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I Flew to Japan for ONLY £225! (Air China A350 Economy Long Haul Review)

Callum Elsdon

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Is this the cheapest way to get to Japan in 2026? 🇯🇵 I booked a flight from London Gatwick (LGW) to Osaka (KIX) via Shanghai (PVG) with Air China for an unbelievable £225. But at "bargain bucket" prices, what do you actually get?

In this Air China A350 Economy Class review, I’m breaking down everything you need to know before booking your budget trip to Japan. We’ll look at the modern Airbus A350 cabin, the seat comfort for a long-haul flight, the inflight meals (spoiler: better than expected!), and a very... interesting cabin announcement.

While Air China isn't perfect, is it the best value-for-money option for travelers on a budget? Let's find out.

What I cover:
✈️ Flying the Air China A350-900 from London.
🍱 Inflight catering and "average" entertainment options.
🇨🇳 The transit experience in Shanghai Pudong.
💰 Is a £225 ticket worth the trade-offs?

00:00 Is a £225 Flight to Japan Legit?
00:25 London Gatwick & Boarding the A350
02:40 Seat Tour & A350 Cabin Layout
05:33 That Weird Cabin Announcement...
06:13 Inflight Experience: Food & Entertainment
17:44 Connecting in Shanghai & The Flight to Osaka
20:18 The Verdict: Is it Worth Your Money?

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13 Comments

@CallumElsdon Creator 7 months ago Pinned

I still can’t believe this flight was only £225 one way! 🇯🇵 It definitely wasn't a perfect 5-star experience, but for the price of a train ticket from London to Scotland, it's hard to complain.
What is the cheapest long-haul flight you’ve ever booked? And did anyone else find that announcement at 05:33 as weird as I did?

@Mephora 2 months ago (edited)

I get being an aviation geek but I prefer my aircraft from the outside. When I'm sitting in one it better get me from A to B as cheap as possible and that's it.

I really hope I can sleep through most of the flight

@Apetetrek 4 months ago

I would say the worst part of this journey would be traveling to gatwick,wondering if your gonna get ther,and how much it will cost you.the rest is plain sailing

@zl7491 4 months ago

China is a great destination itself.

@dragoon17c 6 months ago

I'm flying Air China next month, the return ticket costed me less than EUR400

@Nellenickers 3 weeks ago

I’m due to fly from Gatwick to chengdu (I know different airport ha) but did you experience turbulence?

@hokenyu 7 months ago

it's always an ordeal to transfer at Shanghai Pudong. by contrast, transferring at Beijing Daxing are a delight (and i remember Beijing Capital being quite okay too, though the last time i did it was well over a decade ago. can't believe how cheap your flight was. take advantage while you still can!

very curious to see what it's like to transfer at other Chinese airports. will likely soon get a chance to transfer in Chengdu or Urumqi for flights to Central Asia (i live in Hong Kong)

@davidjmalann 4 months ago

Do NOT book with Air China. They cancel flights without proper notice or any alternative solution, and their customer service is virtually unreachable. All your hotel and travel reservations can be ruined in an instant. I am currently dealing with a serious situation because of them

@jon134a 2 months ago

Was it a return flight ticket? If so, it was a good price. We flew with SAS, they charge for the second drink. lol

@angie9241 2 months ago

Not with British airlines 😮😮

@Apetetrek 4 months ago

safer flying over russia than the other alternatives which fly over afghanistan,or the middle east

@TravellingGold 6 months ago

When did you go to Japan and when do you head back (if not already?). Im looking to go using Virgin points, something youve not mentioned recently. At £255 one way I dont think I can do it a lot cheaper though. Maybe £150 but with a bunch of points worth way more than the fare. How did you fly back?

@Empiricus-j6d 7 months ago

Sadly there are, and probably always will be a handful of people who will benefit from being watched, and need to know they are being watched, for unruly behaviour in public areas.