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Best Ways To Book ANA Business Class Using Points [Step-by-Step]

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Spencer Howard

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Always a fan of flying, Spencer wanted to find ways to upgrade his travel experience. Over the years, Spencer has been a guest speaker on multiple YouTube shows as well as podcasts on maximizing point...
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In our article on ANA first class, we raved about the amazing service provided by ANA’s cabin crews. Business class passengers can rejoice, as they will also experience top-notch service.

Whether your long-haul business class flight is on one of ANA’s Boeing 777-300ERs or the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, you will enjoy the flight.

A Look Inside ANA Business Class

Enjoy the comfort of ANA business class. Image Credit: Stephen Au

Thanks to amazing first class and business class products, ANA is considered one of the best airlines in the world.

At airports worldwide, ANA’s business class passengers enjoy priority check-in counters where the process will be quick, and your checked baggage will be marked as “priority.”

You will also have access to priority security lanes at airports worldwide, which can make the screening process much easier. Here are some examples:

  • Bangkok (BKK)
  • Brussels (BRU)
  • Frankfurt (FRA)
  • Kansai (KIX)
  • London (LHR)
  • Mumbai (BOM)
  • Paris (CDG)
  • Seattle-Tacoma (SEA)
  • Sydney (SYD)
  • Tokyo (NRT)
  • Washington, D.C. (IAD)

Once through security, you can continue to your gate if your flight is about to depart. Otherwise, you can swing by the ANA Business Class Lounge (or Star Alliance business class lounge).

Not surprisingly, the ANA Lounge is busier than the ANA Suites Lounge. Fortunately, ANA designed its business class lounge to accommodate more passengers. There are a few different seating areas to prevent overcrowding.

While you wait for your flight, you can enjoy a meal from a large buffet, which also includes several dessert options. There’s even a hot food station if you are in the mood for something more substantial.

Once onboard your flight, you will see that every seat in the business class cabin has direct aisle access. This is a staple of a good business class seat. Additionally, each seat is lie-flat so you can rest peacefully during the flight.

Like many business class cabins, window seats are great for solo travelers. If you are traveling with a companion, the 2 middle seats might be better for you as it will be easier to chat.

During meals, you’ll have your choice of wine to pair with a nice meal. While the presentation is on a tray, the actual meal gets great reviews.

To read more, check out our review of ANA 777 business class.

ANA’s New Business Class

ANA New 777 The Room Business Class. Image Credit: ANA

ANA is on a mission to offer refreshed seats and products aboard the new 777-300ER aircraft. While ANA has revamped all cabin classes, perhaps the biggest improvement is business class.

ANA’s business class is already excellent, with staggered seats configured in a 1-2-1 configuration. Known as The Room, ANA’s new 777 business class truly feels like an endless expanse of in-flight real estate. The seats, which alternate between forward and rear facing, measure an utterly mammoth 35 inches wide. To put this in perspective, Cathay Pacific, which used to offer the largest first class seats in the world, measures 36 inches.

A business class product, ANA’s The Room is just 1 inch shorter than the previous record holder of the widest first class seat.

If this hasn’t intrigued you, ANA offers incredible 4K 22-inch inflight monitors for personal entertainment. These business class seats have sliding doors, allowing complete and utter privacy within your enclosed suite. ANA’s The Room might be the product that dethrones the QSuites.

You can find this new business class suite on the following routes:

  • Tokyo (HND) – Frankfurt (FRA) on NH 107/108
  • Tokyo (HND) – London (LHR) on NH 211/212
  • Tokyo (HND/NRT) – New York (JFK) on NH 159/160 and NH 109/110

How To Fly ANA Business Class Using Points

As a member of Star Alliance, there are many ways to book business class award flights on ANA. Let’s talk about some of the best ways to do so.

