there are always tickets available, it all depends your wallet fat or not

my last 3 trips (once last year and twice this year) to Japan was by ANA. its a full service flight like others. nothing special about their food, i liked the JAL ones better. I don't really like night or overnight flights due to lack of sleep, so the timing of their Narita flight suits me although i waste almost a day. the plane is the latest 787 dreamliners, which JAL now has as well. the toilets are fitted with auto-bidets as well. seating is 3-3-3 in a row. special drink on board is kabosu juice(lemonade) , whilst JALs is Kiwi sky juice.
service-wise ANA and JAL almost equivalent. i havent took MAS for a long time already whilst i always try to avoid Air Asia(because i don't buy early bird tickets as i usually plan my Japan holidays according to announced Nogizaka46/AKB48 idol events and concert tickets availability; Air Asia tickets bought late and full service flights pricing almost the same)

unlucky for me, i've booked my very first flight to osaka via airasia. in dilemma whether to pay for hot seat and extra leg space or not since the flight hour is so long. any advice?

forgive my rudeness, r u big in size or tall? if yes better get it

good question, i m mini big, my friend is big big...

but i m ok to squeeze cause most of time i will be sleeping. but my friend nope. but was wondering does the extra legroom really gor difference?

it will makes a difference when u sleep, i took airasia once to japan n reach there whole body ache coz limited leg room n cant move due to the front person move down his seat a bit

airasia to HK, im thin but sandwiched by 2 huge friend.
went on front seat, atleast u can stretch ur leg, goin bak is horrible, coz cant secure front seat. atleast it was on the way back rather than going, else mood will be spoilt.
literally being "boxed" around.

Pay lar. I sit AAX long distance will always buy the exit row seat with no chair in front. Then can stretch legs song song. No point (IMO) to save that measly few tens of ringgits on a thousands-dollars holiday and then reach destination legs pain knees pain muscle cramp etc.

Thanks everyone for the feedback. Really appreciate it, Just one more question, you guys usually will get the midnight departure ticket so that the time of arrival is actually early in the morning, am I right to say that?

If my date of travel is from March 23 to April 8. Will the chances of seeing Sakura high enuf?

yeap i usually travel like tht so i dun waste a day. u can definitely see sakura during tht time so dun worry, make sure u research on all those sakura viewing spot such as meguro river for night viewing, or chidorigafuchi

Yeah, logically I'd take the overnight trip. I arrived at 740am i think? Apparently boarded the same plane with 1 of our forum-er here.
Reached Narita, get 72h metro+shuttle to tokyo station. Calmed myself, assess the workings of trains/bus and culture, confirm how to start jalan-jalan. By that time already time to check in

If tokyo, yes, you can see they start blooming on first week april. Not the peak tho, but you can at least see the sakura

when i travel alone, i might save abit by taking overnight flight.

but if travel with elderly, it is better to take morning flight.
overnight flight is very damaging to their health and they might not enjoying the trips. coz they need few day to recover their stamina and stress.

To Europe - yes.
To australia / asia - no.

It's mainly because I am ... not as young as some of you. 7hr overnight flight only really can sleep 4-5hrs, it's not enough for me and i will be tired and lethargic on the first day.

the last time i did an overnight to sydney, halfway through the first day really beh tahan and sleep on a bench in the aquarium for 20mins.

you usually can see some form of Sakura during that long period esp in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Kyoto.
as to what stage of bloom depends on weather, temperature and location. if the winter is very cold and long, the blooming may start later and takes longer to reach full bloom(in which case, the somei yoshino blooms may be more pink than white). if the temperature gets warm pretty quickly, the full bloom is reached quickly (then, it may be more white than pink). also the location plays a part, such as Ueno park is one of the places where it starts blooming a few days earlier than the others. once it reaches full bloom, humidity and weather/wind plays a part on how long the bloom lasts. if it is rainy and windy, chances are the petals may wither quickly and the bloom just last a few days, then the sakura trees will look like a normal green tree.

thanks guys, wanted to buy hotseat but can't t seems to log in AA website since yesterday.

For those who are going to Japan soon and wants to get a SIM card can consider this by NTT Docomo - https://docomo.prepaid-sim.jp/lp/index.html#overview

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Too bad my flight to Osaka (KIX) will land at 9.30pm with a very strong possibility of delayed arrival - https://www.airportia.com/flights/d71/kuala_lumpur/osaka/
And the SIM collection counter will only open until 10.30pm
If not I would have applied for it

This post has been edited by evilhomura89: Aug 2 2017, 07:57 PM

buy online, request them pos to ur hotel

Unfortunately this special SIM can only be collected at their designated counters

Quoted from their FAQ:

Wait,isn't the collection counter is open 24 hour?

I usually take overnight flight and I always cant sleep in the flight. Reach destination with minimal sleep and get by adrenaline
Anyway, I just book an overnight flight to Tokyo this November and it will be my first time to Japan.
I have the Tokyo travel chapter from Lonely Planet which I don't mind sharing with LYNers. Just PM me your email address.