Easter 2023 HK or Japan?

[jampxx]

Hi, I have Googled and the terms seem the same - but interested if you used BA.com

Cheers

[LozSteelers]

Originally Posted by jampxx

Hi, was looking to do similar - can I ask a couple of questions how did you book with avios and Japanese Air (was it online/call) and are they cancellation terms and avios refunds the same?

Thanks in advance!

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I did it all online, so you book the same way you would a BA flight with Avios and I think it comes up under partner airlines.

Just be warned that they are a little more expensive than BA reward flights. I've paid 49,600 miles + £520 for a return flight that falls in peak periods. Which I thought was good value anyway to be honest for a direct flight.

I know economy flights aren't the best value for a reward flight but it keeps the trip affordable as a solo traveller!

[jampxx]

Hi, am likely to do the same - it is all about personal value!

[sky13]

I'm honestly still hoping for Japan in September 2022 (if not then WDW), but I book my holidays very late by Dibb standards and will likely only book this trip in July or August...

The Tokyo Disney parks are in my opinion much more fun than HK Disneyland, mainly because they are so much bigger (two parks + a shopping centre vs one park), theming is excellent, and there are so many good and unique rides in Tokyo. Having been to both Tokyo and HK Disneyland I really want to go back to the Tokyo Disney parks but don't feel a pressing need to go back to HK Disneyland. The only advantage that I feel HK Disneyland has over Tokyo Disney is that there is less of a language barrier, as HK Disneyland runs in 3 languages (like I seem to recall that the Jungle Cruise tours had separate queues for English, Cantonese, and Mandarin tours) whereas Tokyo Disney only uses Japanese.

[Melbatb]

My son is a student in HK. As things stand here is hoping that when he next goes back (January 2023 - he has an internship next term) it will be quarantine free but that isn’t a guarantee.

[jampxx]

Hi,

I was going to wait until later tonight for the reward flights but thought we would check - luckily I did! I failed to get my planned outbound but managed to get them the day before - which isn’t the end of the world! As you say the Japan Air Flights were pricier (but less avios) but still we would never be going without them.

[kk20]

i wouldnt bank on 2022 at all. this is the latest info i could find on an official position

mainichi.jp/english/articles...0m/0na/070000c

businesses want a timetable. covid response official wont even say if there is a discussion planned.

[LozSteelers]

Their tourism industry is literally hemorrhaging, so many businesses being forced to close. I can't see them remaining closed throughout 2022 I think they're just playing their cards close to their chest to avoid speculation in case things change.

[sky13]

I think I remain hopeful, partly because of how quickly Singapore (where I am) has opened up. We had pretty stringent COVID restrictions in March (including limited travel into the country, masks outdoors and indoors, group size restrictions, having to scan in and out of places) and in the space of a month a lot of those restrictions have been dropped. I was honestly a bit surprised by how quickly this happened! The only notable restriction left now is indoor masks but you can now travel fairly freely in and out of the country if vaccinated, masks are not compulsory outdoors anymore, almost no group size restrictions (unless you're looking at 500 people or more I believe), no more scanning in and out of places.

So I'm hopeful that Japan could just suddenly decide to open up to travel!

Nonetheless - my holiday plans remain very flexible. I'll probably wait until July or August and see what the situation is like. If Japan remains closed I'll probably consider WDW instead in September... Not booking anything until closer to my dates. But then again for me I'm really very flexible, and it's not the end of the world if everything falls through for me and I don't get to go on holiday in September, so I'm happy to wait and see before booking anything...

[ScoopsAhoy]

TDR explorer has just said Japan is looking to lift travel restrictions “in stages” from June. He’s not sure what the stages are yet but worth giving him a follow for more info!
Exciting!