Why JAL Mileage Bank Is Capital One’s Best New Transfer Partner

Capital One just added Japan Airlines Mileage Bank as its newest transfer partner, and while this might seem like just another option, it’s so much more than that.

This news is a total game changer, since the ability to now transfer miles to JAL Mileage Bank from one of the most robust rewards programs makes getting to Japan in a premium cabin a whole lot easier.

If you’ve ever tried to book a lie-flat seat to Tokyo with miles, you know it’s one of the toughest redemptions out there. Now that JAL is a Capital One transfer partner, this could be the key that makes your trip possible. Here’s why.

Why Booking Business Class to Japan Is Difficult

This past summer, I traveled to Japan with my mom, a trip she and I had been dreaming about taking together for years. Japan has always been a bucket-list destination for her, and with 2025 shaping up to be one of the busiest years ever for travel there, I knew I had to act quickly.

Here’s the problem: While I could sometimes find 1 seat in business class using American Airlines AAdvantage miles or Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards points, finding 2 seats together was nearly impossible. Award space can be unpredictable, but this was what I ran into when I was searching for mid-June 2025 — we didn’t really have the flexibility to move our trip around.

And I’m not alone. Japan may very well be the most coveted international destination in 2025, which means tens of thousands of people are hunting for those same 1 (or 2) premium cabin seats.

Why Adding JAL as a Transfer Partner Is a Big Deal

The intense competition and limited award space are exactly why Capital One’s new partnership with JAL is such a big deal to me. Let me break down why this matters, both in terms of how JAL manages its award space and how I was able to use it to finally secure seats for my mom and myself.

While you can book JAL business class through Oneworld partners like American’s AAdvantage at 60,000 miles or Alaska’s Atmos Rewards at 75,000 points each way, JAL often releases more seats to its own Mileage Bank members.

Not only can these seats appear days or even weeks before they show up with partners, JAL also tends to make more seats available directly to its Mileage Bank members, giving you a better chance of booking multiple seats together.

Until recently, JAL has only partnered with Bilt Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy. Bilt transfers at a straightforward 1:1 ratio, while Marriott’s 3:1 ratio isn’t nearly as efficient. That means if you primarily earn points through American Express Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards, getting miles into JAL’s Mileage Bank is basically impossible.

Capital One Miles recently added JAL’s Mileage Bank as its newest transfer partner, and the ratio is 2:1.5. That means every 1,000 Capital One miles you transfer will yield 750 JAL miles.

How To Book Business Class Flights to Japan With Miles

For anyone with a Capital One travel card, such as the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, Capital One Venture X Business Card*×Information collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One., or Capital One Spark Miles for Business*×Information collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One., this instantly opens up a new, highly valuable way to book premium cabins to Japan.

I experienced this firsthand last summer. While I was able to grab 1 seat using American Airlines miles at 60,000, there wasn’t a second seat available for my mom. Instead of scrambling, I checked JAL Mileage Bank directly — and to my surprise, there were up to 7 business class seats open on the same flight from Chicago (ORD) to Tokyo (NRT).

The price was slightly higher at 75,000 miles one-way, but that’s because I was traveling during peak summer season. Before Capital One added JAL as a transfer partner, my mom had just enough Marriott Bonvoy points for this flight, so I transferred her entire balance over to JAL Mileage Bank to secure her business class seat — saving us thousands compared with paying cash.

If the Capital One transfer partnership had been live earlier, I would have transferred 100,000 Capital One miles to score the 75,000 JAL miles I needed for this same business class ticket.

Booking my mom into business class next to me was worth every extra mile. I wouldn’t have allowed myself to fly up front while she was stuck in the back. I could have downgraded to premium economy, which had plenty of availability, but I wanted us both in business class together — the experience she deserved.

This is exactly the type of situation where Capital One’s new partnership makes a real difference. I no longer have to rely solely on partner limited award availability when searching for business or first class seats on Japan Airlines. With Capital One Miles transferring directly to JAL, securing premium seats to Japan is now easier, more reliable, and far less stressful.

Across the board, JAL Mileage Bank offers solid award rates across all cabin classes. Award taxes and fees are reasonable, too — around $100 to $200 per ticket. Here are the one-way prices for flights between North America and Japan (at the time of writing):

• Economy: Starting at 27,000 miles
• Premium economy: Starting at 40,000 miles
• Business class: Starting at 55,000 miles
• First class: Starting at 110,000 miles

Final Thoughts

After struggling to lock in 2 business class seats to Tokyo last summer, I now have a much more reliable way to book premium cabins without relying on partners with limited award availability the next time I want to go to Japan.

While the ratio isn’t quite 1:1, this new transfer partnership to JAL Mileage Bank means earlier access to premium award space and more seats available than through other partners. Whether you’re traveling solo or with someone else, this makes it far easier to get to Japan in style — lie-flat seats, great service, and the peace of mind that you can actually sit together.