Whenever I go visit my family in Japan, I always buy my airline tickets from IACE. As I elaborate…read morebelow, their prices are very competitive and their service is unparalleled.
Fare prices:
As it's expensive, I always do my homework: I check airfares online and call a couple of Japanese travel agencies in the US. Since 2008, I have only bought tickets from IACE when I travel to Japan. Japanese travel agencies tend to have better deals than airlines or other online venders, at least slightly. They also give you different rates for children, which I never get online (e.g., airlines webpages or other third party sites, like Kayak). I've always saved money buying tickets from them.
Service:
The agents are knowledgeable, professional, and courteous. As they are knowledgable, they can search for the best deals. Something unique about IACE is that they have a call center, which is open 24/7. Almost a decade ago, my son was hospitalized in Japan, and I had to change our tickets coming back to the US multiple times. As their call center is always open, I was able to call them without worrying about the time difference.
Customer Care:
When the big earthquake hit northern part of Japan in March 2011, we had planed a trip to Japan in the same month. As we were not sure if it's safe, we decided to postpone the trip (indefinitely). Under the special circumstances, we requested Delta Airlines to refund our money. They refused despite our multiple requests. IACE contacted the airline on our behalf, but they didn't budge. In the end, IACE Travel gave us back $100 per ticket out of their pocket. Although it was a fraction of what I had paid for the tickets, their gesture was priceless. Ever since, I'm a loyal customer of IACE!
Recommendation:
Their prices are very competitive. They also go above and beyond to help their customers. If you're planning on a trip to Japan, I strongly recommend you to give them a call. They'd be very happy to help you. They never pressure you to buy anything until you're ready. Unqualified 5 stars!
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