ANA Mileage Club

Departure PointClass of ServiceDestination
Hawaii (Zone 5)North America (Zone 6)Europe (Zone 7)
LRHLRHLRH
Japan (Zone 1)Y35,00040,00043,00040,00050,00055,00045,00055,00060,000
PY53,00058,00061,00062,00072,00077,00067,00077,00082,000
C60,00065,00068,00075,00085,00090,00080,00090,00095,000
F120,000120,000129,000150,000150,000165,000165,000165,000180,000

The simplest way to book business class is through ANA Mileage Club. Follow these steps to book ANA business class:

  1. Visit ANA’s website.
  2. Choose ANA Mileage Club.
  3. Choose International then Award Reservation.
  4. Log into your account.
  5. Enter your desired route and dates.
  6. Choose Business Class.
  7. Choose your flights.

Hot Tip: Use our Transfer Partner Calculator to quickly determine how many miles you’ll get for transferring between programs.

An important restriction with awards booked through ANA Mileage Club is that you can only book awards for yourself and your family members.

Additionally, ANA has 3 seasons that affect redemption rates: low, regular, and high. Book awards during the low and regular seasons to get the most out of your miles.

The number of miles required for a business class flight differs between each season, but both low and regular season awards are acceptable rates. If at all possible, don’t book award flights during high season.

If you see the Waitlist label, you won’t be guaranteed a seat. You’ll notice an example of what it looks like when only waitlist space is available in the above image. Image Credit: ANA

Finally, you can waitlist award seats. While this is a useful feature, be aware that this does not guarantee that you will eventually get a seat. It will be listed, so you can make sure an award seat is available.

You’ll notice the route from Japan to Australia in the image above. ANA allows you to travel through a third region to your final destination. You can even book a stopover on the way, which is a great way to visit Japan!

You can transfer from American Express Membership Rewards to ANA to book with Mileage Club.

Transferring Membership Rewards points often takes 2 to 3 days. Remember this, as award space could disappear while you wait.

If you’re looking for flight inspiration, check out the best ways to redeem ANA miles.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

While we’ve discussed elsewhere that it’s difficult to find Chase Ultimate Rewards sweet spots to Asia, Virgin Atlantic has remained a welcome exception to that rule.

The following chart is the ANA Award Chart using Virgin Points:

RouteEconomy Class*Business Class*First Class*
Domestic Japan15,000
Japan – South Korea18,00035,00050,000
Japan – China / Guam / Hong Kong / Philippines / Taiwan23,00045,00060,000
Japan – Malaysia / Myanmar / Singapore / Thailand / Vietnam40,00065,000105,000
Japan – Hawaii / India / Indonesia45,00070,000115,000
Japan – Australia / Canada / Western USA60,00090,000145,000
Japan – Europe / Central & Eastern USA / Mexico65,00095,000170,000

* or equivalent class

The above chart shows the round-trip cost in Virgin Points, though one-way trips are now allowed at half of the round-trip cost.

Here are some great examples of business class flights you can take:

  • San Francisco (SFO) — Tokyo (NRT) nonstop round-trip for 90,000 miles + ~$766 in taxes and fees
  • San Jose (SJC) — Tokyo (NRT) nonstop round-trip for 90,000 miles + ~$766 in taxes and fees
  • Seattle (SEA) — Tokyo (NRT) nonstop round-trip for 90,000 miles + ~$766 in taxes and fees
  • Washington, D.C. (IAD) — Tokyo (NRT) nonstop round-trip for 95,000 miles + ~$766 in taxes and fees

To make things even better, Citi and American Express often run huge transfer bonuses of 25% to 30% to increase your miles! If you line everything up correctly, you can fly from the West Coast to Japan in ANA Business Class round-trip for 70,000 points! 

