TravelBug1314

Thank you for the data point. Very possibly too that when I was checking, the schedule was still in the busy Summertime (August).

I want to plan a strategy for a trip next November. So hopefully, there is more availability then.

K's Logic

I have a quick question re: booking codes and availability -

If I'm hoping for 1st/business seats to open up, what codes should I be looking at? Just F & J, or also A C D X I?

Many thanks for your help.

RealHJ

Easiest is if you just go to www.ar.jal.com, log into your JMB account and search for JAL int'l flights. What it shows is available is available. (Even on receipts JL doesn't show the booking class, so I am not sure what it is for JL internal use/ticketing.)

Often you may need to waitlist, and then there is a chance that exactly 1 month before - or possibly earlier or closer in - the flight will clear.

K's Logic

Thanks, that makes sense. Appreciate the response.

RealHJ

Oh and remember not to trust the calendar. That is cached and not real time. You need to go day by day to see the specific dates current availability; the day-by-day display is real time.

Alternatively you can also use www.ba.com for JL flight availability; that is also accurate and real time.

Astrophsx

Is there typically a time award flights are loaded into the system?

percysmith

GMT 0100 I think?

RealHJ

10:00 am (to the second) Japan time. It says so on the JAL website whenever you search for/display award flight availability.

That is exactly the same time when the JAL US call center closes. And by the next day often the scarce availability is gone..

kaka

can you refuse to hang up and keep asking questions?

bruinfever

Does anyone know if JAL releases more awards using their own mileage program vs. one world partners? Similar to how LH releases more through their own program than through their partners?

musashino22

Yes I think they do do as I have waitlisted quite a few times in the past and got award seats last minute. Aside from the full award seats, they also allocate a number of seats for upgrades using JMB miles. I do this quite very often especially if there are no more award seats available. I would usually purchase higher fare economy class (H,K,M,B,Y,W) tickets and use my miles to either upgrade to PY/J. This year alone, all of my personal trips (ORD, JFK, LAX) got upgraded using miles with one (HEL) done last minute during check-in at the airport.

RealHJ

No, as there is just one class of inventory of award seats. But, you can only waitlist using the JMB program, and with JL there is usually very poor availability (what little is available is gone within a few minutes of 10am Japan time 330 days out - so you have to check at that exact hour and call immediately to book) and much of the time waitlisting is your only option. At 3 months and other times out JL will run a sweep and clear some of the waitlists. So, when add'l inventory is released, it'll go to the JMB member(s) who have waitlisted and will never appear to other OW airlines. Will only appear to other OW airlines if no one has waitlisted.

Plus, with the JMB program the cost in miles is considerably less than with AA and others, you get RTW awards with 7 stopovers, etc., so JL miles are considerably more valuable than most other airline miles -- if you can find availability, that is (best value is usually JL miles for OW flights).

armagebedar

FYI, in addition to the waitlist (which gives priority to JMB elites), there are also Diamond Member redemptions that allow last-seat availability at twice the normal cost. These are only available to JMB Diamond members.

CPH-Flyer

But unfortunately not in F :-(

igor82j

I am planning to book a first class JAL award with aadvantage miles which would include two legs on JAL and one intra-european leg on a oneworld partner. Ideally it has to be ICN-NRT-FRA-MAD.
How do you search for it? Do i have to find availability for individual legs on the BA website and then to call AA?