I asked this very question of 2 EXP agents prior to booking NRT earlier this year and both told me my wife and my best shot was with my outbound orginating at JFK and my return back to JFK. I followed their suggestion and my wife were cool about the return which cleared the day of our return. The outbound cleared almost immediately.

I had asked one of the agents if the club personnel would try to clear us through another destination, but I was told me to stick with the JFK routing.

Good luck!!!