Here’s how to book ANA Business Class with Virgin Atlantic (do not transfer your points yet):

  1. Visit United or Aeroplan.
  2. Log into your Aeroplan or United account.
    • For Aeroplan: Under Use Your Miles select Travel. Select your travel dates, cities, and business class.
    • For United: Click round-trip, check Book with miles, and select your travel dates, cities, and business class.
  3. Find your desired flight in ANA business class.
  4. Call Virgin Atlantic at 800-365-9500 to book your award.
  5. Transfer your points.
    • If transferring from Chase, you cannot transfer points to another person unless they share the same address as you.
    • If transferring from Citi and the Virgin and Citi names don’t match, you must use Points Sharing to transfer to a Citi account with the same name as on the Virgin Atlantic account. You will then need to transfer from Citi to Virgin Atlantic.
    • If transferring from American Express, the names must match the name on the Virgin Atlantic account.
    • If transferring from Marriott, the names don’t need to match. Remember that if this policy changes, you can transfer up to 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to other accounts to get around this rule.
  6. Write down the ANA Record Locator and use it to select your seats.
    • Navigate to ANA’s Manage Reservation Page. Enter your Record Locator and First/Last Name. If you have a middle name on your Virgin Atlantic account, type it after your first name without spaces.
      • Example: John Steven Doe will be First Name: JohnSteven and Last Name: Doe
  7. You will be prompted to log in with your ANA Number and Password.
  8. Click Service on the right tab to select your seats and add meal preferences.

The last thing you need to know is transfer times: Chase and Citi transfer instantly, Amex takes 2 to 3 business days, and Marriott can take the same as Amex. Make sure you know this when you’re planning your award booking.

Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

Star Alliance round-trip awards (click image to enlarge). Image Credit: Singapore Airlines

If you want to fly business class on ANA, you’ll want to reconfirm availability on a different website before booking your flight online. Sometimes (especially with connecting flights), you must call Singapore Airlines to redeem KrisFlyer miles as the online website will not display availability.

Follow these steps to book:

  1. Visit a partner website like United or Air Canada.
  2. Log in to your Aeroplan or United account (you’ll need your account number).
  3. Search for award availability on those websites.
  4. Choose your travel dates, cities, and class of service
  5. Find your desired flight — make sure it’s ANA business class.
  6. Log into your Singapore Airlines account to repeat the search. Select Star Alliance Partners (Singapore Airlines flights are displayed by default).
  7. Complete your booking online. If you cannot see availability on Singapore Airlines’s website, call Singapore Airlines to complete the booking at 800-742-3333.

With Singapore Air, you have the option to book one-way awards.

One of the best parts of the KrisFlyer program is partnering with Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, and Citi ThankYou Points.

Transfers from Ultimate Rewards typically process almost instantly. Membership Rewards take 1 to 2 days, and ThankYou Points typically take 2 days.

Check out other great ways to redeem with Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer.

Asiana Club

OriginDestinationEconomyBusinessFirst
North America
Northeast Asia80,000120,000160,000
Southeast Asia90,000135,000180,000
Southwest Asia100,000150,000210,000
South Pacific110,000165,000240,000
North America25,00045,00065,000
Mexico, Hawaii, Central America35,00055,00075,000
South America 135,00055,00075,000
South America 250,00070,00090,000
Europe50,00080,000100,000
Middle East80,000120,000160,000
Africa80,000120,000160,000

Like Singapore Airlines, you can use Asiana Club to book one-way awards on ANA.

You must reserve and have your ticket issued 3 days before departure, which prevents snagging last-minute awards.

  1. Search for availability using United’s or Air Canada’s site.
  2. .Call Asiana at 800-227-4262
    • The U.S. call center is open Monday-Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. PST.
  3. Tell the phone representative you’d like to book an award with their Star Alliance partner ANA.
  4. Provide your travel dates and flight numbers.
  5. Once you confirm space, you will be prompted to give your credit card for any necessary taxes and fees.

Other Options for Booking ANA Flights

Other options you might want to consider include Avianca LifeMiles, United MileagePlus, or Air Canada Aeroplan. You can also book with Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.

