Aug 4, 2015, 1:37 pm
Last edit by: Prospero
GUIDE to redeeming AA miles for Japan Air Lines awards:
For 2012-2015 posts, please see
ARCHIVE: AA Award on JL / JAL / Japan Airlines (master thd)
For further information, see:
HELP DESK: MileSAAver / SAAver award questions, assistance
oneworld and Other Airline (Partner) Awards info, rules 2014 on
- JL awards are now shown show and can be booked on aa.com
- AwardNexus (free to FlyerTalk members for basic searches) will also reveal, and (for a fee) alert, on JL award seats
- AA awards on JL must be MileSAAver (AAnytime awards are only available on AA marketed and AA operated flights)
- There are no onerous fuel or carrier-imposed surcharges using AAdvantage miles for awards using JL
- JL initially releases awards to AAvantage members 330 days out at 10:00 am JST time (18:00 PDT, 17:00 PST). Note, JL award inventory is released to members of other FFPs 360 day out and updates award and revenue seat award availability once daily ~09:30-12:00 Pacific time
- JL may release 0-2 F and 0-4 J award seats initially; until taken they remain available up to three months from release
- No further seats are likely to be released until shortly (~14 days) prior to scheduled departure - but the last F seat will be retained for sale, not released into award inventory
- No stopovers are allowed on AA awards. Connections may be as long as 23:59.
- Only JAL Mileage Bank members can waitlist awards
- All awards for domestic Japan will default to Economy (including international F or J award with domestic segments); these can often be upgraded at reasonable cost at the ticket counter in the Japan connecting airport
- If JL & QF are showing availability, but AA can't see it, try calling the Australia AA center as it may be a point-of-sale issue
For 2012-2015 posts, please see
ARCHIVE: AA Award on JL / JAL / Japan Airlines (master thd)
For further information, see:
HELP DESK: MileSAAver / SAAver award questions, assistance
oneworld and Other Airline (Partner) Awards info, rules 2014 on
AAdvantage Award on JL / JAL / Japan Airlines (2016-2023)
Feb 10, 2016, 10:23 am
#31
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 224
Why is it when I'm looking 330 days out from now (1/4, 1/5), I'm seeing 0 J and 0 F availability on any flights. Have all J and F really been booked from 6 PM PDT yesterday to now?
Feb 10, 2016, 10:38 am
#32
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
Looking to book a return flight from Hanoi to DCA/IAD/BWI for January 11, 2017. I'd prefer to fly CX through HKG, but I wanted to see if HAN-NRT-(US)-DCA would be a back up possibility.
Looks like the same rules apply for JAL as CX, is that right? (330 days out, connecting flights are allowed as long as the stop over is less than 23h59m)?
Does JAL fly east (saving a day on the return trip)?
Looks like the same rules apply for JAL as CX, is that right? (330 days out, connecting flights are allowed as long as the stop over is less than 23h59m)?
Does JAL fly east (saving a day on the return trip)?
There is no guarantee that JL or CX will have award seats available at the 331 day window, especially since the few days after New Year's are generally peak travel days. Also, some airlines like CX open their schedule out further (e.g., 360 days), and award seats may be booked by CX's own members, or members of other FF programs that open their schedules further out (e.g., QF members can book 350ish days out I think).
Feb 11, 2016, 4:14 am
#33
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 476
I am planning a trip to BKK in nov. wife is already booked on 10th BOS-NRT-BKK. We preferred SFO flight becaz that will give us all day in Japan and than take 12:05 am flight to BKK.
Now the problem is I am not on the flight. I have been searching BA site for 2 weeks now. Usually check multiple times during the day. JAL inventory on BA is unchanged for 2 weeks I.e no open J seats on available flights are same for 2 weeks. For ex there's 1 seat from DFW on 9th and 4 seats from SFO on 8th remains unchanged.
Do u think it can be system issue or its constant for JAL availability?
Note- I have never booked JAL before. First timer 😀 Help and comments will be highly appreciated.
Now the problem is I am not on the flight. I have been searching BA site for 2 weeks now. Usually check multiple times during the day. JAL inventory on BA is unchanged for 2 weeks I.e no open J seats on available flights are same for 2 weeks. For ex there's 1 seat from DFW on 9th and 4 seats from SFO on 8th remains unchanged.
Do u think it can be system issue or its constant for JAL availability?
Note- I have never booked JAL before. First timer 😀 Help and comments will be highly appreciated.
Feb 12, 2016, 12:47 pm
#34
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Ocean Beach
Programs: Alaska MPVG75, AAdvantage PlatPro, Hyatt Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 535
I'm flying SAN-LAX-NRT-CGK with my wife later this year. LAX-NRT booked in F. When I booked, the only available flight to CGK was the afternoon flight on 767, so downgraded to J. Now F is available the next morning, so considering switching and wondering if it's worth the effort. How are the J seats on the 767? Also, the change would add a 17 hour layover (from 5pm to 10am). Arriving at 5 pm, is that enough time to go into Tokyo and see anything?
