JAL Mileage Bank - JAL or NWA?

I am booking my 3rd flight to Osaka this year in October. I have flown NWA business and coach the past two times. I see JAL is running a sale for $911 round from CLT to KIX in economy. I have never flown JAL before and I am only 9,000 miles short of Platinum on NWA ($985 round). Should I go JAL or NWA for this trip? I can say I have flown on NWA in coach on those antique 747's and it was miserable. DL has the 777's out of JFK but the layovers are too long on the return to book that through NWA.

I am booking my 3rd flight to Osaka this year in October. I have flown NWA business and coach the past two times. I see JAL is running a sale for $911 round from CLT to KIX in economy. I have never flown JAL before and I am only 9,000 miles short of Platinum on NWA ($985 round). Should I go JAL or NWA for this trip? I can say I have flown on NWA in coach on those antique 747's and it was miserable. DL has the 777's out of JFK but the layovers are too long on the return to book that through NWA.

When's your flight? If it's before Oct 25, you will be disappointed with the 744 used in JL's ORD-NRT flight. But after Oct 25, JL will switch to the brand new 773 on this route. Also, if you have 10,000 JMB miles, you can upgrade your flight to business class, they are having a promotion until the end of the year. But of course the fare eligible for upgrade won't be $911.

If you are only 9000 miles short for Platinum on NWA, why not use this flight to reach the status unless you have something else planned for the remaining of the year.

When's your flight? If it's before Oct 25, you will be disappointed with the 744 used in JL's ORD-NRT flight. But after Oct 25, JL will switch to the brand new 773 on this route. Also, if you have 10,000 JMB miles, you can upgrade your flight to business class, they are having a promotion until the end of the year. But of course the fare eligible for upgrade won't be $911.

If you are only 9000 miles short for Platinum on NWA, why not use this flight to reach the status unless you have something else planned for the remaining of the year.

My departure is on October 21st. The legs would be CLT-ORD-NRT-KIX. Unfortunetaly I have 0 JMB miles and no status on AA. I REALLY dread coach on the NWA 747...no entertainment and seats so thin I could feel the guys knees in my back behind me. I can go CLT-JFK-NRT-KIX on a DL 777 but the return in November has a 6 hour layover in JFK. NWA wants $2,800 to upgrade to business on that return leg or I would go through another city.

My departure is on October 21st. The legs would be CLT-ORD-NRT-KIX. Unfortunetaly I have 0 JMB miles and no status on AA. I REALLY dread coach on the NWA 747...no entertainment and seats so thin I could feel the guys knees in my back behind me. I can go CLT-JFK-NRT-KIX on a DL 777 but the return in November has a 6 hour layover in JFK. NWA wants $2,800 to upgrade to business on that return leg or I would go through another city.

You will most likely be stuck with MAGIC-I (the oldest personal IFE) on your outbound ORD-NRT flight. If you end up choosing JAL, I would recommend routing your outbound flight through JFK (JL005) or SFO (JL001). They have the latest 773 products.

For your inbound flights, you should be fine with the ORD because they would have switched to 773 by that time. Just avoid JL047/048 (JFK-NRT) if you route it through other cities because they still use 744 on these flights.

But personally I will go for the miles and elite status...