JAL Offers Miles Back for Upgrades Between Chicago and Tokyo

Updated: September 22, 2025, 11:21am CDT

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Upgrade to Business or First Class and Earn Bonus Miles
Final Thoughts

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If you’ve been thinking about flying JAL in premium cabins from Chicago to Japan, there’s a limited-time incentive worth noting. Through October 25, 2025, Japan Airlines is giving bonus miles when you upgrade paid tickets to business or first class on select Chicago–Tokyo routes in both directions.

Let’s take a look at this new promotional offering.

Upgrade to Business or First Class and Earn Bonus Miles

Japan Airlines’ (JAL) new promotion gives travelers the chance to get miles back when upgrading to premium cabins, but it’s only valid on certain flights and requires booking in advance.

This offer applies exclusively to Chicago (ORD), Tokyo-Haneda, and Tokyo-Narita routes with JAL International Upgrade Awards — meaning you’ll use miles to upgrade yourself into a better seat.

Here are the exact flights:

First class upgrade: Receive 10,000 bonus Mileage Bank miles when upgrading on these JAL Chicago routes:
- Tokyo (Haneda) – Chicago flights JL009 and JL010
- Tokyo (Narita) – Chicago flights JL055 and JL056
Business class upgrade: Receive 8,000 bonus miles when upgrading from Chicago to Tokyo (Haneda) on JL009 only

Here are some key terms to know:

No registration required; you’re automatically enrolled.
Upgrades to premium economy are not eligible.
Airport-paid upgrades and JAL International Upgrade Awards at the airport do not qualify.
Upgrades on award tickets are not eligible.

Bonus miles are credited approximately 1–2 months after each eligible flight, giving you a little extra return on your premium travel investment.

This promotion only applies to cash tickets booked for travel between September 21 and October 25, 2025, so it’s relatively short-lived. But for travelers planning to fly JAL to or from Chicago in that window, it can be a nice boost to your mileage balance.

If you plan to take advantage of this upgrade promotion, consider using a travel rewards credit card that maximizes points on airfare. Cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve^®, or the Platinum Card^® from American Express can help you earn bonus points on your paid ticket while also collecting the JAL bonus miles for your upgrade.

Hot Tip:

If you’re thinking about booking with points instead of cash, check out our guide on the best ways to book JAL business class using points and miles.

Final Thoughts

This JAL promotion is short-lived and only applies to a few flights from 1 U.S. city, but it’s a nice chance to earn bonus miles while upgrading to a more comfortable seat. Upgrades to business or first class from Chicago to Tokyo don’t usually come with extra mileage incentives, so this is one of those rare opportunities that makes flying premium even more rewarding.

If you’ve got a JAL flight before the end of October, it’s worth checking cash rates to compare pricing. A little planning now could net you thousands of bonus miles.