Feb 12, 2016, 1:20 pm
#35
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 476
I'm flying SAN-LAX-NRT-CGK with my wife later this year. LAX-NRT booked in F. When I booked, the only available flight to CGK was the afternoon flight on 767, so downgraded to J. Now F is available the next morning, so considering switching and wondering if it's worth the effort. How are the J seats on the 767? Also, the change would add a 17 hour layover (from 5pm to 10am). Arriving at 5 pm, is that enough time to go into Tokyo and see anything?
Other than that there's tons of interesting stuff to do in Tokyo for a night.
Feb 12, 2016, 2:08 pm
#36
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,742
Personally, I wouldn't do it. The airport is roughly 2 hours from the center of Tokyo and you need to factor in the time waiting for the airport limo. The train is faster, but then you have to get to your hotel from the train station as well as clearing immigration. I know many have stayed near Narita at hotels such as the Hilton Narita. That would save a lot of time, but I'm not sure what is interesting right around the hotel. For me, the hassle factor of overnighting would be greater than the benefit of flying F onward.
Feb 12, 2016, 3:41 pm
#37
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 476
Personally, I wouldn't do it. The airport is roughly 2 hours from the center of Tokyo and you need to factor in the time waiting for the airport limo. The train is faster, but then you have to get to your hotel from the train station as well as clearing immigration. I know many have stayed near Narita at hotels such as the Hilton Narita. That would save a lot of time, but I'm not sure what is interesting right around the hotel. For me, the hassle factor of overnighting would be greater than the benefit of flying F onward.
Feb 14, 2016, 9:05 am
#38
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 176
I was typing out about how hard it to find availability in F when I check for seats in November and lo and behold, 3 seats were available! I am elated right now
Feb 19, 2016, 9:32 pm
#39
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 199
We put 2 AA awards on hold for SAN to NRT. J outbound, coach return. When we put the res on hold they stated there was ability to upgrade to J on way back. Now when I call they state there are no flights available in coach or business for our dates. Is this typical of AA? I'm not overly concerned because we have our res on hold but found it interesting.
Last edited by silver02accord; Feb 19, 2016 at 9:39 pm
Feb 19, 2016, 9:37 pm
#40
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 476
We put 2 AA awards on hold for SAN to HND. J outbound, coach return. When we put the res on hold they stated there was ability to upgrade to J on way back. Now when I call they state there are no flights available in coach or business for our dates. Is this typical of AA? I'm not overly concerned because we have our res on hold but found it interesting.
Feb 20, 2016, 5:37 pm
#41
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 199
Just saying when we put our res on hold, there was additional inventory. Called back the next day and it was gone. I suppose thats how it works but not there is non inventory for a few days on either side.
*Delete*
*Delete*
Feb 23, 2016, 1:46 pm
#42
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SEA/PDX/PSC
Programs: MR PLT, HLT DIA
Posts: 396
tried to get jal pvg-nrt-lax using AA on J
searched on ba wiht PVG-LAX and I can see 4 tickets availabe (pvg-nrt, and then nrt-lax).
called aa and was told only 2 available on the NRT-lax flight.
went back to BA and searched NRT-LAX..and it does only got 2 (while I still saw 4 when using PVG-LAX to search) on the same flight..
any idea what's going on here?
thanks.
searched on ba wiht PVG-LAX and I can see 4 tickets availabe (pvg-nrt, and then nrt-lax).
called aa and was told only 2 available on the NRT-lax flight.
went back to BA and searched NRT-LAX..and it does only got 2 (while I still saw 4 when using PVG-LAX to search) on the same flight..
any idea what's going on here?
thanks.
Feb 23, 2016, 3:26 pm
#43
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
tried to get jal pvg-nrt-lax using AA on J
searched on ba wiht PVG-LAX and I can see 4 tickets availabe (pvg-nrt, and then nrt-lax).
called aa and was told only 2 available on the NRT-lax flight.
went back to BA and searched NRT-LAX..and it does only got 2 (while I still saw 4 when using PVG-LAX to search) on the same flight..
any idea what's going on here?
thanks.
searched on ba wiht PVG-LAX and I can see 4 tickets availabe (pvg-nrt, and then nrt-lax).
called aa and was told only 2 available on the NRT-lax flight.
went back to BA and searched NRT-LAX..and it does only got 2 (while I still saw 4 when using PVG-LAX to search) on the same flight..
any idea what's going on here?
thanks.
Feb 23, 2016, 3:33 pm
#44
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SEA/PDX/PSC
Programs: MR PLT, HLT DIA
Posts: 396
got it.
booked 2 seats and put 2 in coach now...hopefully JL can release more J/F ...
booked 2 seats and put 2 in coach now...hopefully JL can release more J/F ...
This is an issue with the BA search engine, particularly with connecting flights. There are likely 4 seats on PVG-NRT and only 2 seats on NRT-LAX, but the search will make it seem like there are 4 seats on both. The best way to check is to search PVG-LAX *for 4 pax*, and the itinerary that you're seeing likely will not show up as available.
Feb 23, 2016, 6:09 pm
#45
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: Marriott LT Plat; WoH Exp; AS Gold; AA Plat
Posts: 369