Recommended Japanese credit card for points and miles?
May 22, 2018, 5:06 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 9
Recommended Japanese credit card for points and miles?
I’ve been googling day and night and still can’t decide what credit card to get for miles/points. My husband flies a lot domestically and will be flying japan - Rome frequently starting next month. I also fly japan - USA once or twice a year. We’re a young couple with only one credit card ( view Suica visa card) in our household and I’ve been using debit card for 3 years now and just felt really stupid because I don’t get any rewards no matter how much I spend. We spend around $4K~ a month including rent. I don’t have a preference in airlines I’ve just been choosing the cheapest ones on Expedia which is usually Ana or United. Based on a quick search though there were a lot of Cathay pacific, etihad lufthansa japan- Rome flight. Ana and JAL points have 3 years expiration date where u can extend the expiration onunited or aadvantage as long as you use it. Im such a newbie and these things are so confusing please help 
Sorry if my English sounds stupid it’s not my first language
1. What is most important to you in a frequent flyer program (FFP)?
(e.g., upgrades, priority services, baggage allowance, good award redemption rates, better award access, lounge access)
Reply: good award redemption rates, free/cheaper flights to Japan|Europe|Usa in that order, upgrades, priority services. Japan being the first priority at least for now.
2. How many miles do you usually fly each year? How many flights/sectors?
(e.g., <25000, 25000-50000, >50000 miles and <25, 25-50, >50 flights?)
Reply: japan domestic twice a month, japan- Rome twice every 2 to 3 12,294x4= 49,576months , japan - USA one to twice a year
3. What fare class do you usually buy?
(e.g., first, business, premium economy, economy)
Reply: economy
4. Are you able to choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply:Airlin s yes, class only economy. Work and pleasure.
5. Which routes do you fly most often
(e.g., U.S. domestic, transatlantic, intra-Asia)
Reply: japan domestic, japan - rome, japan - USA
6. What is your home airport?
(e.g., SFO, LHR, HKG)
Reply: NRT HND
7. Do you have status in any FFP? What is it? How miles do you have banked in a FFP, if any?
(e.g., AA Executive Platinum, UA 1K, LAN Comodoro)
Reply: No
8. What are your preferred airlines, if any?
Reply: Nothing in particular
Sorry if my English sounds stupid it’s not my first language 1. What is most important to you in a frequent flyer program (FFP)?
(e.g., upgrades, priority services, baggage allowance, good award redemption rates, better award access, lounge access)
Reply: good award redemption rates, free/cheaper flights to Japan|Europe|Usa in that order, upgrades, priority services. Japan being the first priority at least for now.
2. How many miles do you usually fly each year? How many flights/sectors?
(e.g., <25000, 25000-50000, >50000 miles and <25, 25-50, >50 flights?)
Reply: japan domestic twice a month, japan- Rome twice every 2 to 3 12,294x4= 49,576months , japan - USA one to twice a year
3. What fare class do you usually buy?
(e.g., first, business, premium economy, economy)
Reply: economy
4. Are you able to choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply:Airlin s yes, class only economy. Work and pleasure.
5. Which routes do you fly most often
(e.g., U.S. domestic, transatlantic, intra-Asia)
Reply: japan domestic, japan - rome, japan - USA
6. What is your home airport?
(e.g., SFO, LHR, HKG)
Reply: NRT HND
7. Do you have status in any FFP? What is it? How miles do you have banked in a FFP, if any?
(e.g., AA Executive Platinum, UA 1K, LAN Comodoro)
Reply: No
8. What are your preferred airlines, if any?
Reply: Nothing in particular
Last edited by carlayla; May 22, 2018 at 6:05 pm Reason: Found a guide
May 22, 2018, 6:23 pm
#2
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
Programs: UA lifetime MM / *A Gold
Posts: 14,429
I don’t get any rewards no matter how much I spend. We spend around $4K~ a month including rent. I don’t have a preference in airlines I’ve just been choosing the cheapest ones on Expedia which is usually Ana or United. Based on a quick search though there were a lot of Cathay pacific, etihad lufthansa japan- Rome flight. Ana and JAL points have 3 years expiration date where u can extend the expiration onunited or aadvantage as long as you use it.
Second, don't feel bad about missing out on too many points/miles, as non US cards tend to have FAR fewer rewards / benefits. And without a US address, they are rather hard to get.
Lastly (for now anyway), you may think about sticking to an Alliance, such as Star Alliance* that includes both UA and ANA, that way all your mles go into one program, and you would be able to use the miles earlier instead of having them spread out over different airlines.
Oh, and thanks for the additional info, those are usually first questions we have for a new poster
* Star may or may not be best for you, I just picked it because that's where UA is.
Jun 25, 2018, 9:20 pm
#5
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 456
I'd also recommend a flexible points card, such as any Citi Thank You, Chase Ultimate Rewards, or Amex Membership Rewards card. You can bank the points and transfer them later to the partner carrier of your choice without worrying about expiration dates. Check into those programs to see which carrier has partners that match your needs best, and that way you're not locked into a single carrier or stuck with expiring miles.
Jun 25, 2018, 10:17 pm
#6
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
Programs: UA lifetime MM / *A Gold
Posts: 14,429
PMCO did not enforce expiration, but had it on the books. The new UA and AA both WILL expire your points - it's very easy to keep them alive without flying, but, as my friend found out the hard way, AA points very much DO expire. Sorry, not as familiar with DL, but suspect that without something like a magazine subscription or purchase via online DL portal miles will expire as well without flying.
Or you could get an airline affiliated CC, after all we are in CC forum
Jul 8, 2018, 9:25 am
#8
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 456
But you DO have to worry about expiration dates @:-)
PMCO did not enforce expiration, but had it on the books. The new UA and AA both WILL expire your points - it's very easy to keep them alive without flying, but, as my friend found out the hard way, AA points very much DO expire. Sorry, not as familiar with DL, but suspect that without something like a magazine subscription or purchase via online DL portal miles will expire as well without flying.
Or you could get an airline affiliated CC, after all we are in CC forum
PMCO did not enforce expiration, but had it on the books. The new UA and AA both WILL expire your points - it's very easy to keep them alive without flying, but, as my friend found out the hard way, AA points very much DO expire. Sorry, not as familiar with DL, but suspect that without something like a magazine subscription or purchase via online DL portal miles will expire as well without flying.
Or you could get an airline affiliated CC, after all we are in CC forum
Of course, each of these have different partner carriers, so you will need to manage that, but since I'm not a business traveler, I like having flexible points that can meet my needs on the fly rather than being tied to a specific program or two.
Jul 9, 2018, 8:57 pm
#9
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: HND
Programs: Delta Gold, Accor Gold
Posts: 30
The AMEX Delta card only gives you gold status if you can manage to spend 1.5 million yen a year on it, although with your spending habits this should not be an issue.
If you're going *A then you should probably register with ANA and not United, that way you can apply for an ANA card and with that much frequent flying you should be able to reach the status needed to join the Super Flyer's Club, which gives you *A gold and does not have a spending requirement like the AMEX card. The ANA miles do eventually expire but hopefully you'll be able to use them before that happens.
If you're going *A then you should probably register with ANA and not United, that way you can apply for an ANA card and with that much frequent flying you should be able to reach the status needed to join the Super Flyer's Club, which gives you *A gold and does not have a spending requirement like the AMEX card. The ANA miles do eventually expire but hopefully you'll be able to use them before that happens.