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)
Mar 26, 2019, 1:02 am
#931
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: AY+ Plat, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,846
I don't believe so. I've always done the domestic upgrade in Tokyo (you'll need to clear immigration and customs and transfer to the domestic terminal in any event). But if you're flying JL across the pacific, there's no harm in asking at check in for your TPAC flight.
Mar 26, 2019, 10:34 am
#932
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: WAS/TYO
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP (3MM), DL PM, BONVOY TITANIUM, HYATT GLOBALIST, HILTON DIAMOND, IHG DIAMOND AMB, et al
Posts: 5,913
Nope - the domestic business upgrade is indeed 1,000 JPY (about $9 USD)! However, it's really more of an economy comfort type product (slightly bigger seat) with standard economy cabin service (which is actually quite good considering how short many JL domestic segments are): Class J (Inflight and Lounge Services) - JAL Domestic Flights. Still well worth the $9, however, IMHO. On some domestic routes/aircraft, JL also has an first class domestic cabin. Those upgrades can be purchased for closer to $100 USD at check-in - although they typically are sold out well before then. JL domestic F is incredible - great seats and catering (printed menus, Champagne, etc.) on routes that are often under an hour of flight time. https://www.jal.co.jp/en/dom/service/f/
-FlyerBeek
-FlyerBeek
Mar 26, 2019, 10:37 am
#933
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: WAS/TYO
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP (3MM), DL PM, BONVOY TITANIUM, HYATT GLOBALIST, HILTON DIAMOND, IHG DIAMOND AMB, et al
Posts: 5,913
-FlyerBeek
Mar 26, 2019, 11:55 am
#934
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,142
I made it yesterday morning. I wasn’t aware that after doing the transaction, that the eticket had to await JAL action. Before hanging up, the agent said I didn’t need to worry, that it was confirmed. I checked the seat chart on ExpertFlyer and saw our seats that we selected noted as being taken (presumably by us).
Mar 26, 2019, 12:22 pm
#935
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: NYC
Posts: 6,433
About 48 hours after the agent said I had a confirmed ticket, I just received an email from AA entitled "Your Trip Confirmation and Receipt." The trip appears confirmed, and the credit card was charged about $5.00 per ticket. The only issue I have right now is that I cannot find the eticket number. I logged onto AA (manage my reservation) and cannot find it their as either. Does anyone know where I can find the eticket info? Thanks.
Mar 26, 2019, 12:34 pm
#936
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,142
EDIT: I looked for a fourth time and I now see it in small font size directly under a large advertisement for an AA credit card. Thank you.
Mar 26, 2019, 3:13 pm
#937
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 47
Just an update when I called AA to book my JL flight on Friday , it finally got ticketed today after my Card was billed. So it took I guess 2 days if you don’t include weekends.
Mar 26, 2019, 5:42 pm
#938
Join Date: Mar 2019
Programs: aa
Posts: 1
October Japan Business Class
Guys, apologies for being clueless, but my heads starting to spin. I want to take my family of 3 to Japan October 12 to 21. Ultimately, OKC to KIX (Osaka) then TYO to OKC. I can go through DFW or LAX. I want to get business class for the international stretches but I'm running into a wall on the AA site - no milesaver business for AA flights, JAL doesn't show up. I tried to figure out upgrade availability on ExpertFlyer, but it doesn't show JAL upgrade availability that I can tell. I've got about 100k miles and trying to figure out the best way to use them.
I can buy miles. That'd get me to about 350k miles with the 100k bonus. Not going to be enough for AAnytime business for 3.
Is there any other way I can work this?
I can buy miles. That'd get me to about 350k miles with the 100k bonus. Not going to be enough for AAnytime business for 3.
Is there any other way I can work this?
Mar 26, 2019, 5:56 pm
#939
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,142
Guys, apologies for being clueless, but my heads starting to spin. I want to take my family of 3 to Japan October 12 to 21. Ultimately, OKC to KIX (Osaka) then TYO to OKC. I can go through DFW or LAX. I want to get business class for the international stretches but I'm running into a wall on the AA site - no milesaver business for AA flights, JAL doesn't show up. I tried to figure out upgrade availability on ExpertFlyer, but it doesn't show JAL upgrade availability that I can tell. I've got about 100k miles and trying to figure out the best way to use them.
