Tokyo has lower taxes when Avios flight tickets are booked as 2 x one-ways

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Many Head for Points readers will know that not all Governments take the same happy view on airline surcharges that you get in the UK. Hong Kong and Brazil are two countries which are well known for having restrictions in place on what airlines can add to the base cost of a flight.

What I didn’t realise until this week is that Japan also imposes a cap.

A quick recap on Hong Kong

I’ll quickly recap the Hong Kong situation for anyone not familiar with it. Airlines are not allowed to levy surcharges on flights FROM Hong Kong when the journey originates there. This means that if you buy a return flight to Hong Kong starting in the UK, you WILL pay surcharges on both legs. If book your trip as two one-way flights, the return leg should be free of surcharges.

Here are some example using Avios redemptions booked at ba.com or avios.com:

Return business class flight to Hong Kong on Avios has taxes of £563

One-way business business class flight to Hong Kong on Avios has taxes of £365

One-way business class flight FROM Hong Kong on Avios has taxes of £33

Anyone with a British Airways American Express 2-4-1 voucher is getting a raw deal because those tickets must booked out of the UK. You are being forced to overpay £165 per person in tax compared to booking each leg separately.

Avios taxes on flights to Tokyo

Let’s look at Tokyo

Until a reader pointed it out, I didn’t realise that Tokyo was in a similar position. Here is the cost of a business class Avios redemption to Tokyo:

Return business class flight to Tokyo on Avios has taxes of £548

One-way business business class flight to Tokyo on Avios has taxes of £365

One-way business class flight FROM Tokyo on Avios has taxes of £114

This means that, if you are not using a British Airways American Express 2-4-1 voucher, you can save £69 per person by booking an Avios redemption on BA to Japan as 2 x one-way tickets.

PS. As usual, ba.com shows the incorrect taxes figure when you initially price up a flight online. You only see the correct number when you click through to the final payment page. This applies to many Avios flight quotes, not just Hong Kong and Tokyo.

How to earn Avios points from UK credit cards

How to earn Avios from UK credit cards (December 2021)

As a reminder, there are various ways of earning Avios points from UK credit cards. Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses!

There are two official British Airways American Express cards with attractive sign-up bonuses:

British Airways BA Amex American Express card

British Airways American Express

5,000 Avios for signing up, no annual fee and an Economy 2-4-1 voucher for spending ….. Read our full review

British Airways BA Premium Plus American Express Amex credit card

British Airways American Express Premium Plus

25,000 Avios and the UK’s most valuable credit card perk – the 2-4-1 companion voucher Read our full review

You can also get generous sign-up bonuses by applying for American Express cards which earn Membership Rewards points, such as:

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold

Your best beginner’s card – 20,000 points, FREE for a year & two airport lounge passes Read our full review

The Platinum Card from American Express

30,000 points and an unbeatable set of travel benefits – for a fee Read our full review

Run your own business?

We recommend Capital On Tap for limited companies. You earn 1 Avios per £1 which is impressive for a Visa card, along with a sign-up bonus worth 10,500 Avios:

Capital On Tap Business Rewards Visa

The most generous Avios Visa or Mastercard for a limited company Read our full review

You should also consider the British Airways Accelerating Business credit card. This is open to sole traders as well as limited companies and has a 30,000 Avios sign-up bonus:

British Airways Accelerating Business American Express

30,000 Avios sign-up bonus – plus annual bonuses of up to 30,000 Avios Read our full review

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which earn Avios. This includes both personal and small business cards.

(Want to earn more Avios? Click here to visit our home page for our latest articles on earning and spending your Avios points and click here to see how to earn more Avios this month from offers and promotions.)

Category

British Airways and Avios

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.

Yorkieflyer says:

5 Aug5 August 10:23

I’ve looked at booking a single GIG to LHR on BA with avoid and the final payment page appears to add the surcharge back in again?
- davefl says:
  
  5 Aug5 August 17:06
  
  I did that exact route last year priced at 102k avios + £27 for 1st Class.
  