Great ANA Business Class Redemptions

Before you book your business class flight, decide what you need from the booking first:

  • Asiana Club can be a great way to book one-way award tickets if you don’t need a stopover.
  • Singapore Airlines will let you book one-way award tickets and stopovers, but they will require more miles.
  • ANA Mileage Club will require a round-trip award, but redemption rates are good, and you can book stopovers.
  • Virgin Atlantic will let you book one-way or round-trip awards; redemption rates are great for Japan.

Let’s check out some ANA business class booking examples:

DepartureDestinationANA Mileage ClubVirgin Atlantic Flying ClubAsiana ClubSingapore KrisFlyer
Chicago (ORD)Sydney (SYD)115,000 milesN/A165,000 miles195,000 miles
New York (JFK)Tokyo (HND/NRT)85,000 miles95,000 miles120,000 miles175,000 miles
Washington, D.C. (IAD)Bangkok (BKK)110,000 milesN/A135,000 miles195,000 miles

Asiana Club, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, and Singapore KrisFlyer require half the miles needed for a round-trip booking. ANA requires round-trip bookings.

How To Earn Enough Miles for ANA Business Class

ANA miles can be transferred from Amex Membership Rewards at a rate of 1:1 and Marriott Bonvoy at a rate of 3:1. For every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points that you transfer, you’ll receive an extra 5,000-mile bonus.

Virgin Points can be transferred from Amex Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One Miles (via Virgin Red), Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Citi ThankYou Rewards at a 1:1 ratio. Transfer from Marriott Bonvoy at a 3:1 ratio and receive 5,000 bonus miles when you transfer 60,000 points.

Asiana Club miles can be transferred from Marriott Bonvoy at a 3:1 ratio, and for every 60,000 points you transfer, you’ll get a 5,000-mile bonus.

Singapore KrisFlyer miles can be transferred from Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Reward partners, and Citi ThankYou Rewards, all at a rate of 1:1. Points can also be transferred from Marriott Bonvoy at a rate of 3:1 with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points transferred and Brex Rewards with a 1.67:1 transfer rate.

Hot Tip: Make sure to check out our transfer partner calculator to learn how to best maximize your points and miles!

Recommended Chase Cards (Personal)

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industryexperts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as ratesand fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating.We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A fantastic travel card with a huge welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

A fantastic travel card with a huge welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
60,000 points
$1,200
$95
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-850)

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.

Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.

Pros

  • 5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal
  • 5x points on select Peloton purchases over $250 (through March 31, 2025)
  • 5x points on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025)
  • 3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services
  • 2x points on all other travel worldwide
  • $50 annual credit on hotel stays booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal
  • 6 months of complimentary Instacart+ (activate by July 31, 2024), plus up to $15 in statement credits each quarter through July 2024
  • Excellent travel and car rental insurance
  • 10% annual bonus points
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs like United MileagePlus and World of Hyatt
  • Complimentary Spot Club Platinum status with The Parking Spot for 2 years, 20% off of your first reservation, and points for 1 free day of parking (enroll by October 26, 2023)

Cons

  • $95 annual fee
  • No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status
  • Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
  • Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining, and 2x on all other travel purchases, and $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, plus more.
  • Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
  • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
  • Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
  • Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industryexperts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as ratesand fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating.We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
60,000 points
$1,200
$550
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Excellent (740-850)

If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is one of the best options out there.

The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like airport lounge access, with excellent point earning and redemption options.  Plus it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to keep you covered whether you’re at home or on the road.

Don’t forget the $300 annual travel credit which really helps to reduce the annual fee!

Pros

  • 10x points on car rentals, hotels, and dining booked via the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal
  • 10x points on Lyft purchases March 31, 2025
  • 10x points on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $250 through March 31, 2025
  • 5x points on airfare booked via the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal
  • 3x points on all other travel and dining purchases; 1x point on all other purchases
  • $300 annual travel credit
  • Priority Pass airport lounge access
  • TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, or NEXUS credit
  • Access to Chase Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection
  • Rental car elite status with National and Avis

Cons

  • $550 annual fee
  • Does not offer any sort of hotel elite status
  • Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
  • $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
  • Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
  • Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel
  • 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
  • Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
  • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more
  • Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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Chase Ultimate Rewards

Business Owner? See our article on Chase business credit cards that earn Ultimate Rewards.

