How to get to | Guam

This is part of a series of blog entries on how to get to countries and places. Here is a link to the index. I plan to eventually cover every country and some other places. If you have a request for a particular country or place please use the email me link at top right, or leave a comment.

Guam

Source: Hajime Nakano

Other than a long sail in a yacht, the only way to reach Guam is by air. Airlines flying to Guam include:

• Star Alliance - Continental (from Hawaii, Japan, Micronesia and Cairns Australia)
• Oneworld - Japan Airlines
• Sky Team - Delta (from Tokyo), Korean
• Other selected - Philippine Airlines

TIP It is impossible to use awards to Guam on some frequent flyer programs due to zoning (sometimes in Oceania zone and others in Asia zone) and back-tracking rules.

TIP On some Star Alliance frequent flyer programs, awards to Guam are a bargain due to zoning. Take advantage of these anomalies quickly before the zones get updated.

TIP On Oneworld around the world fares Guam is part of Asia and thus cannot be visited if starting in Japan (since cannot return to country of origin until the end of the ticket).

TIP Fares to Guam from anywhere other than Japan are expensive, and similarly fares from Guam are expensive except to Japan.

UPDATED November 2009 - Continental switch from Sky Team to Star Alliance.