Travel question of the day: What is the cheapest way to get to Tokyo?

Have a travel question that needs answering? Ask our expert Simon Calder

Indirect flights to Tokyo are much more affordable (Getty)

Q I am looking to travel to Tokyo in September 2017 for a 50th. Which is the best airline? I can fly from anywhere in the London/South/Midlands area.

Richard Elliott

A If all you want is to get there and back swiftly, then it’s a straightforward trade-off between convenience and cost. A non-stop flight on a quality airline will cost the most. But if you are prepared to change planes en route you will save hundreds of pounds, especially if you are happy to fly on a less-favoured airline or a particularly circuitous route.

The prices for this month should give a fairly good indication of what awaits in September next year. The best non-stop option is out from Heathrow on British Airways and back on its partner JAL, for around £850. Crucially, those flights serve the Japanese capital’s handiest airport, Haneda, a far better prospect than distant Narita. In the context of our capital, it’s like comparing London City with Southampton.

However, if you are prepared to fly in and out of Narita, and connect en route, the cheapest fare is £500 or so on Turkish Airlines via Istanbul. This goes out of Gatwick and comes back to Heathrow, but you did say you didn’t mind about the exact airport. Indeed, because of the lower fees at Birmingham there may be an even better deal on Turkish from the Midlands.

Turkish Airlines is currently experiencing a slump in demand because of the turmoil in Turkey, and prices may well be higher next year. But the airline does offer the option of a stopover in Istanbul, which is well worth considering: pause for at least 24 hours outbound in Turkey’s largest city, and Air Passenger Duty falls by £60.

Other stopover options range from one of the Gulf hubs (too hot for my liking in September) to Manila (a very indirect route).

Balancing price, quality and stopover, my clear favourite is Cathay Pacific’s new link from Gatwick to Hong Kong with onward connections to Haneda for around £600. Even if you spend only a day in Hong Kong, it will provide an invigorating addition to your trip. Make it two days, and our most recent '48 Hours in Hong Kong' may help.