I can buy miles. That'd get me to about 350k miles with the 100k bonus. Not going to be enough for AAnytime business for 3.
Is there any other way I can work this?
I can buy miles. That'd get me to about 350k miles with the 100k bonus. Not going to be enough for AAnytime business for 3.
Is there any other way I can work this?
Mar 26, 2019, 6:33 pm
#940
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,762
However JL often sells the "Class J" with slightly better seats for 1000 Yen at the gate. Just dont expect the domestic "Class J" even the same as their regional J, You can see the seats on JAL website. Hardly anything to feel bad about not getting it covered.
Mar 26, 2019, 6:36 pm
#941
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,762
Guys, apologies for being clueless, but my heads starting to spin. I want to take my family of 3 to Japan October 12 to 21. Ultimately, OKC to KIX (Osaka) then TYO to OKC. I can go through DFW or LAX. I want to get business class for the international stretches but I'm running into a wall on the AA site - no milesaver business for AA flights, JAL doesn't show up. I tried to figure out upgrade availability on ExpertFlyer, but it doesn't show JAL upgrade availability that I can tell. I've got about 100k miles and trying to figure out the best way to use them.
I can buy miles. That'd get me to about 350k miles with the 100k bonus. Not going to be enough for AAnytime business for 3.
Is there any other way I can work this?
I can buy miles. That'd get me to about 350k miles with the 100k bonus. Not going to be enough for AAnytime business for 3.
Is there any other way I can work this?
For that you need to either check it on BA site (sign up a BA account for this purpose as well as checking CX availability). Or you can call and rely the agent to go thru all the dates you have in mind to check it (a much more cumbersome process and may not yield good results as agents can get annoyed.)
JL flies to KIX from LAX only. A lot more US gateways serve TYO.
You actually can fly to NRT then NRT to ITM (the Osaka airport more closer to town) - it is a single award. We literally will fly this itinerary in April - JFK-NRT-ITM single award, 2hr15min connection at NRT.
AAnytime only available on AA's own flights. It is not available for partner flights.
Last edited by Happy; Mar 26, 2019 at 6:42 pm
Mar 26, 2019, 6:49 pm
#942
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: San Diego
Programs: Plat Pro AAdvantage, but defected to BAEC
Posts: 1,222
You can also use QANTAS to look for availability on JAL and I find that it’s a bit more real time than the BA site.
I’m pretty sure that the LAX-KIX route is served by a 787 with Neo shell seats in J, so not lie flat seats. Those Neo seat aircraft thankfully disappear from the SAN-NRT routes on Sunday!
I’m pretty sure that the LAX-KIX route is served by a 787 with Neo shell seats in J, so not lie flat seats. Those Neo seat aircraft thankfully disappear from the SAN-NRT routes on Sunday!
Mar 26, 2019, 7:16 pm
#943
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 16
Just an update, my ticket finally ticketed. I have limited post per day, sorry couldn't update in time, thanks all the DP, 747FC, cm007d, McSam18. I guess they don't work on weekend. Thanks again
Mar 26, 2019, 7:19 pm
#944
Used to be 'Travelergcp'
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: New Orleans
Programs: AA Plat, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,826
Watch your receipts. I recently got charged the $40 phone fee on an award containing JL segments even though the agent didn’t intend to charge it, A follow up call got it refunded.
Mar 26, 2019, 7:48 pm
#945
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,762
You can also use QANTAS to look for availability on JAL and I find that it’s a bit more real time than the BA site.
I’m pretty sure that the LAX-KIX route is served by a 787 with Neo shell seats in J, so not lie flat seats. Those Neo seat aircraft thankfully disappear from the SAN-NRT routes on Sunday!
I’m pretty sure that the LAX-KIX route is served by a 787 with Neo shell seats in J, so not lie flat seats. Those Neo seat aircraft thankfully disappear from the SAN-NRT routes on Sunday!