  Made very welcome use of the lounge at GIG for a nice shower before boarding and the Concorde lounge at LHR during a 5 hour layover for the hop back to MAN.
- signol says:
  
  5 Aug5 August 21:54
  
  I’ve looked, and indeed it is on ba.com. Try booking the same on avios.com or via Iberia. I’m thinking of a Rio trip next year, with IB outbound from MAD, BA inbound.
  
  signol
DS says:

5 Aug5 August 10:57

No fuel surcharge from the Phillipines either https://www.portcalls.com/29-air-carriers-heed-cab-memo-to-remove-fuel-surcharge/
ADS says:

5 Aug5 August 11:47

whilst BA charge 114 gbp on points flights ex-TYO other airlines charge a lot less.

i recently used up some Delta points and paid just 4 gbp in taxes/fees (economy or business class)

it looks like IB charge 71 quid in economy and 80 quid in business class – so not a great saving over BA.
Jo says:

5 Aug5 August 11:52

I needed last min tickets during cherry blossom period last year and found this out accidentally. Booked through BA and it spit out one way lon to narita via Helsinki and returning direct from Haneda. Cost £250 in taxes for 2 adults and child. Thought I got lucky but now u explain it I understand!
- Craig says:
  
  5 Aug5 August 18:27
  
  Have a look at kinosakionsen, it’s a bit of a trek but can be worked in with Tokyo/Kyoto. Stayed for one night but wish I’d stayed longer. If you are in Hiroshima, try to get to Miyajima, the Shinto shrine is spectacular especially at sunset.
  - Craig says:
    
    5 Aug5 August 18:28
    
    Also, the limo bus from Haneda into Tokyo is very efficient and good value.
Daz says:

5 Aug5 August 12:42

I’m flying out to Haneda with my wife in First next weekend using my 241 voucher. Whilst I’m still annoyed at paying over a grand in “tax” I still can’t complain.

Any tips on Japan on a postcard please????
- Genghis says:
  
  5 Aug5 August 13:45
  
  Where are you going exactly? I lived there for a couple of years. I gave the tip of going to Koya-san (just south of Osaka) to a French colleague recently and he said he had a great time there. I’m off to Tokyo next month but only two days for leisure, the rest work.
  - DAZ says:
    
    5 Aug5 August 14:39
    
    The norm for first timers – 5 days Tokyo, 2 in Kyoto, 1 day in Hiroshima and 1 day in Osaka on the way back to Haneda. All on Avios, IHG and Honors point????????
    - Genghis says:
      
      5 Aug5 August 15:33
      
      Where are you going for onsen? I’m going to Hakone next month but only as it’s close to Tokyo. I’ve been before and not a patch on those in Kyushu.
      
      By the looks of it, take a portable fan!
  - Rts says:
    
    5 Aug5 August 14:48
    
    here here, i spent some time in Koya-San. Also went to Mount Koya and spent a night a monastery. Very relaxing.
  - Daz says:
    
    5 Aug5 August 15:51
    
    I must say this is the first trip I’ve not planned pretty meticulously, and I will have a lot of cramping to do this week!
    
    I would love to try the best Onsen nearest the cities we are visiting, or on Route. Thanks for the tips so far.
    - Genghis says:
      
      5 Aug5 August 16:04
      
      You can always go back! Himeji castle (can put luggage in lockers at Himeji station) is impressive. For onsen, best option if you can spare a day in Tokyo, go to Hakone (I’m going to Hakone Green Plaza hotel and Hakone Yuryo onsen next month).
    - Craig says:
      
      5 Aug5 August 18:32
      
      +1 for Himeji Castle, alternative to the lockers is to use Ta-Q-Bin and forward your cases.
  - Octopus says:
    
    5 Aug5 August 16:34
    
    I’ll be flying to haneda on a first class 241 redemption in a few weeks time arriving around 7am and planning to fly on to Osaka Itami on JAL at either 11.30am or 2.30pm.
    
