I've been monitoring JAL F award closely for about 2 months. In the past usually availability was pretty good T-14. But since about this week, I noticed there's almost 0 F availability all the way to T-14 (from today to Mar 21st for example only one day has F available). I verified using BA site and Alaska site. Has anyone noticed the same? I suspect JAL is blocking or refusing to release F award for mid-late march because of the cherry blossom. I also noticed the business class has been consistently full (or close to full) coming in to mid-late march. Could that be the reason as well?

I currently have 2 J awards ticketed, hoping to upgrade to F. I will keep checking but would appreciate any insights!

I am looking to use AS miles for 2 First Class awards on JL (Tokyo to Chicago) next January. First time with this, so will appreciate any help advice from the experienced members of this forum.

Basically the problem is that only one FC award is available! There are plenty of Business seats (certainly 2+). So, my options are:

(1) Book two business class awards now, wait to see if 2 FC open up.

(2) Grab the one FC now, book the other in Business; keep watching if 1 FC opens up later.

I guess, option (2) increases the chance of both ending up in FC, but also carries a non-zero chance that we fly in separate cabins.

What would the JL-watchers among you advise?

I'd do number 2.

So I am looking to book two J tix from ANC->TYO departing ANC 9/27. I can book to F tix from ANC to LAX and then Y ticket from LAX to HND for 60k miles. If J availability opens up two weeks before the flight will I be able to upgrade for 0 miles and a $125 change fee?

Should be correct on mileage. If routing and flights are the same, afaik there should not be a change fee.

Quick question, does JL typically release F seats at T-330 days? Or only close in?

Also, do they typically release or more than 1 seat?

Lastly, is the AS site reliable in displaying available seats? Or is it better to use BA to check?

I know AS allows pretty liberal routing, we are planning on doing RT in First on JL. Would this work:


one way from SFO-HRD (stopover)—-BKK


one way from BKK-NRT-SIN (stopover)—-HRD—SFO?

i know you cant double back to the same airport, but what about two seperate airports in the same city?

No AS doesn't really allow liberal routing . Stop-over at partners hub is standard and logical. Stop-over should be allowed in Tokyo (HND or NRT). Your second option is A) backtrack and B) stopover not in JL hub, which are both disallowed.

Priced as two awards: BKK-NRT-SIN, SIN-HND-SFO as mentioned. You have a better option if you want to go in J from BKK to SIN and skip about 5,000 miles of extra flying in and out of NRT though.

Agreed. OP could easily fly CX J BKK-SIN for 15k BA Avios a head, however (even less if OP is willing to part with a modest amount of cash- Avios allows inbound transfers from Amex and Chase). CX regional J is nothing special but for a two hour daytime flight it's fine. And unless this is the "crazy FlyerTalker" routing where people can't get enough of airplanes for some unfathomable reason, a nonstop BKK-SIN is much preferred.

one person not completing trip on two person PNR
 

So my wife and I are going to Japan on JAL booked with AS miles. We booked 2 one way awards DFW-NRT-HKG with 12 day stopover in NRT and we are both on the same PNR. My wife is actually going to have to go back to the States early now and we're gonna cancel her flight back from HKG-DFW (separate award on CX) and just book something different NRT-DFW.

So at this point I'm thinking we'll both just fly DFW-NRT and then she just won't fly the NRT-HKG leg but I will. Will I have any problems at NRT if she no shows for the NRT-HKG leg and I intend to fly that leg? I can't think of any reason why this would be problematic but I wanted to be sure. Thanks

Sholdn't be an issue, perhaps check in the JL forum to be certain. One can always split the PNR too.

You will be fine.

JAL Awards not showing up in Mileage Plan Online?
 

Hi all...I usually have no issues booking partner awards through Mileage plan once they become available on JAL. For instance, just under 330 days out..i see wide open availability for my desired flights on JAL's search, but Alaska doesn't see it at all. I've not had this issue before, so am wondering if something has changed with the Alaska/JAL partnership.

Anyone else having this problem? Is there any pattern to when available JAL awards become available on Alaska?

Thanks

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