Recommended Amex Cards (Personal)

The Platinum Card® from American ExpressTerms Apply / Rates & Fees

The Platinum Card® from American Express

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industryexperts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as ratesand fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating.We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

This card is undoubtedly the #1 card for luxury travel benefits. From the best lounge access (of any card) to statement credits, to complimentary elite status, you can’t go wrong.

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

The Platinum Card® from American Express

This card is undoubtedly the #1 card for luxury travel benefits. From the best lounge access (of any card) to statement credits, to complimentary elite status, you can’t go wrong.
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
80,000 points
$1,760
$695
See Pay Over Time APR
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-850)

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access, hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

Pros

  • The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
  • 5x points per $1 spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with American Express Travel (up to $500,000 per year)
  • 5x points per $1 spent on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel
  • Annual and monthly statement credits upon enrollment (airline credit, Uber Cash credit, Saks Fifth Avenue credit, streaming credit, prepaid hotel credit on eligible stays, Walmart+ credit, CLEAR credit, and Equinox credit)
  • TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit
  • Access to American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts
  • Access to Amex International Airline Program
  • No foreign transaction fees (rates and fees)

Cons

  • $695 annual fee (rates and fees)
  • Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)
  • Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card®, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
  • Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
  • $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
  • $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, SiriusXM, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
  • $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card®. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Up Benefits are excluded.
  • $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
  • $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only.
  • $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back in statement credits per calendar year on an Equinox membership, or an Equinox club membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you pay with your Platinum Card®. Enrollment required. Visit https://platinum.equinox.com/ to enroll.
  • $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR Plus at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card®. Learn more.
  • $100 Global Entry Credit: Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
  • Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Get a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card®. An Equinox+ subscription is required to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike and access SoulCycle content. Must charge full price of bike in one transaction. Shipping available in the contiguous U.S. only. Enrollment Required.
  • Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
  • $695 annual fee.
  • Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

  • APR: See Pay Over Time APR
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

American Express® Gold CardTerms Apply / Rates & Fees

American Express® Gold Card

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industryexperts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as ratesand fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating.We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

This is the go-to card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants and those who want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

American Express® Gold Card

This is the go-to card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants and those who want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months.
60,000 points
$1,320
$250
See Pay Over Time APR
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-850)

The American Express® Gold Card is definitely a game-changer.

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1x.

There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are a number of other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.

Pros

  • 4x points per $1 at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
  • 4x points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases; and 1x thereafter
  • 3x points per $1 on flights purchased directly from airlines or at Amex Travel
  • Up to $120 annual dining credit: up to $10 monthly statement credit when you pay with the Amex Gold card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations
  • Up to $120 in annual Uber Cash: get $10 monthly in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. when you add your Gold Card to your Uber account
  • No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees)
  • Access to Amex’s The Hotel Collection
  • Access to American Express transfer partners

Cons

  • Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
  • Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
  • Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $250.
  • Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

  • APR: See Pay Over Time APR
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

If you’re a business owner, check out our article on Amex business credit cards that earn Membership Rewards.

When Should You Search for Award Space?

ANA releases award space nearly a year before departure (355 days!), and you can even find availability up to 96 hours from departure. As soon as you know when you want to travel, begin your search. If award space is not available immediately, keep checking regularly.

What Makes This a Great Redemption?

ANA is one of the highest-rated airlines in the world, and they provide a great business class experience. Let’s look deeper at what makes these flights so much fun.

Business Class Service

While there are many complaints about service on U.S. carriers, you will be happy to know that the business class crews on ANA are fantastic. They are personable and always ready to help make your flight that little bit better.

Business Class Catering

Enjoy a great meal and a glass of wine when you fly ANA business class. Image Credit: Stephen Au

You can expect a pleasant meal in the ANA Lounge or on your flight. You’ll have a great food selection in the lounge at the buffet and hot food station to provide bigger meals.

