Fares from California and Hawaii to Tokyo for as low as $550 economy and $1,525 business

Tokyo, a bustling city known for its glimmering streets and rich history, has been closed off to much of the world for the duration of the pandemic.

However, Japan is set to reopen its borders for foreign tourism on Oct. 11, so you’ll want to book your flights to Tokyo as soon as possible.

Flying to Tokyo can be expensive, but this deal discounts economy and business-class fares by as much as 60%. Round-trip economy flights to Tokyo from California and Hawaii start at $550, and round-trip business-class flights from the two states are as low as $1,525. Both fares are a significant steal, so be sure to book quickly.

American Airlines and Zipair Tokyo are the two carriers offering these discounted fares. The deal applies to flights taking place from January through February, with limited availability this November.

A deal like this is rare and isn’t guaranteed to last more than 24 hours, so buy these flight tickets fast.

Major thanks to Scott’s Cheap Flights for finding this deal. The website’s Premium membership costs $49 a year and offers a 14-day trial, along with discounts of up to 90%. Or, sign up for the Elite membership for Premium deals and premium economy, business-class and first-class deals.

Sample flights

While this deal is only for flights departing from California and Hawaii, these fares to Tokyo’s Narita International Airport (NRT) are uncommon and exceptionally low. Business-class fares to Tokyo from Los Angeles and San Jose are also slashed by as much as 60%. All flights are nonstop.

Here is a short list of flights we’ve highlighted:

• American: Departs from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), starting at $550.
• Zipair Tokyo: Departs from Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), starting at $574.
• Zipair Tokyo: Departs from Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC), starting at $575.
• Zipair Tokyo: Departs from Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), starting at $1,525 (business class).
• Zipair Tokyo: Departs from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), starting at $1,589 (business class).
• Zipair Tokyo: Departs from Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC), starting at $1,719 (business class).

When booking your flights, we recommend using Google Flights to search for your ideal dates, then booking directly through the website of the airline you choose. Airlines are more dependable in the event of a cancellation, delay or booking change to your flight.

For flights leaving Los Angeles on Feb. 5, Google Flights shows Zipair Tokyo as the cheapest possible option of all available business-class flights. The Zipair Tokyo flight costs $1,589, and the next cheapest available business-class flight is a Singapore Airlines one priced at $4,680.

The only option for a returning flight a week later on Feb.12 is with Zipair Tokyo. It departs from Tokyo at 2:45 p.m.

Google Flights also shows that the $1,589 business-class fare to Tokyo is low, as the least expensive business-class flights to Tokyo are usually anywhere from $1,700 to $1,800. However, it is more typical for such fares to be upward of $4,000, underscoring how exceptional this deal is.

The seats for the outbound flight to Tokyo cost $875 and the returning flight to Los Angeles is $620, not including taxes. At the time of publication, Zipair’s website showed only one lie-flat seat left to and from Tokyo, so if you are interested in flying business class to Tokyo, we recommend booking these tickets ASAP.

This $1,589 price is only for your seats — you will pay extra for other amenities. Zipair offers bundles that provide seat selection, an inflight meal, a carry-on and checked baggage. These bundles can cost up to an extra $115.

If you’re not interested in purchasing a bundle, Zipair gives you the option to choose amenities individually. For example, the airline’s outbound flight offers small perks like a tote bag or a box of cookies. Zipair also charges an extra $11.28 to enter the Narita TraveLounge, where you can receive a complimentary alcoholic drink and a dessert.

Even after choosing a business-class fare, Zipair charges extra to select seats. These seats cost $18 each. Inflight meals also cost $10.58 each, with five options, including a vegetarian meal.

The cost of checked baggage largely depends on the weight and is not included in the business-class fare. A bag that weighs 14 kilograms, or approximately 30 pounds, will cost an extra $38.78.

Be sure to use cards that earn bonus points on airfare purchases, like The Platinum Card® from American Express (5 points per dollar on airfare booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel, on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), Citi Prestige® Card (5 points per dollar on airfare), Citi Premier® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve (3 points per dollar on airfare), American Express® Gold Card (3 points per dollar on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2 points per dollar on travel). See this post for more on maximizing airfare purchases.