Best Ways To Book Japan Airlines First Class With Points [Step-by-Step]

If Japan Airlines first class isn’t near the top of your list of flying experiences to try, you might want to reconsider.

From the plush lounge to your private first class seat to the incredible hospitality, this is a chance to enjoy pure luxury. If you enjoy Champagne, flying first class on Japan Airlines will be a particularly special treat.

Before we dive into the best ways to book this amazing experience, let’s discuss what you can expect when flying first class with one of the best airlines in the world.

(We’ve also covered the top ways to fly to Japan using points and miles!)

A Look Inside Japan Airlines First Class

If you fly out of Tokyo Narita (NRT) or Tokyo Haneda (HND), your first class journey starts in a Japan Airlines first class lounge. You won’t be disappointed if you’re looking for a place to relax, have a drink, enjoy some food, or do some work with fast Wi-Fi. Best of all, many Japan Airlines first class lounges feature a made-to-order sushi bar.

Their first class lounges even have self-pouring beer machines that have become a favorite of many luxury travelers.

Once you’re on board, Japan Airlines goes to great lengths to ensure you enjoy all of your food and drinks with true Japanese service. Japan Airlines is known for having some of the best food of any airline.

Although the JAL first class suite does not have doors, like those of Emirates first class, Singapore Suites, or the Etihad Apartments, the dividers provide plenty of privacy so you can feel right at home.

How to Fly Japan Airlines First Class on Points

As an Oneworld alliance member, you have many ways to book Japan Airlines first class award seats.

You can book first class award tickets on Japan Airlines through their Mileage Bank program, American Airlines AAdvantage, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, or one of their many other Oneworld partners. Take a look below at the best ways to book this flight.

Japan Airlines Mileage Bank

The first option we will look at to fly Japan Airlines first class is with its own Mileage Bank program.

Mileage Bank uses a region-based award chart for its flights. This differs from the distance-based chart Mileage Bank uses for partner award redemptions. However, since we are only focusing on Japan Airlines first class flights using Mileage Bank, that award chart will not apply here.

Here is the award chart for award flights between North America and Japan in first class using Mileage Bank:

In addition to the region-based award chart, Mileage Bank also utilizes seasonality for its pricing, meaning that the number of miles depends on when you are flying. You can find the exact mileage required and the seasonality chart on Japan Airlines’ website for all Japan Airlines Mileage Bank redemptions.

During the low season, you can book one-way awards between North America and Japan for 70,000 miles.

It is worth noting that Mileage Bank does not allow for stopovers on its award redemptions, so you would not be able to stop in Japan and continue onward with your first class redemption.

You can book flights on Japan Airlines online by following the steps below:

1. Go to the Japan Airlines website.
2. Log in to your JAL Mileage Bank account.
3. Select Book Award Tickets.
4. Select JAL International Award Ticket Reservation.
5. Enter your travel information, including travel dates, departure and destination airports, and whether you want to fly one-way or round-trip.
6. Select Designate Date if your travel must be on the specific dates you have selected, or Award Reservation Calendar if you have flexible travel dates.
7. Click Next.
8. If you select Designate Date, you’ll be taken directly to your flight options.
   • Ensure the flights you select have available seats and do not require waitlisting.
9. If you select Award Reservation Calendar, you will see 7 dates for your departure and 7 for your return. Select the dates. You will be taken to your flight options for those dates.
10. Confirm that you’re OK paying the Mileage Bank miles and taxes and fees required.
11. Select your desired flights and hit Next (assign seat now) so you can select your seat and complete the booking process.

Earning Japan Airlines Miles

Earning Japan Airlines Mileage Bank miles is difficult, as the program only partners with Marriott Bonvoy. Marriott Bonvoy points transfer at a 3:1 ratio. With every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points that you transfer, you receive 5,000 bonus miles.

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

Alaska Airlines’ Mileage Plan is another excellent way to fly Japan Airlines first class. The program revamped its award charts, including those for partner airlines, in late 2022. However, in March 2024, Alaska is switching to a distance-based award chart.

For now, one-way Japan Airlines first class flights can be booked starting at 70,000 Alaska miles. This is the same pricing that Japan Airlines charges using its Mileage Bank program.

However, the Mileage Plan allows for stopovers, even on one-way award redemptions, which can provide significantly more value when it comes to award redemptions. You can have a stopover in Tokyo for up to 364 days for Japan Airlines flights by using Alaska miles.

In addition to the stopover policy, it is easier to earn Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles than Japan Airlines Mileage Plan miles.

Hot Tip:

Check out our guide on the best ways to redeem Alaska Mileage Plan miles for maximum value.

To book, go to Alaska’s website and follow these simple steps:

1. Go to the Alaska Airlines website.
2. Sign in to your account.
3. Search for your desired route (make sure you select Use Miles).
4. Select your desired flight and click Add To Cart.
5. Pay the necessary taxes and fees and complete your booking.

You can also schedule a stopover on a one-way award ticket booked with Alaska miles.

Earning Alaska Airlines Miles

Earning Alaska Airlines miles can be difficult, as they only have 1 major transfer partner: Marriott Bonvoy. Marriott Bonvoy points transfer at a 3:1 ratio. With every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points that you transfer, you receive 5,000 bonus miles.

Here are Marriott Bonvoy credit cards we recommend:

In addition, Alaska Airlines also has 2 co-branded credit cards, both personal and business versions.

American Airlines AAdvantage

Another excellent and, quite possibly the simplest, way to book Japan Airlines first class is through the American Airlines Advantage program.

