JAL to adopt dynamic award pricing
Dec 5, 2018, 10:04 pm
#61
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Japan
Programs: JGC Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 54
First post, so please be gentle 
I redeemed for my family using the new awards process.
As I have 3 young kids I like to be able to secure my booking and not be on wait list and have to constantly check availability and status closer to departure date, (plus the stress of hotel booking etc...)
Flying late Jul/early Aug to LHR from HND. Outbound class Y was 46k miles, inbound was PY for 35k miles (Y inbound for same flight was 72.5k miles! must be due to seat availability).
Considering before the change in awards program a round trip ticket was 55k miles in Y, and I used 81K miles, with the inbound in PY it doesn't seem so bad.
There were some dates in Y for 22.5k miles for the inbound leg, with an outbound in class Y for 26k miles. Which is better than before, correct me if I'm wrong.
All in all, my point is that for my personal situation this works out. And if I wanted to redeem in F, then you can still waitlist.
I redeemed for my family using the new awards process.
As I have 3 young kids I like to be able to secure my booking and not be on wait list and have to constantly check availability and status closer to departure date, (plus the stress of hotel booking etc...)
Flying late Jul/early Aug to LHR from HND. Outbound class Y was 46k miles, inbound was PY for 35k miles (Y inbound for same flight was 72.5k miles! must be due to seat availability).
Considering before the change in awards program a round trip ticket was 55k miles in Y, and I used 81K miles, with the inbound in PY it doesn't seem so bad.
There were some dates in Y for 22.5k miles for the inbound leg, with an outbound in class Y for 26k miles. Which is better than before, correct me if I'm wrong.
All in all, my point is that for my personal situation this works out. And if I wanted to redeem in F, then you can still waitlist.
Dec 5, 2018, 10:11 pm
#62
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,160
That does sound like a reasonable pricing for a dynamic award.
Thank you for giving us a data point on the new prices
Thank you for giving us a data point on the new prices
Dec 5, 2018, 10:36 pm
#63
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Japan
Programs: JGC Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 54
The updated award calendar isn't available yet, but you can still search (painfully) using "Book JAL International Award Ticket".
Dec 6, 2018, 2:36 am
#64
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Japan
Programs: NH Diamond, JL JGC Diamond, BA Gold Guest List(Gold for life), CX Diamond
Posts: 1,580
This Japanese blog made some research and investigation.
https://www.sukesuke-mile-kojiki.net.../jal-mile-plus
According to this blog,
There are two J seats at the lowest/basic requied miles (40,000miles for HNL).
Subsequent J seats require higher miels (e.g 43000miles).
If you try to book 3 seats altogether, you need 43000miles x 3.
So, you had better book one by one (40000,40000,43000 not 43000x3).
If there is a very few seats remaining, required miles are almost equal to (revenue price/1.5x eJAL points conversion rate).
Another blog investigated required miles distibution (table in middle of web page)
https://awardtrip.com/jal-internatio...-plus-reality/
Intensive research for TYO-HNL routes.
Table shows
Month/total days/ required only basic miles/ PLUS(non basic) / Full / days that reuire 2x or more miles
12 (December) / 26days / 19days(73%) / 7days(27%) / 0days / 4days(15%)
...
https://www.sukesuke-mile-kojiki.net.../jal-mile-plus
According to this blog,
There are two J seats at the lowest/basic requied miles (40,000miles for HNL).
Subsequent J seats require higher miels (e.g 43000miles).
If you try to book 3 seats altogether, you need 43000miles x 3.
So, you had better book one by one (40000,40000,43000 not 43000x3).
If there is a very few seats remaining, required miles are almost equal to (revenue price/1.5x eJAL points conversion rate).
Another blog investigated required miles distibution (table in middle of web page)
https://awardtrip.com/jal-internatio...-plus-reality/
Intensive research for TYO-HNL routes.
Table shows
Month/total days/ required only basic miles/ PLUS(non basic) / Full / days that reuire 2x or more miles
12 (December) / 26days / 19days(73%) / 7days(27%) / 0days / 4days(15%)
...
Dec 6, 2018, 4:19 am
#65
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,160
This Japanese blog made some research and investigation.
https://www.sukesuke-mile-kojiki.net.../jal-mile-plus
According to this blog,
There are two J seats at the lowest/basic requied miles (40,000miles for HNL).
Subsequent J seats require higher miels (e.g 43000miles).
