Summer flights home are insane this year — plus a みなし再入国 reminder before you fly

Booking a summer trip home and the airfares are brutal (peak season + weak yen). Anyone found tricks — flying mid-week, layovers, booking windows? Also a heads-up that saved me grief: if you leave and return within 1 year on みなし再入国 (special re-entry), tick the box on the ED card and show your residence card — no re-entry permit needed. But if you'll be out OVER a year, you MUST get a re-entry permit before leaving. Don't get caught out!