Dec 6, 2016, 7:53 pm

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

Wiki for using AS (Alaska) miles on JL (Japan Airlines)

All awards for domestic Japan will default to Economy (including international F or J award with domestic segments)
However, these can often be upgraded at reasonable cost at the ticket counter in the Japan connecting airport

Award Chart If not listed it's not available - EXCEPTION: Hawaii-Asia awards are bookable, not yet on the chart, at the same prices as Continental U.S.-Asia
(as of March 2017, Premium Economy is no longer available)
(As of October 2019, stopovers are no longer allowed on intra Asia awards)
Class of Service One-way Round-trip

U.S./Canada to Asia
Coach 35,000 70,000
~~Premium 40,000 80,000~~
Business 60,000 120,000
First 70,000 140,000

U.S./Canada to Southeast Asia
Coach 40,000 80,000
~~Premium 45,000 90,000~~
Business 65,000 130,000
First 75,000 150,000

Intra Asia
Coach 15,000 30,000
~~Premium 17,500 35,000~~
Business 25,000 50,000
First 30,000 60,000

International gateways
All AS valid destinations from Tokyo (HND/NRT), Osaka (KIX) or Nagoya (NGO).
PUS, GMP, ICN, DLC, PVG, SHA, PEK, TSA, TPE, KHH, CAN, HKG, MNL, HAN, SGN, BKK, SIN, KUL, CGK, DEL, HNL, KOA, YVR, SEA, SFO, LAX, SAN, ORD, DFW, BOS, JFK

USA

Boston - BOS
Chicago - ORD
Dallas - DFW
Honolulu - HNL
Kona -KOA
Los Angeles - LAX
New York - JFK
San Diego - SAN
San Francisco - SFO
Seattle - SEA

Canada
Vancouver - YVR

Asia

Delhi - DEL
Tokyo - HND & NRT
Osaka - KIX
Nagoya - NGO
Busan - PUS
Seoul - Gimpo GMP
Seoul - Incheon ICN

Southeast Asia or listed as SE based on how awards are pricing
Bangkok - BKK
Beijing - PEK
Dalian - DLC
Guangzhou - CAN
Hanoi - HAN
Ho Chi Minh City - SGN
Hong Kong - HKG
Jakarta - CGK
Kaohsiung - KHH
Kuala Lumpur - KUL
Manila - MNL
Shanghai - Hongqiao - SHA
Shanghai - Pudong - PVG
Singapore - SIN
Taipei - TPE
Taipei - Songshan - TSA
Tianjin - TSN (only from Nagoya, not very useful....)

Definitive "Booking Japan Airlines (JL) Using AS Miles" Thread - 2019 and Earlier

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Feb 7, 2019, 11:03 am

#661

skimthetrees

Join Date: Jan 2010

Programs: UA, AS

Posts: 2,393

Quote:

Originally Posted by KnownasEric

I haven't seen JL F that far out but I've been able to book J when the seats open - but it is spotty. It's not the same but you could do that and wait for F to open until close-up. I've never flown either class so I can only assume, but I'd rather just keep the 10K mile difference and use it somewhere else.

JL F does regularly open 2F at the beginning of schedule but these seats are usually taken very quickly and due to the AS IT bug/feature blacking out JL F for a few days near the end of schedule it is difficult to book them with AS miles.

Feb 7, 2019, 1:46 pm

#662

merridius

Join Date: Apr 2016

Programs: NH, JL, SQ

Posts: 164

Quote:

Originally Posted by skimthetrees

plus from what i have gathered upthread there is a good chance JL takes the seats back even before AS is able to see them... and that it's not guaranteed held seats are released back to partner inventory. I feel like im losing hope of snagging to 2 F seats us-asia

Feb 7, 2019, 5:06 pm

#663

skimthetrees

Join Date: Jan 2010

Programs: UA, AS

Posts: 2,393

Quote:

Originally Posted by merridius

I just did a little checking and yes it looks pretty bad. JL appears to be aggressively taking back F seats near schedule open before they appear on AS and this is happening every day of the week whereas 6 months ago they were not taking a couple of days midweek until a week or two from schedule open now it is within a few days and once they take them back it looks like they only release them to the JL waitlist for a few months and only then if the JL waitlists do not take up whatever they have allotted to that point do they make space available for partners again. The route I am checking looks to happen in the 7-8 month out range and the bad news on that is that they are releasing more space earlier on than they used to leaving less space available for the up until now bountiful last couple of weeks before the flight

Last edited by skimthetrees; Feb 7, 2019 at 5:11 pm

Feb 10, 2019, 5:52 am

#664

shosana

Join Date: Feb 2016

Posts: 31

So I did hold a reservation 01/01/2019 from Tokyo NRT to ORD for 2 F when it opened up and it dropped off on 02/09/2019 and it went back to the inventory, if anyone is still looking to book a flight back on New Year. I am not sure when they loaded up the space back but my guess is 8 PM EST when they release the award flight. Anyway I am tempting to try one more spot to see if the award flight get return to JAL and they will publish it.