You can choose from a nice selection of liquor, enjoy some sake, or try out the beer machine that tilts your glass and pours the beer for you (so fun if you like beer!).

Final Thoughts

When a business class flight to Asia or Australia is what you need, make sure you consider ANA. Long journeys can be tough and even worse when the service is poor. ANA’s world-class service and great catering will make your long flights an enjoyable experience.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.

Frequently Asked Questions

ANA’s Mileage Club program often requires the fewest miles to book first class flights on ANA, but it requires round-trip bookings.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, Asiana Club, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, and other Star Alliance partners can also provide great redemption options.

  • Amex Membership Rewards is a partner of ANA, Singapore Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic
  • Bilt Rewards is a partner of Virgin Atlantic
  • Brex Rewards is a partner of Singapore Airlines
  • Capital One Miles is a partner of Singapore Airlines and Virgin Atlantic (via Virgin Red)
  • Chase Ultimate Rewards is a partner of Singapore Airlines and Virgin Atlantic
  • Citi ThankYou Rewards is a partner of Singapore Airlines and Virgin Atlantic
  • Marriott Bonvoy is a partner of ANA, Asiana, Singapore Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic

First and foremost, you can expect amazing service when flying business class on ANA. To top it off, you’ll have great meals and enjoy some nice Champagne.

Yes, absolutely! ANA offers lie-flat business class seats on all of its long-haul flights.

About Spencer Howard

Always a fan of flying, it was only natural that Spencer was drawn to finding a way to improve the travel experience.

Like many, he started this journey searching for cheap flights to take him around the world. This was fun for a while, but Spencer was intrigued by the idea of flying in business and first class!

Throwing himself into what became an extensive research project, Spencer spent 3-4 hours per night learning everything he could about frequent flyer miles over the course of several months (he thinks this is normal). He runs Straight to the Points, an award-seat alert platform.

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31 comments

Sandra Waring

October 10, 2019

Hi, great write-up, I have a quick question. I have 90,000 United points kicking around, but you only detail step by step for ANA points or Virgin Atlantic points. Can I get some info of how to use United points for this redemption or is this impossible?

Stephen Au

October 10, 2019

Hi Sandra,

Booking ANA business class is totally doable using United miles. What you’ll want to do is visit United and perform an award search based on your preferred departure city. Choose your date(s) and when you’ve located award availability, confirm the reservation only by paying with United MileagePlus miles plus any taxes and fees (minimal). Thanks for reading!

Sharon Streb

June 03, 2021

I am confused about ANA–I am flying from WAS to Frankfurt (my endpoint is Dusseldorf). I have 268K miles Amex points. I was hoping to fly on ANA from Washington to Frankfurt, but I only see United offered–though the flight is 88k for business class which I think so far is the best deal. However, I will still have to get a flight from Frankfurt to Dusseldorf and vice versa on my return trip.

I have to say it is exhausting trying to find the right deal. I am traveling from WAS to Dusseldorf then to Sicily then back to Dusseldorf then to WAS. My only goals–to fly business and use as fewer miles as possible–but I think I might just give up and use Air Canada for miles.

Jarrod West

June 03, 2021

Hi Sharon,

Using 88k ANA miles to fly aboard United Polaris will definitely be your best deal. ANA does not operate a route between Washington and Frankfurt, so when you use their miles to book a ticket, you’ll fly on one of their Star Alliance partners (i.e. United) for your flight.

If you want to fly directly in ANA business class, you’d likely need to fly from the US to Tokyo, or to another city in Asia with a layover in Tokyo.

Kavita Choudhary

June 11, 2021

Is ANA award availability very bad? I only see waitlist options even 355 days in advance. And I guess they dont open more than 2 tickets in business class.

Jarrod West

June 15, 2021

Hi Kavita,

Depending on what route you’re searching for, the tickets might very well be booked as soon as they become available. If you keep searching 355 days out as flights become available you might be able to score one!

