All Nippon Airways Mileage Club - Is it my imagination or is ANA frequently the cheapest on TPAC flights?

Is it my imagination or is ANA frequently the cheapest on TPAC flights?

I have rarely flown ANA on TPAC flight because I used to think they were usually the more expensive option. However, I have noticed lately that they are usually the cheapest option. This is especially so when I book in reverse.(i.e. tickets originating in Asia to the USA)

I don't see it that way. Specifically, what flights are you referring to?

Living in China, I have always found NH more expensive to the West Coast than other carriers. UA has always been the cheapest followed by CA.

Is it my imagination or is ANA frequently the cheapest on TPAC flights?

I have rarely flown ANA on TPAC flight because I used to think they were usually the more expensive option. However, I have noticed lately that they are usually the cheapest option. This is especially so when I book in reverse.(i.e. tickets originating in Asia to the USA)

It is hardly the cheapest especially for ORD/IAD/JFK bound flights, as all 3 flights depart NRT before noon, which means the majority pax originate from China and Taiwan require overnight in NRT, and NH doesn't cover any overnighting cost. Therefore, even with the cheapest ticket you still have to add on hotel cost + meals.

It is hardly the cheapest especially for ORD/IAD/JFK bound flights, as all 3 flights depart NRT before noon, which means the majority pax originate from China and Taiwan require overnight in NRT, and NH doesn't cover any overnighting cost. Therefore, even with the cheapest ticket you still have to add on hotel cost + meals.

I was looking at flights from LA/SF to Taiwan. My BFF-runner-up has been working in Taiwan for the last 2 years. She is being transferred back to the US in a couple of months. She invited me to visit Taiwan and then fly back to the US with her.

Most of the roundtrip prices are $1800+ or more on Taiwan's national carriers, China Airlines and Eva Air. $1700 on AA.com(with some code-share flights on JL). $3000+ on Singapore Airlines(!). All the cheap $1100 prices were on ANA flights, such as LAX-HND-TPE and SFO-NRT-TPE. Unless that's just some kind of promo ANA is running right now?

Seems like ANA sometimes run cheap fares.
However, those fares only earn 50% mileage but it doesnt matter if u dont care about the miles.

e.g. in May, LAX to SIN on ANA/UA is only $924.
Way cheaper than other carriers.

Seems like ANA sometimes run cheap fares.
However, those fares only earn 50% mileage but it doesnt matter if u dont care about the miles.

e.g. in May, LAX to SIN on ANA/UA is only $924.
Way cheaper than other carriers.

that's something I forgot to ask.... ANA shows those flights as booked in "K" class with only 50-percent mileage. However, if I choose to credit the fligths to UA Mileage Plus, do I get 100% instead? (according to UA's website, "K" class ticket on this ANA flight gets 100%, but I'm not sure if there's a catch to this?)

ThankS!

Living in China, I have always found NH more expensive to the West Coast than other carriers. UA has always been the cheapest followed by CA.
Agreed. UA seems to be cheaper, for the most part. LAX-NRT are cheaper on UA and Delta. Actually, SQ is really cheap now. $900! May 11-18.

that's something I forgot to ask.... ANA shows those flights as booked in "K" class with only 50-percent mileage. However, if I choose to credit the fligths to UA Mileage Plus, do I get 100% instead? (according to UA's website, "K" class ticket on this ANA flight gets 100%, but I'm not sure if there's a catch to this?)

ThankS!

believe that you will get 50% of the miles even if you credit them to your MP account. i know for sure your wont get the bonus miles if you have US status. I flew NH from ORD-NRT last year and got the 50% miles but it was a sale deal good enough for me to not get too hung up on it.

believe that you will get 50% of the miles even if you credit them to your MP account. i know for sure your wont get the bonus miles if you have US status. I flew NH from ORD-NRT last year and got the 50% miles but it was a sale deal good enough for me to not get too hung up on it.

That's no longer true with the ATI. AFAIK, all published TPAC fares on NH metal earn 100% EQM/RDM on UA. I am not sure about the elite bonus on NH metal, though.

LAX

That's no longer true with the ATI. AFAIK, all published TPAC fares on NH metal earn 100% EQM/RDM on UA. I am not sure about the elite bonus on NH metal, though.

LAX

let me get this straight... if I choose to credit it to ANA, then I get 50%...
but if I choose United, I get 100% of the actual flight miles? :)

let me get this straight... if I choose to credit it to ANA, then I get 50%...
but if I choose United, I get 100% of the actual flight miles? :)
yes

yes

cool, thanks! :)

That's no longer true with the ATI. AFAIK, all published TPAC fares on NH metal earn 100% EQM/RDM on UA. I am not sure about the elite bonus on NH metal, though.

LAX

Just flew my in laws SFO-CAN, about $900 each in K or some other bottom basement fare class. They got 100% SFO-NRT and 50% NRT-CAN.

Much to the contrary, in my recent experience looking at Japan-US East Coast fares, the price ranking is roughly, from cheapest to most expensive:

UA / AA (alternating)
DL (used to be consistently the cheapest, now a bit pricier)
JAL
ANA

I do see really good fares on ANA from time to time but they seem to always involve UA metal, and often the dreaded 747.

Out of other Asian countries the situation might be different, of course...

I get the impression that the two transpacific JVs (UA/NH and AA/JL) each decided to segment their markets, with the American carriers picking up the low end and the Japanese carriers picking up the high end. E.g. UA increased seating density in C and Y at the same time that NH decreased it. Makes sense when you consider that the yen is strong and the Japanese carriers' costs are correspondingly higher. And of course the customer service differential.

Is it my imagination or is ANA frequently the cheapest on TPAC flights?

