Mar 21, 2024, 5:48 pm
Last edit by: joejones
TL;DR VERSION
- ANA award seats are strictly limited in quantity. Unless you have status with the ANA program, there is usually only one first class seat and one business class seat made available per flight.
- Awards become available for booking to ANA Mileage Club members 355 days before departure at 9am JST, and almost all First and Business Class award seats get booked within minutes at this time.
- Most partner airlines (e.g. Virgin Atlantic and United) do not allow you to book this early.
- If using ANA miles, you need to fly round-trip, which creates a catch-22 for itineraries starting in North America because there will be no return flight available yet.
- After T-355, availability shows up at random times due to other people canceling their reservations. You have to be flexible and search frequently across multiple dates and cities.
- If ANA upgrades a route's equipment to a 777-300ER with First Class, it will result in an award seat being available every day on the calendar. Get them while they're hot.
- Some flights will show more award availability 2-3 weeks before departure, especially during low seasons.
- Useful search tools include ANA's website, United's website, point.me (available to Amex MR cardholders), and seats.aero.
ANA Award Availability
May 15, 2023, 9:39 pm
#93
Join Date: Feb 2023
Posts: 31
Would love to know the secret as well 😅 after all the research I've done, phone reservations seemed like the least reliable method of obtaining J since the wait times are so unreliable (1 to 2 hours long with wildly different times in between) and you'd have to complete the booking in less than two minutes before they get taken up. Is there something I'm missing?
May 15, 2023, 10:00 pm
#94
Join Date: Jun 2022
Posts: 8
Would love to know the secret as well 😅 after all the research I've done, phone reservations seemed like the least reliable method of obtaining J since the wait times are so unreliable (1 to 2 hours long with wildly different times in between) and you'd have to complete the booking in less than two minutes before they get taken up. Is there something I'm missing?
https://thedailychurnpodcast.com/ep-...business-amex/
May 15, 2023, 10:10 pm
#95
Join Date: Feb 2023
Posts: 31
May 20, 2023, 11:35 pm
#96
Join Date: Jun 2022
Posts: 8
Not sure exactly what you mean, but, as referenced by TDC in that link, the best chance you have to outrace everyone is via the phone lines. Once a booking is made via phone then any/all modifications to that booking are done via phone.
May 21, 2023, 12:08 pm
#97
Join Date: Feb 2023
Posts: 31
That's what I understand too. However, the issue I ran into is that the flights open up at exactly 9am JST and get booked in literally less than two minutes. So the only possible way for you to make a booking via phone is to be speaking with the representative exactly at 9am JST and have them go through the process immediately before the two minutes is up. This seems almost impossible because like I mentioned before, every time you call there's a 1-2 hour hold so it's VERY hard to time correctly. Even if you're 15-20 minutes off they won't wait with you unless you stall by talking about something random for that long. Not sure if there's something I'm missing that might make this whole process easier.
May 21, 2023, 12:18 pm
#98
Join Date: Jun 2022
Posts: 8
That's what I understand too. However, the issue I ran into is that the flights open up at exactly 9am JST and get booked in literally less than two minutes. So the only possible way for you to make a booking via phone is to be speaking with the representative exactly at 9am JST and have them go through the process immediately before the two minutes is up. This seems almost impossible because like I mentioned before, every time you call there's a 1-2 hour hold so it's VERY hard to time correctly. Even if you're 15-20 minutes off they won't wait with you unless you stall by talking about something random for that long. Not sure if there's something I'm missing that might make this whole process easier.
If you are nice, speak slowly, and take the time to explain at the beginning what you're trying to do, I think you will have success on average. Some phone reps were willing to silently hold with me for ~10 minutes. And yes, you may have to bs/smalltalk a bit to wait out the time.
May 31, 2023, 7:51 am
#102
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,188
May 31, 2023, 10:26 pm
#103
Join Date: Apr 2022
Posts: 80
Is the reservation change no longer functioning? I had the option to change the flight just last week but it seems to have disappeared from
https://aswbe-i.ana.co.jp/rei21h/int...s_service.xhtm
https://aswbe-i.ana.co.jp/rei21h/int...s_service.xhtm
Jun 2, 2023, 5:24 am
#105
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: PA
Programs: EB Diamond (SK*G), Accor Platinum
Posts: 71
I have a question about the economy availability. I am searching for HND-BKK and found that there are plenty of seats until 14 July and then almost None or 1 seat since then (tried to see Aug, Sep, Oct... and on).
It seems like ANA releases more seats when time gets closer to the departure time. Is there anybody who knows the pattern? :P.
It seems like ANA releases more seats when time gets closer to the departure time. Is there anybody who knows the pattern? :P.