Susan Timm-Sirignano

June 14, 2021

I cannot find available business class seats from JFK to Tokyo. Is there any reason to go on a waitlist?

Jarrod West

June 15, 2021

Hi Susan,

That is one of the toughest routes to book. Seats open up 355 days out and are usually booked shortly after. You can definitely join the waitlist though in the hopes that someone who currently has the ticket booked cancels.

Sara

February 03, 2022

Can you book JFK-TYO-PEK in ANA business class with Virgin Atlantic Miles? Or does it have to be Tokyo when you book with Virgin miles? Thank you.

Stephen Au

February 03, 2022

Hi Sara,

You can book these flights separately using Virgin Atlantic points, but you will have 2 separate tickets and will need to pay the miles required for each ticket.

Paul P

March 10, 2022

On ANA’s website (https://www.ana.co.jp/en/us/amc/partner-flight-awards/) it states “Awards cannot be redeemed for one-way flights.” Yet, you wrote above the “one-way trips are now allowed at half of the round-trip cost”. Is ANA’s website not up to date, or has this policy changed?

Jarrod West

March 16, 2022

Hi Paul,

The sentence you are quoting is referring to using Virgin Atlantic points to book an award with ANA. Since Virgin Atlantic is its own program with its own award chart, you can use its miles to book a one-way award with ANA.

Chris Ryan

June 04, 2022

This is my first time every commenting on one of these forums, but after months of trying to figure out how to successfully book an award flight on ANA I felt that I had to share my experience. The requirement to book a round trip itinerary makes this even more annoying. For those of you banging your head against a wall trying to actually find availability, I feel your pain. Here’s how I did it:

1. Plan to book your tickets 355 days out at 9AM Tokyo time. They will not release 355 days out at 9AM your local (non-Tokyo) time. Get to your computer a few minutes before to get set up.

2. Make sure you’ve selected Japan as the site country (top right of the homepage) and select English as the language. This will set the website timezone to Japan. This will enable you to see the desired date. If you’re on the US site, you’ll essentially be a day behind, and won’t see the most recently available day.

3. You’re going to have to book the inverse of your desired itinerary to get started. This likely means that your outbound flight will be waitlisted. That’s ok, we’ll get to that later. For example, my desired travel was Jan 1 JFK > HND | Jan 15 HND > JFK. So when the Jan 1 seat became available at 9AM Jan 11 Tokyo time I booked Dec 15 HND > JFK with a return of Jan 1 JFK > HND. The outbound is waitlisted as expected, but I’m confirmed on the Jan 1 flight. Half way there!

4. You’re then going to modify your existing reservation at a later date for your desired return. I’ve only done this on the phone because I wasn’t able to be in front of the computer at the time, but this might also just work by modifying your reservation online too. In this example, I’d call ANA Customer Service phone number (1-800-235-9262) at Jan 25 at 8am Tokyo time and expect to hold for a bit. Then ask them to modify the reservation. On the phone I was told that they’d have to cancel the original one and rebook due to the reversed direction of the itinerary, but since I already had the confirmed ticket to my name, they were able to keep it for me.

5. And just like that I had my desired flight without being waitlisted. I pulled my hair out trying to get to this point before. I changed the time on my laptop, I downloaded a VPN, but it ultimately came down to modifying the country setting on the ANA website, booking the inverse, and modifying the reservation at the right time.

Minhan

March 08, 2023

Thank you so much for the tips! I’ve been concerned on the waitlist situation!

theSam

June 13, 2023

you lost me on # 3; you used 1 Jan and 11 Jan? I see the inverse thing, but guessing you were lucky and got a non waitlisted flight–so does inverting it take it off waitlist status and off market for other award earners??. And then you say Jan 25?

Jess S.

October 24, 2022

I’m trying to book business class seats one way from Tokyo to the US west coast with miles. Based on this it looks like ANA booked through Virgin could be the best way, but I’m not seeing ANA flights when I search on Aeroplan or United. What am I missing?

