sipples

My stay in Japan got extended to at least mid-July, 2007. Thus the decision to put everything into JAL Mileage Bank was a wise one it seems.

I'm now north of 76,000 elite points on JAL. That puts top tier within range, although it will be a stretch. For now I'm mid-tier plus just qualified for Japan Global Club Premier, so I have access to first class JAL lounges when flying JAL. (JAL's first class lounges aren't much different from the business class lounges, though.) In terms of miles I have north of 115,000, and those are redeemable without fee on a number of airlines, including AA. They do have a hard expiration, though, unless I make it to top tier.

I requalified for AA Gold through February, 2008. Platinum is unlikely but remotely possible.

I've been enjoying the lounge access with JAL, since that obviously fits well with my current flying pattern. I have yet to fly Cathay or Qantas in these many months, so no help there for AAdvantage.

Other airlines flown: Malaysian (2X), ANA (1X), Jetstar (1X), Northwest (2X), one of the Chinese airlines (1X, forget which), and United (1X).

I have two more business class roundtrips (to New York or Chicago) planned for this year and several intra-Asia hops.

TR35R

You must be kidding. JGC premier member doesn't have access to first class lounges unless you have an F boarding pass. As for the rewards, you will be charged hefty fuel surcharges when you fly with JL.

Anyway, Good luck to you! I'm happy with the RECARO seat and AmericanEagle.

sipples

I must be thinking of the satellite terminal at Narita. I believe the first and JGC club is merged there. You could be right about the main terminal lounges, but I always seem to leave from the satellite terminal.

This is true, but fuel surcharges shouldn't apply to AA redemptions (for example). Or do they?

I do like the fact JMB miles are redeemable for all sorts of interesting non-flight items, albeit at fairly steep rates. Maybe I'll get some dried natto in exchange for miles.

TR35R

Probably, You're confusing it with ORD. AFAIK, ORD is the one where JGC member have access to the first class lounge. As for the NRT, both JGC lounges(main & satellite) shares its entrance with F-lounges.
That would be unacceptable deal if they charge you extra fuel surcharges when flying with other carriers. Also, you can exchange it for my sapphire certs instead of the nattos.

drron

I would be careful with the fuel charges.I booked 2 oneworld global awards this year for my wife and myself.Using QFF points and with only 1 QF segment the fuel charges were $A1050.Using AA points with the identical QF segment the cost dropped to $A360 even though the fuel charges had gone up between redemptions.You may find JAL's charges apply even to AA redemptions.

sipples

JAL Mileage Bank was certainly the correct decision this year. After flying currently booked travel, I'll be only about 2,600 points short of JMB Diamond. I expect I'll have at least one more trip before the end of the year to take care of that. (One NRT-PEK roundtrip would do it, as an example.) I've enjoyed the benefits: lounge access, priority check-in lines, and upgrades on certain flights (like Busan-Nagoya). The personal at-seat welcome/goodbye, which seems to kick in at Sapphire, is cute.

I should also make Platinum on AA this year.

Next year it gets interesting again when JAL joins oneworld, so I'll have to revisit this issue. It may get more complicated. Anyone hear any news on the date? Last I heard it would be sometime in February, 2007.

Thanks again to everyone on the forum here who offered advice.

number_6

Anyone who knows cannot post here, due to non-disclosure requirements. Also the planned dates tend to slip, as JL cannot join until the systems are all ready (at all 10 OW airlines). Feb 2007 seems unlikely, I would be pleasantly surprised when they make April 2007. MA is pretty much ready now, but RJ and JL still have a lot to do (as do several of the large OW airlines to be JL compatible). It wouldn't surprise me if it slips to June.

sipples

By the way, anyone know how long Cathay flights typically take to post to AAdvantage?

JDiver

Aer Lingus' withdrawal date set as 1 April 2007
29 September 2006

"The date for Aer Lingus' withdrawal from oneworld® has been confirmed as 1 April 2007 - at around the same time as the alliance's three new recruits join in the biggest expansion in its history." (oneworld news)

elitetraveler

My experience is 1-2 weeks

kebosabi

Actually, JAL will be joining OW starting next year (seems like January 2007), so I'd just credit all the miles to AA. Once JAL joins OW, all your miles will be eligible for elite status.

sipples

I will qualify for JAL Diamond (top tier) based on currently booked travel. Of course JAL's computer currently thinks I'm JGC Premier.

Is there any sense whatsoever to crediting any additional JAL flights this year to AAdvantage or to another program? Bear in mind it'll probably be a chore, since I'll want the JMB number in the record for privileges and then have to switch that at the airport.

Upgrades seem pretty common now. On some flights there are business class seats available to elites with economy tickets. Yesterday, GMP-HND, the FAs pulled the business class menus and slippers from the upper deck section, but the seats were Skyluxe. On NRT-ICN the check-in kiosk flashed "processing upgrade" and then produced a C boarding pass (seat and service). Online seat selection has sometimes opened up parts of the airplane previously unavailable or, with GMP-HND, automatically bumped me into a bigger seat.

One of the FAs recently gave the personal seat-side greeting in Japanese, so maybe the higher up you go the more they assume. :-)

sipples

All travel for 2006 now booked (and almost all completed). Here's how the Japan Airlines Mileage Bank decision ended up:

JAL Mileage Bank: 103,643 FLY ON points final tally. Qualifies for Diamond (top tier) elite (and Japan Global Club Premier).
AAdvantage: Currently 47,321 EQPs but will end up with 66,143 EQPs. And also a lot of bonus miles with a NRT-ORD round trip.

Definitely the correct decision to credit JAL flights to JMB, and once again I appreciate the advice. Let's see what 2007 brings (with JAL joining oneworld), but the JMB strategy worked well in 2006.

skywalkerLAX

Congrats on your decision to join a, maybe unpopular, program and hitting the jackpot

I wish you good luck for the coming year that JMB Diamond will be converted into OW Emerald !

For how long are you qualified now ?

Seasons greetings :-:

queenladyk

Most likely I will be moving to Tokyo in the summer of '07. So I need some advice. I am currently AA PLT and have requal'd for '06. I will be taking a "sight seeing" trip in Jan in J. I don't know if I should

1. Join JAL's FF program and fly them or

2. Should continue on AA via ORD for the promo (I'm concerned about Jan at ORD) or

3. Since I've heard so much about CX fly them.

Thanks in advance!!