The ANA “Discover Japan” Fare is an interesting proposition for those who are visiting Japan. Tourists can pre-purchase as many sectors, independently so long as the ticket is purchased on ANA’s international website.
Discover Japan forms one of three “promotional fares” that ANA offers from time to time, the other two are the “Visit Japan” and “Experience Japan” fares. Arguably they could have made the offerings a little clearer but you can find information on all there fares on ANA’s website.
Unlike ANA’s “Experience Japan” fares, which was only available up until April 2020 due to Covid19, the Discover Japan fares are less restrictive in comparison (which is always a good thing).
WE LOVE TOKYO AS MUCH AS THE NEXT PERSON, BUT – WHISPER IT – THERE’S MORE TO JAPAN THAN TOKYO.
What is an ANA Discover Japan Fare
JAL and ANA each offer special fares and air passes for exclusive use by foreign visitors to Japan, which enable holders to fly anywhere within Japan for not much over 10,000 yen per flight. its largely seen as a way to boost internal tourism but also as a way to cut out budget carriers, highspeed trains and Japans night coaches.
The fares are quite beneficial for international travellers as they are available across all of ANA’s domestic network, slightly cheaper if booked early enough and have some form of flexibility built into the ticket.
Who Is Eligible for the ANA Discover Japan Fare
There are no special requirements to book ANA’s Discover Japan fare other than having to book it through one of ANA’s international websites or through a non-Japanese travel agent.
Unlike JAL’s Explorer Pass there is no international flight requirement.
Additionally to use this fare, the following conditions must be met:
- Passengers must reside outside of Japan.
- Passengers must hold a passport issued by any country other than Japan, or be a Japanese passport holder with permanent residency outside of Japan.
(Passport details are required at time of purchase.)
Benefits of ANA Discover Japan fare
Its Relatively Cheap
Using the ANA Discover Japan fares can make a lot of financial sense when compared with the alternatives at times – take the Nozomi Super Express from Tokyo to Osaka which is nearly 2 to 4 times as expensive compared to flying.
However, some airports are quite far away from the city centre and it can indeed make more sense to buy a rail ticket – so keep that in mind.
Fares Include Checked Baggage
One of the benefits of getting an ANA Discover Japan fare is the luggage allowance. You are allowed up to 2 pieces of checked luggage weighing up to 23 kg / 50 lb per piece. You should always refer to ANA’s checked bag policy.
Importantly – as this Q&A article points out – even if your ticket indicates allowance as “20K”, international baggage rule still take precedent.
Catch An Earlier Flight
One of the headline benefits of the ANA Discover Japan fare is the ability to change to an earlier flight at the airport on the day of departure on a stand-by basis.
Drawbacks of ANA Discover Japan fare
No Online Check In
one of the drawbacks to ANA and JAL’s offering is that you are not able to check-in in advance. this is because when you get to the airport, ground staff need to verify you passport in person to confirm you are in fact eligible for the fare. Although in reality this isn’t to big of a problem as if you are travelling though Japan you are likely to have a suitcase to check anyway.
Types Of Fares On Offer
The reservation, fares, and purchase deadlines vary by fare type, as such, you will only be able to confirm the exact fare when you book a ticket.
From 5,500 yen (Tax included)
Sapporo to sourounding areas like Kushiro, Niigata & Fukushima
Tokyo to Odate Noshiro, Akita, Shonai
Osaka to Aomori, Akita, Sendai, Fukushima, Niigata
From 7,700 yen (Tax included)
Tokyo to Osaka (Itami, Kobe and Kansai airports)
From 11,000 yen (Tax included)
Routes within the ANA network aside from the above
This pricing is current as at September 2020.
For those with elite status or collect Frequent flyer miles, mileage accrual varies depending on the booking class:
- Class B: 100%
- Class Q: 70%
- Class S: 50%
- Class K: 30%
Ticket Types
Super Value
Value
JAL Explorer Pass Vs. ANA Discover Japan
Rival airline Japan Airlines (JAL) also offers a similar discounted domestic flight program called the JAL Japan Explorer Pass. Key Headline differences.