Chris Hassan

October 31, 2022

Hey Jess,

Availability is very hard to come by right now, but keep looking!

Chris Cobb

December 26, 2022

If I’m searching United for flights booked with miles, and an ANA flight pops up, is that a flight that can be booked through Virgin? Or are there only certain flights that can be booked that way? I notice some of them say “Saver Award”. I’m just wondering what I should be looking for on the United site to ensure it’s something I can book through Virgin. Thanks! Also, is it possible to buy (with miles) an economy seat on ANA with Virgin Miles, then upgrade later should a business or first-class seat open up?

Jarrod West

January 30, 2023

Hi Chris,

If you see a saver award flight operated by ANA when searching on United, then yes that should be bookable through Virgin.

Julie

January 13, 2023

Hello, I am trying to book a flight to Tokyo from DC (IAD). I am seeing ANA flights available on their website and on United. I tried calling Virgin and they said they do not have awards for those flights, despite both United and ANA having point options available. Do you suggest booking directly through ANA? I am trying to figure out if I can transfer points via Chase or Capital One to ANA. I assume that is not possible, so do you have suggestions on how to book with points from Chase? Thank you!

Jarrod West

March 13, 2023

Hi Julie,

You are correct that neither Chase nor Capital One transfer to ANA. However, you could transfer your Chase points to United or Air Canada to book an ANA award.

Zara

January 17, 2023

I am currently trying to plan travel to Japan and was hoping to use some Chase Points for an ANA flight, but it seems like ANA isn’t part of the the airlines I can transfer points to anymore, even if they are part of Star Alliance. If I want to fly with United and hopefully use points for ANA, would I transfer my points over to United? Thanks in advance!

Jarrod West

January 30, 2023

Hi Zara,

To book an ANA ticket with Chase points you could transfer to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, Air Canada Aeroplan, Avianca LifeMiles, or United.

Cho

February 28, 2023

Hello!

Thanks for this very informative breakdown. I have a question – in regards to your statement below:
“How to Earn Enough Miles for ANA Business Class
ANA can be transferred from American Express Membership Rewards at a rate of 1:1.”

Does this mean the points from American Express Membership Rewards can directly be transferred to ANA? And for example, if a RT from the west coast to Tokyo costs 80k ANA Miles, I’d transfer 80k AmEx points?

Thanks!!

Jarrod West

March 07, 2023

Hi Cho,

Yes, you can transfer your Amex Membership Rewards points directly to ANA at a 1:1 rate.

Will

May 01, 2023

For LAX-MEL RT, I found multiple days in Feb/Mar 2024 that have seats available on United.com for cash and miles. When I go to use ANA and enter those dates, every single scenario comes back as unavailable, please change your criteria. Any advice you can give here? Thanks.
Will H.

Jarrod West

May 03, 2023

Hi Will,

The two airlines don’t always show the same availability on their site. If you see award space on the United site, and you want to book using ANA miles, simply call the ANA customer support team and given the the flight details (flight number, day, time, etc.) and they can book it manually for you using your ANA miles.

David

May 15, 2023

Hi: I have American express platinum card and I can transfer points to either to ANA or Virgin Atlantic. My understanding is if I am offered, great transfer bonus from virgin, take advantage of that to book ANA flights using Virgin points. But, when transfer promotion is not available, transfer the points to ANA directly to book the ANA flight. Is there any reason to book through Virgin when bonus promotion is not available? Thx. ~David

Chris Hassan

May 16, 2023

If you can find roundtrip availabiltiy, ANA is a great program!

leslie

June 07, 2023

The flights I found are 1 stop, and they show one plane as UA, but the 2nd leg is ANA. Can I still book through Virgin Atlantic for these?

Jarrod West

June 14, 2023

Hi Leslie,

Sadly no, Virgin Atlantic and United are not partners, so you would not be able to use your Virgin Atlantic points to book the United portion of the trip.

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