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Old Jan 14, 2011, 7:13 pm
  #17  
JALPak
Ambassador: Japan Airlines
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: LAX
Programs: JAL Mileage Bank, JMB Diamond, oneworld Emerald, Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 16,336
• Do JMB elites enjoy free business class or first class upgrades?

Sometimes. There are at least four ways JMB elites (especially higher tier elites) enjoy class upgrades:

1. Elite flyers receive upgrade points (for "Class J" domestic upgrades and/or international upgrades), with more points for higher level elites.*

2. Elite flyers enjoy "op ups" (operational upgrades) on those rare occasions when JAL must free seats for extra passengers or for overbooked flights.

3. Some flights use international 3-class (first/business/economy) / (business/premium economy/economy) aircraft but are sold as 2-class (business/economy). In such cases JAL may reseat JMB elites in the next higher cabin.

4. Some flights (especially daytime short and medium haul international flights) have "too many" business class seats for market demand, so JAL will split the business class cabin and assign some of the business class seats to economy class. These seats are then available to elites who wish to select them through the Web site or, if still available, at airport check-in. Cabin service will be to economy class standards. If you're a JMB elite at a sufficient tier to select these seats, you'll see them at JAL's Web site when you access your economy class reservation and try to change your seat.

5. In 2012, JAL has rewarded elites with domestic class J-e coupons** and top level elites domestic first class coupons

* Upgrade points has been discontinued. Upgrade points in your account will expire on March 31 2013.
** Domestic class J-e coupons will be discontinued and expire on March 31 2017.

Last edited by JALPak; Jan 17, 2017 at 10:15 am
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