If you try to book 3 seats altogether, you need 43000miles x 3.
So, you had better book one by one (40000,40000,43000 not 43000x3).
If there is a very few seats remaining, required miles are almost equal to (revenue price/1.5x eJAL points conversion rate).
Another blog investigated required miles distibution (table in middle of web page)
https://awardtrip.com/jal-internatio...-plus-reality/
Intensive research for TYO-HNL routes.
Table shows
Month/total days/ required only basic miles/ PLUS(non basic) / Full / days that reuire 2x or more miles
12 (December) / 26days / 19days(73%) / 7days(27%) / 0days / 4days(15%)
...
https://www.sukesuke-mile-kojiki.net.../jal-mile-plus
According to this blog,
There are two J seats at the lowest/basic requied miles (40,000miles for HNL).
Subsequent J seats require higher miels (e.g 43000miles).
If you try to book 3 seats altogether, you need 43000miles x 3.
So, you had better book one by one (40000,40000,43000 not 43000x3).
If there is a very few seats remaining, required miles are almost equal to (revenue price/1.5x eJAL points conversion rate).
Another blog investigated required miles distibution (table in middle of web page)
https://awardtrip.com/jal-internatio...-plus-reality/
Intensive research for TYO-HNL routes.
Table shows
Month/total days/ required only basic miles/ PLUS(non basic) / Full / days that reuire 2x or more miles
12 (December) / 26days / 19days(73%) / 7days(27%) / 0days / 4days(15%)
...
One thing I find annoying is that they don't make a visible distinction on the booking page which one is Plus Award and whcih one is stardard. When you get multiple point prices up, it might be obvious But like UA anf AA It would be nice to show it separately and clearly which price is which..
Dec 6, 2018, 4:24 am
#66
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JGC premier
Posts: 349
Thanks for this. I guess the conclusion is that there’s no change that the best strategy is to book right at the 330 days window, or last minute, because the mileage required will be higher otherwise - at least for J which is what I (and I guess majority of FTers) care about. As long as Jl continues to provide the original limited seats availability at the base mile even during peak season, I’m OK- but this remains to be seen for now. We’ll see next month when the year end 2019 booking window opens.
Dec 6, 2018, 4:26 am
#67
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JGC premier
Posts: 349
Very interesting links.
One thing I find annoying is that they don't make a visible distinction on the booking page which one is Plus Award and whcih one is stardard. When you get multiple point prices up, it might be obvious But like UA anf AA It would be nice to show it separately and clearly which price is which..
One thing I find annoying is that they don't make a visible distinction on the booking page which one is Plus Award and whcih one is stardard. When you get multiple point prices up, it might be obvious But like UA anf AA It would be nice to show it separately and clearly which price is which..
Dec 6, 2018, 6:06 am
#68
Ambassador: Japan Airlines
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: LAX
Programs: JAL Mileage Bank, JMB Diamond, oneworld Emerald, Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 16,395
or a 1% off dynamic rate discount LOL
Dec 6, 2018, 10:46 pm
#70
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Programs: JAL Global Club & oneworld Sapphire, ANA SFC & Star Alliance Gold
Posts: 3,746
Dec 9, 2018, 7:02 pm
#72
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,160
If you are looking for F, that should be unaffected.
Dec 9, 2018, 8:12 pm
#73
Ambassador: Japan Airlines
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: LAX
Programs: JAL Mileage Bank, JMB Diamond, oneworld Emerald, Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 16,395
Dec 9, 2018, 9:39 pm
#74
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Sydney, NSW
Posts: 842
I managed to get a Partner award booking NRT-SYD late next year after the changes.
As with everything though - you need to be in quickly. As JAL release awards at 10am on the day and in limited numbers (2, generally).
As with everything though - you need to be in quickly. As JAL release awards at 10am on the day and in limited numbers (2, generally).
Dec 10, 2018, 10:27 am
#75
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: HNL
Programs: DL PM/1MM, BW DE (lifetime), HH DE, Marriott PE (lifetime), National Emerald Executive
Posts: 7,205
Not really, as you can't book most routes (A-Z) with JAL anymore that you earlier could, since JAL now operates as a ULCC - when it comes to flight bookings, I mean - and only allows you to fly to or from Japan, but no longer globally and no longer non-domestic connections allowed. For all such travel have to book it via another OneWorld airline to avoid two separate tickets with JL.