Aug 5, 2016, 8:34 pm
Last edit by: rustykettel
For Award Tickets, please see Consolidated JL award thread: Definitive Booking JL using AS Miles Thread [All Cabins]
It is possible to earn miles on JL now.
Awards are live, as of Dec. 6th, 2016 (not visible in the iOS app, but using the website at the moment). US/Canada to Asia and intra-Asia only. DEL is considered part of Asia. Stopovers are being allowed at the moment on intra-Asia flights involving TYO (NRT or HND) when pricing using the AS website. KIX stopovers or through routings do not seem to be allowed intra-Asia. KIX stopovers DO seem to work for ex-North America flights.
Flights to/from Hawaii can apparently be booked, but are not (yet) displayed on the award chart. Mileage costs are the same as those from the Continental U.S.
CGK is the only intra-Asia JL destination with F, if you are looking to "maximize" the award. JL has a number of 788 planes with slanty seat, last generation J, some of which fly from US destinations like YVR. You might wish to avoid those flights if you are "maximizing" your award.
Post #300 by yaychemistry has useful information on how the JL award booking process works.
It is possible to earn miles on JL now.
Awards are live, as of Dec. 6th, 2016 (not visible in the iOS app, but using the website at the moment). US/Canada to Asia and intra-Asia only. DEL is considered part of Asia. Stopovers are being allowed at the moment on intra-Asia flights involving TYO (NRT or HND) when pricing using the AS website. KIX stopovers or through routings do not seem to be allowed intra-Asia. KIX stopovers DO seem to work for ex-North America flights.
Flights to/from Hawaii can apparently be booked, but are not (yet) displayed on the award chart. Mileage costs are the same as those from the Continental U.S.
CGK is the only intra-Asia JL destination with F, if you are looking to "maximize" the award. JL has a number of 788 planes with slanty seat, last generation J, some of which fly from US destinations like YVR. You might wish to avoid those flights if you are "maximizing" your award.
Post #300 by yaychemistry has useful information on how the JL award booking process works.
Alaska Air Welcomes Japan Airlines (JL) as a Partner
Dec 2, 2016, 8:00 pm
#196
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Dec 2, 2016, 8:06 pm
#197
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Dec 4, 2016, 1:48 pm
#198
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Sorry I haven't been following this thread closely. But I tried to see if I could redeem my AS miles online for travel on JAL next spring. Got nothing. Was wondering if it'd do any good to call the Partners Desk. But then I skimmed through the last couple pages of this thread, and it seems like JAL redemption is not even in effect. So no use calling Partners Desk, right?
How can they not get this thing together 7 months after the announcement?
Even if JAL redemption kicks off, I have no hopes of actually being able to use it. I've had all these AS miles that I haven't been able to use at all ever since DL cancelled SEA-HND. For a guy who primarily travels between SEA/YVR and Asia, AS miles are completely useless. AS has partnerships with all these TPAC carriers, and yet there are hardly any saver award redemptions. This is why Mileage Plus and Star continue to be so much better, so much more flexible (at least for my purpose).
How can they not get this thing together 7 months after the announcement?
Even if JAL redemption kicks off, I have no hopes of actually being able to use it. I've had all these AS miles that I haven't been able to use at all ever since DL cancelled SEA-HND. For a guy who primarily travels between SEA/YVR and Asia, AS miles are completely useless. AS has partnerships with all these TPAC carriers, and yet there are hardly any saver award redemptions. This is why Mileage Plus and Star continue to be so much better, so much more flexible (at least for my purpose).
Dec 4, 2016, 2:00 pm
#199
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For a guy who primarily travels between SEA/YVR and Asia, AS miles are completely useless. AS has partnerships with all these TPAC carriers, and yet there are hardly any saver award redemptions. This is why Mileage Plus and Star continue to be so much better, so much more flexible (at least for my purpose).
Dec 4, 2016, 5:57 pm
#200
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I don't even see Hainan come up when I do the search for SEA-Jpn on AS. Tried a few different dates, too.
Even if Hainan did come up, I think I'd almost rather choose SEA-LAX-TYO using AA (which I wouldn't do either). I've just heard bad things about Hainan's ground customer svc and about transiting in China.
This is the thing. With UA, I can easily get SEA-NRT nonstop on NH, YVR-TYO nonstop on NH or AC, SEA-SFO-HKG on UA... all saver award. With AS, the only thing I see most of the time are crazy roundabout routing like SEA-LAX-TYO on AA, SEA-MSP-TYO on DL, or SEA-ICN-TYO on KE but only if the ICN layover is overnight.
Even if Hainan did come up, I think I'd almost rather choose SEA-LAX-TYO using AA (which I wouldn't do either). I've just heard bad things about Hainan's ground customer svc and about transiting in China.
This is the thing. With UA, I can easily get SEA-NRT nonstop on NH, YVR-TYO nonstop on NH or AC, SEA-SFO-HKG on UA... all saver award. With AS, the only thing I see most of the time are crazy roundabout routing like SEA-LAX-TYO on AA, SEA-MSP-TYO on DL, or SEA-ICN-TYO on KE but only if the ICN layover is overnight.
Dec 4, 2016, 6:03 pm
#201
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I don't even see Hainan come up when I do the search for SEA-Jpn on AS. Tried a few different dates, too.
Even if Hainan did come up, I think I'd almost rather choose SEA-LAX-TYO using AA (which I wouldn't do either). I've just heard bad things about Hainan's ground customer svc and about transiting in China.
This is the thing. With UA, I can easily get SEA-NRT nonstop on NH, YVR-TYO nonstop on NH or AC, SEA-SFO-HKG on UA... all saver award. With AS, the only thing I see most of the time are crazy roundabout routing like SEA-LAX-TYO on AA, SEA-MSP-TYO on DL, or SEA-ICN-TYO on KE but only if the ICN layover is overnight.
Even if Hainan did come up, I think I'd almost rather choose SEA-LAX-TYO using AA (which I wouldn't do either). I've just heard bad things about Hainan's ground customer svc and about transiting in China.
This is the thing. With UA, I can easily get SEA-NRT nonstop on NH, YVR-TYO nonstop on NH or AC, SEA-SFO-HKG on UA... all saver award. With AS, the only thing I see most of the time are crazy roundabout routing like SEA-LAX-TYO on AA, SEA-MSP-TYO on DL, or SEA-ICN-TYO on KE but only if the ICN layover is overnight.
A simple month long search for e.g. October 2017 reveals many options. For example SEA-PEK-HND, 10/19 in J, 50k miles + $250.
Or for example: SEA-LAX-HND, 10/18 in J with AS, DL.
Dec 6, 2016, 12:27 am
#202
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Using UA miles, I just booked NH nonstop HND-YVR for end of July, which is peak travel season. AC nonstop was available, too. Ditto for SEA-NRT. Just about every option is available with UA miles for my dates this spring.
Anyways, I don't mean to sidetrack from the topic. I basically just chimed in to vent a little bit and to ask if it's worth my time trying to call Partners Desk about redemption on JAL.
Dec 6, 2016, 12:49 am
#203
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I'd send AS an email. This way they have a paper trail on the frustration MP members are experiencing.
Dec 6, 2016, 8:42 am
#204
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Dec 6, 2016, 1:31 pm
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Dec 6, 2016, 1:57 pm
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I can't yet tell whether the intra-Asia awards make that distinction - if "Asia to Asia" includes routes like HND-SIN, that's not a bad price.
Dec 6, 2016, 2:04 pm
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