I have rarely flown ANA on TPAC flight because I used to think they were usually the more expensive option. However, I have noticed lately that they are usually the cheapest option. This is especially so when I book in reverse.(i.e. tickets originating in Asia to the USA)


It is your imagination. ANA is rarely the cheapest. Delta/AA/US/AC--often cheaper.

I recently spoke with several ANA staff from their North American call center and was advised that NH's fare prices are now fully aligned with UA's.

I've also noticed their fares have gone up considerably in comparison to a few years ago.

Looking at mid week flights at non-peak times, such as early July, upgradeable Y fares from LAX-NRT is $2800 involving UA flights and $3000 on NH 5/6. A few years back, these prices would have purchased a discount C fare. :mad:

Really not impressed with the NH/UA codeshare alliance on the Transpacs!

I recently spoke with several ANA staff from their North American call center and was advised that NH's fare prices are now fully aligned with UA's.

I've also noticed their fares have gone up considerably in comparison to a few years ago.

Looking at mid week flights at non-peak times, such as early July, upgradeable Y fares from LAX-NRT is $2800 involving UA flights and $3000 on NH 5/6. A few years back, these prices would have purchased a discount C fare. :mad:

Really not impressed with the NH/UA codeshare alliance on the Transpacs!

Yeah, I've noticed the same thing ex-Asia. What really gets me is that NH and UA are offering discount business fares at exactly the same price points, but the NH fare books into P, which is not upgradeable, while the UA fare is in Z, which is upgradeable. I was hoping to find a reasonably-priced Asia-NRT-US C/D/J/Z fare on NH, but in most markets they raised fares considerably (in some cases by 100%) over the October 2011-March 2012 period. Oh, and you can no longer make outbound stopovers in Japan, either.

"Joint venture"? More like "screw the passenger". I don't look forward to the NH/LH JV that was announced last year, seeing as how NH's fares to Europe are already ridiculously high and only available ex-Japan, not ex-Asia.

Actually, SQ is really cheap now. $900! May 11-18.

SQ also seems to be one of the most reliable ways to get transpac Star awards in coach these days. Their LAX-NRT flight almost always has tons of inventory.

Yeah, I've noticed the same thing ex-Asia. What really gets me is that NH and UA are offering discount business fares at exactly the same price points, but the NH fare books into P, which is not upgradeable, while the UA fare is in Z, which is upgradeable. I was hoping to find a reasonably-priced Asia-NRT-US C/D/J/Z fare on NH, but in most markets they raised fares considerably (in some cases by 100%) over the October 2011-March 2012 period. Oh, and you can no longer make outbound stopovers in Japan, either.

"Joint venture"? More like "screw the passenger". I don't look forward to the NH/LH JV that was announced last year, seeing as how NH's fares to Europe are already ridiculously high and only available ex-Japan, not ex-Asia.

I can't agree more! Plus, purchasing an upgradeable economy fare is almost an afterthought now, provided $500 more can buy a discounted biz fare.

What I did on my most recent itinerary was purchase a discounted biz fare one way and purchase a discounted (non-upgradeable) economy fare on the return leg to use double Upgrade Points for a stand-by upgrade. That way, I could at least rack up the biz class mileage on one leg, while using the same amount of Upgrade Points.

SQ also seems to be one of the most reliable ways to get transpac Star awards in coach these days. Their LAX-NRT flight almost always has tons of inventory.

It kills me that SQ doesn't allow Star Alliance Upgrade Rewards on their 773 and 380 aircrafts!!!

If that rule did not exist, I would gladly fly SQ over NH ex-LAX, given NH's outrageous pricing these days. :mad:

What I did on my most recent itinerary was purchase a discounted biz fare one way and purchase a discounted (non-upgradeable) economy fare on the return leg to use double Upgrade Points for a stand-by upgrade. That way, I could at least rack up the biz class mileage on one leg, while using the same amount of Upgrade Points.

I may end up doing that and giving up my hope to fly in F. Most of my international flying is personal, so I can't rely on a company to buy me an upgradeable business ticket; plus, I just blew a bunch of miles flying LX C...

It kills me that SQ doesn't allow Star Alliance Upgrade Rewards on their 773 and 380 aircrafts!!!

If that rule did not exist, I would gladly fly SQ over NH ex-LAX, given NH's outrageous pricing these days.

NH doesn't even allow C/F rewards on SQ's 77Ws and A380s even though SQ has largely opened them up to *A partners.

SQ does have decent pricing on the NRT-LAX route, with a RT in C going for about 285,000 JPY. Better than paying 2.5x as much for the same on NH, even if I do need to reach 50K NH PPs...

Really, shame on ANA's part. Every time I am on the phone with them, I've been sharing my dissatisfaction with their fares, fare price fluctuations, and inability to hold reservations post the full UA partnership.

Not to mention, there have been numerous reservation glitches on ANA's website post the UA partnership. For example, fares increasing while being held for 24 hours.

I think the least we can do is continue to share our disgust with their phone staff, supervisors, and through sending comments/suggestions on ANA's website. We are a community of frequent flyers and there are many NH elites here. While not all NH elites post on Flyer Talk (unfortunately), I'm sure the ones who speak up are relatively representative of the consensus. We need to be heard!

I think the least we can do is continue to share our disgust with their phone staff, supervisors, and through sending comments/suggestions on ANA's website. We are a community of frequent flyers and there are many NH elites here. While not all NH elites post on Flyer Talk (unfortunately), I'm sure the ones who speak up are relatively representative of the consensus. We need to be heard!

That's actually one of my responsibilities as the forum Ambassador -- I'm hoping to have more open communication between NH and our community of frequent flyers.

On a related note, if anyone has any contacts within ANA they would be willing to introduce me to, by all means please let me know!