Definitive "Booking Japan Airlines (JL) Using AS Miles" Thread (2023-24)
May 15, 2023, 9:43 am
#571
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Seattle, WA, USA
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 1,600
Hi,
Quick question regarding purchasing miles as I’m seeing last minute inventory pop up now and then… How long do miles typically take to deposit once purchased? I saw some online sites saying it took about 16 hours… Is this in line with the experience of folks here?
Secondly, will Alaska be able to hold the booking on a JL award ticket while I wait for the miles to deposit? Wondering if this is even an option.
Thanks in advance.
Quick question regarding purchasing miles as I’m seeing last minute inventory pop up now and then… How long do miles typically take to deposit once purchased? I saw some online sites saying it took about 16 hours… Is this in line with the experience of folks here?
Secondly, will Alaska be able to hold the booking on a JL award ticket while I wait for the miles to deposit? Wondering if this is even an option.
Thanks in advance.
Sadly, you won't be able to hold a JL reservation on AS. They don't offer that service. I remember back in the day AA would allow that (24-hour holds), but it was their implementation to the 24-hour rule where you must be able to cancel without cost. The hold gave them a way of providing the 24 hours, I presume in a more cost effective approach - but don't know for certain.
May 15, 2023, 3:40 pm
#572
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: UA, AS
Posts: 2,395
I was able to make it work this past weekend. I had to do the reservation on my iPad. I used Safari. Our route is SEA-SFO-HND-ITM. When I tried to use my desktop, the system defaulted to the old engine and UI, which still has the bug and requires the reservse RT workaround. We then tried to book additional seats for minors on the same flights using miles from my wife's account. That introduced some issues that required a call. So be wary on trying to book flights on a separate PNR with only minors.
May 16, 2023, 5:36 pm
#573
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: CA
Posts: 1,311
You're right. My last test a few posts up worked but my recent test failed.
Have you tried it?
One poster said this. I do not believe anything has changed and the end of schedule booking bugs remain. I have tried and there are no JAL flights shown at end of schedule when searching from the home page for a one-way award. Sometimes the Calendar Trick works, but sometimes it does not. The Round-Trip Workaround still works. If there has been a fix I am not seeing it. If anyone else sees a one-way search from the homepage showing JAL awards at the end of schedule (last 4-5 days or so) please post details. It is possible it works for some routes, but not the ones I have tried.
One poster said this. I do not believe anything has changed and the end of schedule booking bugs remain. I have tried and there are no JAL flights shown at end of schedule when searching from the home page for a one-way award. Sometimes the Calendar Trick works, but sometimes it does not. The Round-Trip Workaround still works. If there has been a fix I am not seeing it. If anyone else sees a one-way search from the homepage showing JAL awards at the end of schedule (last 4-5 days or so) please post details. It is possible it works for some routes, but not the ones I have tried.
May 17, 2023, 9:33 am
#574
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 56
There are varied reports on posting times. Last time I bought miles, just a couple months ago, they immediately posted.
Sadly, you won't be able to hold a JL reservation on AS. They don't offer that service. I remember back in the day AA would allow that (24-hour holds), but it was their implementation to the 24-hour rule where you must be able to cancel without cost. The hold gave them a way of providing the 24 hours, I presume in a more cost effective approach - but don't know for certain.
Sadly, you won't be able to hold a JL reservation on AS. They don't offer that service. I remember back in the day AA would allow that (24-hour holds), but it was their implementation to the 24-hour rule where you must be able to cancel without cost. The hold gave them a way of providing the 24 hours, I presume in a more cost effective approach - but don't know for certain.
May 19, 2023, 12:33 pm
#576
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 42
Last month I added TSA/HND in J to existing HND/JFK in F and didn't have to use any additional miles. I was surprised because before the devaluation 5,000 miles would have been needed to add the segment.
May 19, 2023, 2:03 pm
#577
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 986
Yeah, the additional segment with no added charge is surprising because isn't the award chart split between US-Japan and US-Asia and the US-Asia is a little more expensive than US-Japan? Maybe you found a hack! Did you add it on by calling?
May 19, 2023, 2:24 pm
#578
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 42
I did it by calling because when I tried to change it online, after selecting the add-on segment I kept getting an error message when I tried to pay. However, even when I tried to add it online, it showed that no extra miles were required.
May 19, 2023, 4:08 pm
#579
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 986
Nice hack, so just initially book US-JPN and then after that is all booked, you call to add a segment to Taiwan?
May 21, 2023, 5:34 pm
#581
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 20
May 21, 2023, 6:02 pm
#582
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: SAN, BOS
Programs: AS MVPG100K, BAEC Gold, Hilton Diamond, Bonvoy Plat,
Posts: 2,283
I’ve flown JAL F a few times this year. Both times the cabin was completely full. After 2 1-2 years of closure people are really eager to go to Japan. It’s frankly amazing so many premium cabin awards all still available on both JAL and ANA gotta book em when you see em
May 22, 2023, 7:03 am
#583
Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,055
Yes... but I was using AA miles so I don't know if AS sees the same availability. A couple of weeks ago I was able to get 2x NRT-JFK in F, not ideal as I needed to connect from SIN and JL don't have a good connecting flight. But two days later HND-JFK opened up in F and I grabbed them (and cancelled the NRT-JFK). In both cases right at the T-14 and you do need to be quick to grab them. Now I needed connecting flight from SIN and I telephoned in to add those, at T-14 all I could get was economy but the pattern on SIN-HND seemed to be that they open up business class at T-3 and indeed that happened like clockwork. It won't happen for every flight, every day... depends on loads, but I kept an eye on that with ExpertFlyer and was confident of getting business class at T-3, which indeed I did.
May 22, 2023, 7:34 am
#584
Join Date: Apr 2021
Posts: 30
Yes... but I was using AA miles so I don't know if AS sees the same availability. A couple of weeks ago I was able to get 2x NRT-JFK in F, not ideal as I needed to connect from SIN and JL don't have a good connecting flight. But two days later HND-JFK opened up in F and I grabbed them (and cancelled the NRT-JFK). In both cases right at the T-14 and you do need to be quick to grab them. Now I needed connecting flight from SIN and I telephoned in to add those, at T-14 all I could get was economy but the pattern on SIN-HND seemed to be that they open up business class at T-3 and indeed that happened like clockwork. It won't happen for every flight, every day... depends on loads, but I kept an eye on that with ExpertFlyer and was confident of getting business class at T-3, which indeed I did.
May 22, 2023, 8:22 am
#585
Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,055
Do you have a ton of AA points? What was your actions for swapping flights? Did you place the new one on hold and then cancel the other and wait for points to return and then pay for new flight? I don't have enough points to be able to book both to secure it and cancel the unwanted