Last edited by shosana; Feb 10, 2019 at 11:48 am Reason: edit the year woops

Feb 10, 2019, 8:56 am

#665

Flying for Fun

Join Date: Mar 2017

Location: British Columbia

Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold

Posts: 7,263

Quote:

Originally Posted by shosana

So I did hold a reservation 01/01/209 from Tokyo NRT to ORD for 2 F when it opened up and it dropped off on 02/09/2019 and it went back to the inventory, if anyone is still looking to book a flight back on New Year. I am not sure when they loaded up the space back but my guess is 8 PM EST when they release the award flight. Anyway I am tempting to try one more spot to see if the award flight get return to JAL and they will publish it.

As outlined in my previous post, I cancelled two F DEL-TKO-ORD-PDX-PHX awards and they immediately returned to inventory and were bookable on AS.

James

Feb 10, 2019, 1:07 pm

#666

skimthetrees

Join Date: Jan 2010

Programs: UA, AS

Posts: 2,393

There was one report that F did not return when they cancelled. Perhaps they always go back but do not show up immediately on AS because of cached inventory issues?

What I have seen regularly is that if 2F are released at schedule open and if not claimed within a few days JL will take them back and release them at some later date, most likely to a JAL waitlist.

Feb 12, 2019, 7:57 am

#667

soy

Join Date: Dec 2008

Location: DUB-BOS

Programs: various

Posts: 3,683

JL extending their booking window to 360 days, will make it harder for AS due to their 330day EOS
JAL Group - PRESS RELEASES - Reservation Start Date for International Flights to be Changed to 360 days prior to Departure

Feb 12, 2019, 9:49 am

#668

skimthetrees

Join Date: Jan 2010

Programs: UA, AS

Posts: 2,393

Quote:

Originally Posted by soy

Well that's going to hurt.

Feb 12, 2019, 11:51 am

#669

merridius

Join Date: Apr 2016

Programs: NH, JL, SQ

Posts: 164

i randomly checked the calendar at like 130am and somehow 2 F showed up 330 days out JFK-NRT, snagged immediately for my parents

now they want to add an intra asia flight... this is going to cost me in change fees...

Feb 12, 2019, 12:20 pm

#670

skimthetrees

Join Date: Jan 2010

Programs: UA, AS

Posts: 2,393

Quote:

Originally Posted by merridius

i randomly checked the calendar at like 130am and somehow 2 F showed up 330 days out JFK-NRT, snagged immediately for my parents

now they want to add an intra asia flight... this is going to cost me in change fees...

You do get a free change within 24 hours of first booking.

Feb 12, 2019, 2:56 pm

#671

merridius

Join Date: Apr 2016

Programs: NH, JL, SQ

Posts: 164

Quote:

Originally Posted by skimthetrees

You do get a free change within 24 hours of first booking.

it's a multi-day stop over so i'll only be able to make the change in a few days, plus checking now i can't see any of those flights at the end of schedule so it'll probably be a week before i can book those flights

Feb 13, 2019, 9:28 pm

#672

LIH Prem

Join Date: Nov 2000

Location: Upcountry Maui, HI

Posts: 13,303

Just booked an itinerary on the web site for Jan 9, 2020. Can see the rez and pick seats, etc on JALs web site, got the eticket numbers and receipt etc from alaska, including AS and JL record locators, but can't view the itinerary on Alaska's web site or in the app, just get an error. Right now it's the only JL itinerary I have. I have a CX itinerary, no problem viewing it.

BTW, is it possible to waitlist for business class when it's a mixed cabin itinerary?
ETA: Agent said "no". I guess I have to monitor it manually. I don't know of any way to automate JL award search other than write your own I guess.

ETA 2/14: I think they didn't charge the 12.50 x 2 award fee until today, though they charged the taxes yesterday. Anyway, it was either that or end of schedule issue, but I can see the itinerary in my Alaska account now. Nonetheless, it was kind of odd, I had received the confirmation email yesterday and got another one today after the $25 charge went through.

-David

Last edited by LIH Prem; Feb 14, 2019 at 3:27 pm

Feb 13, 2019, 10:38 pm

#673

skimthetrees

Join Date: Jan 2010

Programs: UA, AS

Posts: 2,393

Quote:

Originally Posted by LIH Prem

BTW, is it possible to waitlist for business class when it's a mixed cabin itinerary?
ETA: Agent said "no". I guess I have to monitor it manually. I don't know of any way to automate JL award search other than write your own I guess.

-David

I don't think so.
Award Nexus?

LIH Prem likes this.

Feb 14, 2019, 5:10 am

#674

rufflesinc

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: May 2006

Location: DTW, but drive to/from YYZ/ORD

Programs: Chase Ultimate Rewards 2MM, Diner Club points

Posts: 31,895

Quote:

Originally Posted by soy

will result in more shenanigans where people book with BA avios at 360 days, as with QF and CX, then cancel and rebook with AS/AA at 330 days

Feb 14, 2019, 7:14 am

#675

nothing.sg

Join Date: Dec 2018

Posts: 3

Hi guys, i'm considering to purchase miles from Alaska Air for the first time and Alaska Air is currently selling miles till 23rd Feb 2019 at 40% discount.

Any idea if i could purchase say 50,400 miles x 2 separate transactions during this sale = 100,800 miles in total by 23rd Feb?

I understand that the t&c does not allow one account/member to purchase more than 150,000 miles in a year.