I wouldn't worry about getting to NRT right now - it's getting back on 12/22. I wouldn't expect many open seats around that time - you'll have students coming home from school, ex-pats returning for Christmas with the folks, business people coming home before the holidays.

Shoot - I remember right after Christmas last year, I had to drive DTW-DCA, because there was >no< empty seats on Delta between those two cities, or through ATL, CVG, or JFK. N-O-N-E.

A friend of mine had to rent a car and drive PIT-ATL with his family to get back for work.

Anyway - non-reving around the holidays is fraught with peril.