was told I would most likely not be covered on any of my trips, as I travel way to cheap :-)
If you have travel insurance AND were forced by circumstances to change the flight, all this set of posts would not be relevant
Giving advice without knowing the individual's circumstances is foolish.
Seem to have been few sales to Japan this year. Normally around 4 per year. (Have been Birthday & 2for1 Sales to Japan.) Wondering if this is due to cheap fares offered only to paid up members??
Cheapest I found was in Boxing Day sale: $420 return from Gold Coast vs $480 now. Travel dates to Japan for that sale ended at start travel date of this sale. Flying in a few days, so that meant paying a long way in advance. So this is a good price.
Nuclear leakage may still be affecting the nearby ocean in Japan. Beware.
…Yeah I've been twice since the leak and I'm green like the Hulk.
You have been twice? I'm green with envy
Yeah good luck seeing it now. Radiation symptoms show when you get older. Im sure the Americans can tell you all about it from the hiroshima group.
@fuzor…so what you are politely saying is- this deal is perfect for retirees…
hope to see u smash up something in NY soon
I'm sick of hearing this in every discussion about Japan.
Been to Japan 3 times since the incident, not dying of cancer quite yet.
but I wanted mutant powerz…..
I lived in Japan for 2 years and I don't think I've ever been in the ocean either. There's a reason Japan doesn't advertise their beaches (aside from Okinawa).
.
Maybe you are not sick of hearing about the leakage, but sick of the leakage itself? Afterall, you have been to Japan three times after the leakage ;)
I think Ramthonio was just trying to warn people of the possibility of Godzilla showing up due to the radiation in the ocean.
The truth is Godzilla does not live in Japan's oceans. However, Gamera was already living there prior to the radiation.
And besides, Ramthonio was obviously being a troll who most likely has never been to Japan and has never seen Tokyo's awesomeness, only to be influenced by the overhyping of the media. Who swims in Japan waters anyway. Swim in an onsen instead.
I lived there for 4 years and often went to Kujukuri in Chiba.
loved it. loved the Japanese fixation with "the beach is only open from X to Y days, so you can't swim outside those days"
if you go to the beach either side of those days(i.e. when it is "closed" then the beach is deserted.
Swim in an Onsen instead.
No swimming in Onsen! (One of usual rules along with no tattoos.)
Love Onsens :-)
Also have also swum in ocean at a few places, but who leaves our great beaches for the usually grey sand & concrete barriers of Japanese beaches. Witnessed a stack of boardriders catching waves off a snowbound beach - very different to Oz!
Best is to combine the two.
In tiny Yakushima, there are rotenburo (naturally heated outdoor pools) that are filled by the tide. You share your (mixed) hot bath with trapped fish, while flying fish & crabs scuttle around the rocks.
Shirahama has a wonderful set of rotenburo emptying into the ocean. It is sheer joy to sit in the outfall being washed with hot water exiting & cold waves crashing over you. The sand may seem familiar - imported from Oz.
You got me there. He's right, no swimming in onsens. Have you been to Oedo Onsen Monogatari, highlight of my trip
I knew what you meant :-) But in formal culture like Japan, most Japanese would be shocked by your suggestion.
I'll mark Oedo Onsen Monogatari on my to do map of Japan. But there's more to Japan than Tokyo. I rarely go there, preferring small villages & nature.
10 days until I am back in Japan, attending a 1240 year old festival at Ise-jingu, walking the 1000+ year old mountain paths of the Kumano Kodo, camping along the wild coastline of the San-in National Park on the Japan Sea, to the amazing contemporary art & architecture of the arts festival held every 3 years on islands of the Inland Sea. Just wish I could speak Japanese, but that has never stopped the fun :-)
my first/second stop would be kyoto.
..
I am midori with envy
Here EFFING Here!!!
What's the cheapest it's been from Melbourne in the last 12 months? AFTER all the dumb booking fees, bag fees, fuel tax and other dumb stuff they try to hide on flight prices nowadays.
Can it be done under $1000 AUD? Say with 8 to 14 days stayover time there?
If you actually just try it out on the website you'll see you can very easily do it for under $1000.
I'm looking at approximately $1300 for two people for a week, but that's including a large baggage allowance and meals and gaining FF points.
If you skipped all of that, you'd probably go for $600max including fees.
Oh wow that's quite reasonable.
Booked, so happy to see this deal again. I go twice a year. $590 all up (return from Gold Coast) and better than $1100 return through qantas.
As for nuclear leakage, apparently lizards are good for eating up radioactivation permanently. I'll be sure to take a goanna or backyard bluetongue or two and help a brother out.
Is the lizard thing for real!??
Oh god you're going to create the next Godzilla.
-deleted-
Do they still sell schoolgirl panties in vending machines?
Buy a ticket & see/sniff :-)
Have seen many types of vending machines, but assumed it was myth.
Never seen one myself on many trips :-(
Creepy sad face for not seeing school girl pantie dispenser?
It's a Japan thing - finding the weirdest vending machine, etc.
You can tell a lot about the area by the product or price.
Like the roadside sheds with porn DVD vending machines inside. (Porn is highly censored.)
And standing in a convenience store glancing through a schoolgirl upskirt mag, while surrounded by schoolgirls in same uniform.
My flatmate in uni was a Japanese professor who's field was anthropology viewed through the prostitution & sexual practices of a culture - great work if you can get it :-)
Didn't see any buy I saw one selling 1kg kegs of asahi and also fresh mens underwear
The machines did once exist but were outlawed in the early 1990s. There's still plenty of 'interesting' merchandise for sale in some side streets of places like Akihabara.
