Honest caveat: reverse-booking strategy works best on shoulder-season routes; Lunar New Year is one of the few peak periods where demand symmetry inverts on outbound vs. inbound days. The headline saving (30-40% off vs round-trip) is real for specific date pairs, but the windows are narrow and book-out faster than other promo periods. Verify your specific dates against current outbound/inbound asymmetry before assuming the saving applies.
The Lunar New Year reverse-booking mistake I made on a 2024 Bangkok trip: I’d reverse-booked TPE→BKK separately from BKK→TPE assuming the cheaper outbound + cheaper return = guaranteed savings. What I missed: Lunar New Year demand inverts on different days for outbound vs. inbound. My outbound (Day 1 of LNY week) was at fare ceiling NT$15,800, but my return (Day 8) was at fare floor NT$5,200. Booking the round-trip would’ve cost NT$22,400; my reverse-search total was NT$21,000 — only NT$1,400 saved, vs the NT$3,000-5,000 I’d projected. The fix: reverse-search saves more on shoulder-season trips than on locked holiday windows where demand symmetry doesn’t hold.
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Rational Travel is here! Are plane tickets during Chinese New Year so expensive they make you question life? Been looking for deals on flights? Don’t worry, today I’ll teach you directly the reverse ticketing magic trick, letting you buy Chinese New Year tickets at summer prices, and the money you save can definitely get you a few more bowls of ramen!
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👉 Try the Trip Planner →Why Use Reverse Ticketing?
Every year, Lunar New Year plane tickets are astronomical prices, especially since 2026 Chinese New Year falls on February 14 – February 19, a full 6-day holiday, ticket prices will definitely be outrageous. Buying directly 2/14-2/19 round-trip will definitely cost you a fortune XD.
But if you use the reverse ticketing method, first buy Japan to Taipei in summer 2025, then add Taipei to Japan for 2026 Chinese New Year, you can get Chinese New Year tickets at low prices!
Simply put, this trick is:
Buy reverse ticket in summer: 2025/8/16 Japan → Taipei
Wait until April to book return ticket for Chinese New Year: 2026/2/19 Japan → Taipei (can connect with Qingming holiday)
This way, the ticket price becomes summer pricing instead of sky-high Chinese New Year prices. Pretty genius move, right XD!
2025 Summer → 2026 Chinese New Year Reverse Ticket Prices
✈ China Airlines
Okinawa 9,733
Nagoya 13,399
Osaka 14,156
Fukuoka 15,014
Kaohsiung 15,535
Sapporo 17,150
✈ Starlux Airlines
Kumamoto 16,942
Narita 17,668
Sendai 18,938
How to Match Round-Trip Tickets for Maximum Savings?
The 2/14 Taipei → Japan tickets here, book them now. You can wait until April to buy the return flight for 2/19 and onwards. You can match it with the Qingming holiday (4/3) to return, so you can:
Enjoy playing in Japan during Chinese New Year
Connect the return flight with the Qingming holiday
This combination of ticket prices is 50% cheaper than buying Chinese New Year tickets directly. Isn’t that super cost-effective!
Who is This Trick Suitable For?
Must travel during Chinese New Year, but don’t want to pay sky-high prices for tickets
Flexible schedule, can match summer vacation, Qingming holiday for return flight
Long vacation seekers, want to enjoy an extended winter break + Chinese New Year trip
Rational Travel’s Honest Thoughts
This reverse ticketing trick is really not difficult, but the key is to book early. If you wait until January 2026 to snatch tickets, you’ll be stuck paying astronomical prices! I suggest everyone book the 2025 summer tickets directly first, then book your 2/19 return ticket to Taiwan in April. That’s where you’ll save the most!
If you haven’t bought plane tickets for Chinese New Year this year, you definitely need to learn this trick. Use reverse ticketing for 2026 Chinese New Year to save yourself a fortune!
Further Reading
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⚠️ Who shouldn’t use reverse-booking for Lunar New Year
1. Travelers locked to specific weekdays during LNY week. LNY fare premium concentrates on Day 1-3 outbound and Day 7-9 return (demand symmetry). For travelers who must depart Day 1 / return Day 9, the reverse-booking saving may be only NT$1,000-2,000.
2. Travelers carrying significant LNY gifts back to Taiwan. Reverse-booked separate tickets = no through-baggage = manage gift logistics through customs at connecting airports. Better fit: round-trip on single airline.
3. First-time LNY travelers without flexible alternative dates. LNY pricing in Taiwan is uniquely intense; reverse-booking strategies that work in shoulder season may not apply. Better fit: book early during October-November for January LNY trips.
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