Great Card If
- You are a Japan Airlines frequent flyer who lives in the U.S.
- You want a card that will help you qualify for elite status.
Don’t Get If
- You’d prefer a card that earns transferable rewards.
- You want a card that offers bonus categories for the items you spend the most on.
JAL USA CARD: Is It Worth It?
In our view, the JAL USA card would be worthwhile only for U.S.-based travelers who frequently fly with Japan Airlines and are seeking a card to help them achieve elite status more quickly and earn more miles on their daily purchases.
Other award travelers interested in the Japan Airlines Mileage Bank program for occasional travel to Japan from the U.S., especially award tickets in business class, would be better off earning points or miles in a flexible rewards program that offers Japan Airlines as a transfer partner, like Bilt Rewards or Capital One Miles.
JAL USA Card Top Benefits and Perks
Here is a full look at the benefits and perks to expect as a JAL USA cardholder:
- 10% sector bonus miles for every flight: Qualify for elite status faster with a 10% sector bonus on all flights.
- 5 Life Status points for every 1,500 shopping miles earned from JAL USA card purchases: Global Club, Japan Airlines’ lifetime status program, is different from their usual Mileage Bank elite status program. Life Status points help you achieve status in this program faster.
- Mastercard rental insurance: Receive secondary rental car coverage when you pay for your rental car with the JAL USA card and decline the rental company’s policy.
- 10% off JAL Group inflight shopping: Use your card to purchase products from JAL Group inflight shopping and get 10% of the purchase credited back to you.
- 5,000 bonus miles on your first Japan Airlines international flight: Boost your points balance after your first Japan Airlines international flight, but remember that this is a one-time benefit.
- 5% savings on duty-free shopping at Haneda (HND) and Narita (NRT) airports: When you purchase items at duty-free at either Haneda International Airport or Narita International Airport, you receive a 5% discount.
- 10% savings on JAL international Wi-Fi service: When you purchase Wi-Fi during your international flight with Japan Airlines, you receive a 10% discount.
- No foreign transaction fees: Continue to use your card overseas to earn more miles without paying foreign transaction fees.
Best Ways To Earn and Redeem Your JAL Miles
Though the bonus categories on the card are limited, you can use your JAL USA card to earn more miles on your Japan Airlines flights. When it comes to mileage earnings, the JAL USA card is divided into 2 tiers: Premium, where you will earn 2x miles on Japan Airlines purchases and 1x miles on all other purchases, and Basic, where you’ll earn just 1 mile for every $2 spent on the card.
Fortunately, the Japan Airlines program offers a valuable award chart, and there are numerous great ways to redeem Japan Airlines miles, such as business class flights between the U.S. and Japan for 55,000 miles each way.
Alternative Cards to the JAL USA Card
If you’re not committed to Japan Airlines exclusively, then a card that earns transferable rewards would offer you better value. The Capital One Venture card is perfect for that.
It earns 5x miles on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, with an uncapped 2x miles on all other purchases made with the card. Then you can redeem those miles through Capital One Travel or transfer them to a variety of top-notch Capital One transfer partners like Japan Airlines.
The Bilt Card (rates & fees) can be an excellent addition to your wallet, especially if you’re a renter, thanks to its bonus categories of 3x points on dining, 2x points on travel, 1x points on rent payments without a transaction fee for up to 100,000 points each calendar year (rates & fees), and 1x points on all other eligible purchases. You must use the card 5 times each statement period to earn points.
Not to mention that the card has a $0 annual fee, no foreign transaction fees, cellular telephone protection, trip delay reimbursement, purchase security, and an excellent suite of Bilt transfer partners, which includes Japan Airlines at a 1:1 rate (rates & fees). For more details, see the Guide to Benefits.
