Here’s another deal where you can visit two countries for cheaper than just visiting one. The fare to Shanghai by itself is about $812 and to Tokyo is about $900. If you want to visit Beijing and Tokyo instead of this, it is $653.

Basics:

What you need to take advantage of this deal:

• American Airlines AAdvantage Miles (15,000 Miles) + about $15 in taxes + $25 booking fee or
• United Airlines MileagePlus Miles (10,000 Miles) + $14.70 in taxes or
• If you don’t have miles, China Eastern has an one way flight for $235 via Shanghai. Delta has one for $263 nonstop from Beijing to Tokyo.

This is why we recommend you collect miles. United Airlines miles can also be transferred from Chase Ultimate Rewards at 1:1 ratio.

How:

For our example we’ll visit China then Japan but you can visit Japan first if you want.

1. Use ITA Multi-City to Search

To get this fare, you must depart Monday through Thursday. Play with the dates. We found this fare is best on Tuesday and Wednesdays.

The flights:

• Flight 1: LAX – Shanghai (PVG)
• Flight 2: Tokyo (NRT) – LAX

2. Search for Award Availability from Shanghai to Tokyo.

We are going to use award miles to travel from Shanghai to Tokyo. United’s search shows availability and you can book online. For American, you have to call them to book since their partner JAL is not searchable on AA.com yet.

Award availability between Shanghai and Tokyo is good. And with that, you can visit both countries for about $750 all in.

Sample Travel Date:

• October 2nd: Los Angeles – Shanghai
• Sometime in between – Shanghai – Tokyo
• October 9th: Tokyo – Los Angeles

Fare Availability:

• Valid for travel from September – December 6th for Monday through Thursday departures. Use ITA Software Matrix Airfare Search and flexible month search to see availability — enable advanced routing codes and enter “aa+” on both the outbound and return fields to search for American Airlines only. Must purchase by June 26th.
• Beginner’s Guide on How to Use Matrix by ITA Software
• How to Read Airfare Rules and Use It to Your Advantage

Routing:

• LAX – ORD (Chicago) – PVG (Shanghai) // NRT (Tokyo) – LAX.

Mileage:

• 13,737 miles or 4.8 cents per mile.

How to Book:

• Use dates found at ITA Software Matrix Airfare Search and book on AA.com using the Multi-City search.
• Receive $1 back for using Ebates.com or Mr. Rebates prior to booking on AA.com
• American Airline’s risk free cancellation policy here

Background Information:

China:

• Visa: US Citizens – required prior to arrival. $140. Other nationals, check the TIMATIC Visa Database
• Currency: Chinese Yuan Renminbi (CNY) – $1USD = 6.12 CNY
• How to Visit Shanghai or Beijing for Up to 72 Hours without a Visa

Japan:

• Visa: US Citizens – not required. Other nationals, check the TIMATIC Visa Database
• Currency: Japanese Yen (JPY). $1USD = 94.5 JPY

Tips for saving when using credit cards at international destinations:

• No Fee Foreign Transaction Credit Cards to save on international purchases
• Don’t get hit with Dynamic Currency Conversion
• Get your taxes refunded when shopping
• How to Avoid International Data Roaming Charges

For more of the latest cheap Los Angeles Flight Deals:

• Go to the The Los Angeles Flight Deals page

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The Flight Deal does not sell travel products or services. We provide you with information about third-party travel suppliers’ offers, and link you to their sites. The information posted by The Flight Deal is valid at the time of publication. However, we have no control over the suppliers, and we therefore do not warrant or guarantee that their offers will not change or become unavailable. Nor are we responsible for their products, services or site content. Please see their sites for their most up-to-date offer information and all applicable terms and conditions.