Those machines have NEVER existed. Its an OLD OLD myth
You can get them from Japanese adult stores, for around $100 each.
Ladies, time to cash in that old drawer full'o'nastybiz. Gaijin skuzzpants pay top dorra!
And as far as getting some from a vending machine, its an old myth, its been outlawed, but in the right place im sure you'll find your vending machine of destiny.
Nihon, Ikimasho!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZY0omvbDEY4
you will never look at a pair of used undies the same way again. :P
Will insist on a DNA test from now on :-)
50% off the fare I was looking at booking through Singapore Airlines!
Thank you OP!
Time to harass my boss for leave…Gonna try use a wedding as an excuse lol
same here. booked and yet to get approval from bos.
Theres no chance that they would do the same for a return flight from Tokyo to Gold Coast? Maybe I should call them.
Why? Link clearly lists $480 return.
I've been waiting for this. Just saved me ~$1,500
Dammit, I already booked a couple weeks ago :-(
That is a fantastic price - did a search for a week before Mel cup and it's $1097 return for two adults. Must hold back….just got back from a 4 week holiday in the States.
I have lived in Australia my whole life and still don't know the correct way to pronounce "Cairns"
Cans
[ˈkeːnz]
I have lived in Australia for 6 years, and I can perfectly pronounce it.
straya
Blarg. I only booked mine a few weeks ago. Normal jetstar rates are still much cheaper than the other airlines, but this is fantastic if the dates work for you.
Dang, if only I had the time. :(
and annual leave :(
Do you ever get sale flights to japan around/just after easter?
There's a great bit of leave coming up next easter where you take 3 days leave and get 10 days off. Was thinking of checking out the cherry blossoms.
You'll probably not see a sale then (in fact prices might jump) as HEAPS of people are probably thinking the same as you. Sales are usually for the non-peak periods.
Having a few problems. When I visit the link I see a grey box with an animated loading sign, but nothing ever shows up. When I use the mobile site, I can't find any $1 return fares (looking around Jan). Also, when I try to search for flights using the homepage I get: Server Error in '/' Application Post back not supported.
Anyone else in struggletown? It's not my connection or browser(s).
im getting that too :S. Wont load for me
It's fixed now. Not for perth.
I need flights for Feb next year… dammit!
so tempted. can't believe it's available for Koyo peak season. The most spectacular and beautiful mth in Japan for scenery. The infamous autumn leaves. Should peak around mid November in Kyoto. All the temples will be stunning. But be warned…massive crowds. The Japanese love to travel, especially in their own country. So much prettier than sakura, last longer. The mountains will have 3 colours, snow capped, , red in the middle and green at the bottom. Amazing.
It is the transitory nature of the Sakura that make them so special.
I chased the front of blossoming Sakura about 1500 km one Spring - fantastic.
Especially love Autumn & Spring in Japan.
SYD-Osaka/Tokyo is $591 return, which is good price.
ex OOL(Gld Coast) is $480, ex Cairns is $380 return, which is better.
very tempted…
btw, Jetstar still charge Credit card surcharge fees, do they?
Yes, but you can choose to bank transfer to them.
Good timing Jetstar (I'll temporaily forgive all the pain and frustration you regularly cause me)
Please update the post to specify its only from Cairns, Gold Coast, Sydney, and Melbourne.
No love for Perth :(
Thanks $520 return ex Sydney for two weeks is awesome price!!!
Was about the book the AirAsia deal for similar period for a Osaka trip for $819 and then saw this.
Now cost me $739 only and it is for a better travel date and less transit and flying time!
Was trying to buy via Expedia to save the stupid $25 credit card fee that Jetstar charge but couldn't login in the Expedia website…..
Chances are you are going to need more than carry on and if there are 2 or more people going you kind of want to be able to select your seats. With that in mind, i looked at Mel > TYO in November and the cheapest i could get was $791 return. I guess if you go the bare bones options then $639 isn't too bad. I think some of the prices people are quoting are at the first step of the booking process. Go all the way through and see how much your fare jumps!
As for th Fukushima issue. See here http://fukushima.ans.org/report/Fukushima_report.pdf
Those heat maps you see are somewhat misleading.
Gold Coast to Osaka - $619
Included 20KG Checked Baggage, Seat Selection and an iPad for LOLz. That is the Final Value.
I caught the boss on a good day and got my leave approved. Booking tonight! Thanks for sharing this deal!
I'm just waiting for the complete sign off from the big wigs.
My direct manager's fine with me going!
Hi, I haven't traveled overseas with Jetstar before so could someone clarify some of my questions (sorry if these questions seem stupid) Are the planes bigger than the domestic flight planes, is it worth it to get the upgrade for $55 Thanks!
Yes, bigger planes and seats compared to domestic Jetstar flights.
I got a $100 jetstar voucbher code i can sell someone for $75 if they want to save $25 more LOL
I thought it is only valid for yourself. Doesn't it have the name on the voucher?
I think all you need is the code
all you need is love
Sounds decent. Why the neg?
Japanese Government admits Fukushima Plant is leaking 300 tons of contaminated water into the sea everyday.
yolo
No point in shortening that once then :p
Man realises that Australia shares same 'sea' as Japan. What a twist.
Darn it…this is the only time in my life where I want live in cairns…good deal though!