How to find United and ANA’s C$516 Japan fare from Buffalo, returning to Toronto
The basic-economy fare includes taxes, two checked bags and a carry-on, but requires a US departure and Toronto return. Use a multi-city search and price the extra ground travel before booking.
United and ANA have an advertised C$516 Japan fare with a catch: you leave from Buffalo and return to Toronto. Flights have one stop each way. For Canadian travellers able to reach Buffalo cheaply, the arrangement could cut costs; US travellers need to budget for getting home from Toronto.
1. Open Google Flights and choose multi-city. Enter Buffalo (BUF) to Tokyo (TYO), then Tokyo to Toronto (YYZ). Try Osaka (OSA), Nagoya (NGO) or Hiroshima (HIJ) as alternatives. The source also lists Boston, Orlando, Tampa, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Seattle and San Diego as eligible departure cities, though prices need checking.
2. Test departures from mid-November through early December or January through February, with some returns extending into March. Try Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays first. Listed examples include November 17–December 3 and February 23–March 3, but the source does not specify travel years: confirm the calendar before booking. Departures beyond February are not advertised at this price.
3. Select your dates, then check the Cheapest tab for an airline-direct booking option. Confirm the final fare and baggage allowance on the airline’s site. The advertised basic-economy ticket includes taxes, two checked bags and one carry-on, with flights operated by United or ANA. Check seat-selection and change restrictions before paying.
4. Add up the positioning costs. Canadian travellers must arrange their own trip to Buffalo or another eligible US airport; this is not a YYZ departure deal. Travellers based in YVR, YUL or YYC also need to account for reaching the departure airport and travelling onward from Toronto. US travellers should include the Toronto-to-home journey and check the USD checkout total; the source quotes only C$516.
5. Treat this as a cash fare, not a points promotion. If you plan to credit it to Aeroplan or MileagePlus, verify eligibility for the exact ticket before buying. The source describes a United pricing quirk, so confirm the itinerary and total rather than assuming every date will price the same way. Any savings depend on keeping the extra transport and possible overnight costs low.
Country context
This briefing was written for the Travel Hacks desk of the Canadian and US editions. Fares move quickly — confirm the price and dates with the airline before booking.
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