    Any tips on what there is to do in 4.5 hours near Haneda or 7.5 hours? There does not appear to be a one World arrivals lounge at Haneda?
    - ankomonkey says:
      
      5 Aug5 August 20:38
      
      Haneda is pretty close (<30 mins by train) to Shinagawa, Kawasaki and Yokohama. Yokohama has a good Chinatown (including Pandaman – panda-styled dumplings with sweet bean paste inside), the ramen museum, Minato Mirai (ferris wheel, rides, shops), Red Brick Warehouse (fancy shopping), a fairly big park (I think it's called Yamashita-koen) and more. Or hit Shinagawa or Kawasaki for izakaya (food and booze) and karaoke!
- Jo says:
  
  5 Aug5 August 14:09
  
  Used hotel points in all the cities and a rail pass to wizz around but splashed out on this hotel – https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g1165976-d1230407-Reviews-Shuhokaku_Kogetsu-Fujikawaguchiko_machi_Minamitsuru_gun_Yamanashi_Prefecture_Koshinet.html
  
  Highly recommend it – every room guarantees view of Mt Fuji
- Kevin says:
  
  5 Aug5 August 15:25
  
  My tips are hire a Wi-fi dongle and get an IC card which you load up and use on the Metro but can also be used to pay in convenience stores, some vending machines and even temples all over the country.
  
  We spent the evening watching the Tanabata fireworks in Sendai. Yesterday we went to Matsushima and it was wonderful.
  - Daz says:
    
    5 Aug5 August 15:53
    
    Thanks ????
- S says:
  
  5 Aug5 August 18:11
  
  We may be on the same cabin.. I’m on BA7 F next Saturday!
  - Daz says:
    
    5 Aug5 August 20:57
    
    Sunday!
- ankomonkey says:
  
  5 Aug5 August 20:31
  
  Summer is fireworks season. Try to catch one of the public shows, they’re usually excellent, especially if companies with offices nearby compete to outdo each other.
Ali says:

5 Aug5 August 12:48

If one way avios business class flights from TYO are £114 in tax, how come I got charged £228 the other day?
- Jonathan says:
  
  5 Aug5 August 13:40
  
  Were you on a 241? You both have to pay full taxes/fees/surcharges, it’s only 2nd persons Avios that are “free”. Failing that was it return leg? The fees for a return are not the same as for same journey booked as 2 singles as BA surcharges vary depending on origin of a return booking. This gives some opportunities ie. Tokyo/HKG cheaper as two singles, American destinations more expensive as singles (assuming UK origin).
  - Ali says:
    
    5 Aug5 August 13:50
    
    it was a one way avios redemption from NRT to LHR for one person
Tom says:

5 Aug5 August 13:50

To best see the effect of UK taxes and fees I priced out an American airlines RT business class ticket to Chicago from both LHR and DUB.

OK, it was different equipment but the ex-Ireland fare was about a grand cheaper. Even allowing for a ferry from Holyhead, a cab to the airport and a night in a hotel, that still saved me hundreds of pounds.

Less flying time too and US pre-clear both help as well.
- AndyR says:
  
  5 Aug5 August 14:04
  
  That difference in price isn’t just about taxes and surcharges though it’s about supply and demand.
- Polly says:
  
  5 Aug5 August 21:09
  
  Willie Walsh thinks of dub as lhr 3rd runway!
Fastbowler says:

5 Aug5 August 14:09

Interesting article. I booked a 241 voucher redemption on Friday night to Tokyo using the phone to add the return leg. The taxes were indeed lower than I had been expecting..

I think Tokyo has now become our personal sweet spot for 241 redemptions. We went to Japan for the first time in 2017 on a 241 redemption but using Inside Japan to plan the trip. This worked very well for first time visitors. Next year though we are confident now to plan the trip ourselves. We plan to go straight to the excellent Four Seasons Hotel in Kyoto for five days and then fly down from Osaka Kansai to the Yaeyama islands which we really enjoyed last time and want to explore further.