American Airlines has devalued its program a few times over the years; however, plenty of value remains to be had. In most situations, the best value to get out of American miles comes from partner awards, which are not subject to dynamic pricing, unlike American’s flights.

For partner airlines, American has a published award chart. On the partner award chart, Asia is divided into 4 regions, and Japan is considered to be part of Asia Region 1.

Here is what American charges for one-way award flights on partner airlines between North America and Japan:

SCROLL FOR MORE

From Contiguous 48 U.S. States and Canada:	Main Cabin	Premium Economy	Business/First	First
To: Asia 1	35,500	50,000	60,000	80,000

American charges 80,000 miles for first class seats on partner airlines, including Japan Airlines. Although the mileage requirements are slightly higher than with other programs, including Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan and Japan Airlines Mileage Bank, the miles are also significantly easier to earn.

Here’s what you need to do to book partner awards with American Airlines miles.

1. Head over to American’s website.
2. Click Redeem miles,
3. Enter your travel information, including the origin and destination airports, the number of passengers, and the departure date.
4. Select a one-way or round-trip journey.
5. Click Search.
6. Confirm your award space.
7. Pay the taxes and fees.

Earning American Airlines Miles

Earning American Airlines miles is relatively simple, as there are numerous American Airlines co-branded credit cards from Citibank and Barclays.

The AAdvantage program is also a transfer partner of Bilt Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy. Bilt Rewards transfer at a 1:1 ratio. Transfers from Marriott Bonvoy occur at a 3:1 ratio. However, there is no 5,000-mile bonus if you transfer 60,000 Bonvoy points, unlike other programs.

Here are Citibank American Airlines co-branded credit cards we recommend:

Hot Tip:

Using American Airlines’ search engine is a great way to search for Oneworld partner availability.

Other Options for Booking Japan Airlines

You can also book flights on Japan Airlines with any of their other Oneworld partners, including British Airways. Unfortunately, the redemption rates on these other carriers are often quite poor.

For example, British Airways uses a distance-based award chart. Flights between the U.S. and Japan are typically quite far, meaning you need to use a lot more miles to fly between the continents. Typically, the best value to get out of British Airways Avios comes from short-haul flights.

Great Japan Airlines First Class Redemptions

First, let’s take a look at some standard awards between the U.S. and Japan. After that, we will look at more creative ways to book Japan Airlines in first class.

If you’re flying from major U.S. hubs, including New York City (JFK), Chicago (ORD), or Los Angeles (LAX), your cheapest option is 140,000 Japan Airlines miles or 140,000 Alaska miles round-trip. You could also book with 160,000 American miles round-trip.

How to Earn Enough Miles for Japan Airlines First Class

If you are ready to book a flight in Japan Airlines first class but don’t have enough miles for the itinerary you want, there are plenty of ways to earn more.

Marriott Credit Cards

You can earn Marriott points and transfer those to Japan Airlines, American Airlines, and Alaska Airlines. Marriott Bonvoy points transfer at a 3:1 rate to all those programs. For every 60,000 Marriott points you transfer with Japan Airlines or Alaska Airlines, you receive an extra 5,000 miles bonus. You don’t get that bonus with transfers with American Airlines.

Citi Credit Cards

Citi offers plenty of American Airlines co-branded credit cards that can quickly earn you lots of American Airlines miles.

When Should You Search for Award Space?

Finding a first class award seat on Japan Airlines is not always easy, but if you’re flexible with your travel dates, you can create a fantastic trip.

As soon as you have an idea when you’d like to travel, start searching. You might be able to find space many months before departure, but Japan Airlines might not release award space until days before you want to depart. Flexibility is important when it comes to Japan Airlines premium cabin award redemptions.

What Makes Japan Airlines a Great Redemption?

Flying first class with Japan Airlines is a memorable experience, thanks to the great seats and top-notch service and offerings. Champagne lovers get a chance to sip on one of the most expensive Champagnes in the world, for example.

First Class Service

The cabin crew in Japan Airlines first class is second to none. They take great pride in creating an amazing flight experience for passengers, so you can sit back, relax with a glass of Champagne, and enjoy the flight.

Amazing Champagne: Louis Roederer Cristal 2009

Speaking of Champagne, several airlines around the world serve Dom Perigon, Krug, etc. But Japan Airlines stands alone in serving Louis Roederer Cristal 2009, which retails for over $300 per bottle. Needless to say, you won’t be disappointed.

Phenomenal Whiskey: Hibiki 17

Another huge perk of Japan Airlines first class is the liquor selection. You’re given the opportunity to try Hibiki 17, an increasingly rare and world-class whisky. Because Hibiki 17 has been discontinued, the demand is extraordinary now. Bottles can retail anywhere from $750 to $1,000.

First Class Suite

Your first class suite provides a comfortable seat that converts into a nice lie-flat bed. Additionally, you have space to move around and enough privacy to make you feel right at home.

Final Thoughts

When you fly with Japan Airlines, you can expect an exceptional first class experience. Whether you’re flying out of Tokyo Narita or Tokyo Haneda, you get a chance to experience Japan Airlines’ incredible first class lounges. Once on board, it only gets better as you settle into your suite and see the first class cabin crew in action.

While you can use Japan Airlines’ Mileage Bank program to book your award tickets, you may be better off using American Airlines AAdvantage or Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan to book. These miles are significantly easier to earn.

Granted, it’s not always an easy award ticket to book, but you will be thrilled to put in that little extra effort. Japan Airlines award space can be hard to come by, but it is worth taking the time to look.

That said, you may need to be flexible and book either well in advance or at the last minute to score Japan Airlines award seats.