It is true that the American Airlines AAdvantage program has just made its award prices dynamic, and that average flight award rates have been rising recently, much like cash prices.
Good deals can still be found, though. For instance, how would it sound to travel to Tokyo in a lie-flat seat during the cherry blossom season the next year?
You can currently reserve a fantastic offer for up to three business class seats on Japan Airlines for just 60,000 American Airlines AAdvantage or Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles round trip. These flights are offered by Japanese carriers both directly from a number of important locations (such as San Francisco, Dallas, and Chicago), as well as from numerous Oneworld partner airports on carriers including Alaska and American.
Airlines: Japan Airlines and other Oneworld carriers.
Routes: To reach Tokyo from Boston, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and other cities.
How to book: Book with the Oneworld partner you want to utilize your miles from; for American Airlines, you would do it on the airline's website.
Travel dates: January to April 2024 will be the travel season.
Book by: ASAP.
How to book business-class awards to Japan
Running a flexible-date search reveals that there is ample availability for one traveler from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to airports in the Tokyo region (designated by the code TYO) in February and March.
However, this offer is not exclusive to California residents or visitors traveling alone. When you search with more passengers, availability is less prevalent for the same flights even though it was available for up to three travelers.
If you wish to book with American Airlines, keep in mind that the calendar is available until mid-March 2024; however, if you prefer British Airways, it is already open until early April 2024.
With British Airways, the expenses for taxes, fees, and miles are greater, but you can transfer points from the majority of the top credit card reward systems to British Airways. This makes it a viable alternative if you don't already have American or Alaska miles available.
120,000 American miles plus $52.65 would be required to book a round-trip business class flight on Japan Airlines using this example itinerary from San Francisco. A seat like that normally sells for thousands of dollars, so that's an incredible value.
Availability from the New York City area
I purchased tickets for 120,000 American AAdvantage miles from the New York City region to Tokyo.
In my case, I was able to book flights from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). I ended up spending 60,000 miles each trip less to depart from New York and arrive in California than I would have if I had made my reservation directly from the West Coast.
I'll be taking an Alaska Airlines first-class flight from Newark to San Francisco before changing to a Japan Airlines business-class flight to get to Haneda Airport (HND). That's one of the better deals I've recently discovered for American Airlines miles.
In fact, that could be the nicest offer I've received since traveling in business and first class on Japan Airlines in 2017.
I'll take a Japan Airlines aircraft to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD) before changing to an American Airlines flight that will take me to LaGuardia Airport (LGA) on the way back. I spent 120,000 American Airlines miles in total, and the taxes and fees came to only $58.25.
An illustration from the Boston area
Similar routes can be found in Boston. In this scenario, via San Francisco to Tokyo with a stop in Chicago on the way back. once more for only 120,000 miles and $58.25 in taxes and fees.
Flying from Los Angeles via Alaska miles
As previously indicated, Alaska Mileage Plan miles can also be used to book these journeys. I was able to discover flights from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Tokyo for 120,000 Alaska miles plus roughly $81 in taxes and fees, even though the availability doesn't seem to be as extensive via Alaska.
Once more, that route goes through San Francisco. A word of warning: Alaska displays a lot of availability for mixed-cabin redemptions, so be sure that you are assigned to business class on every leg. Alaska will occasionally give you first-class service on the short-haul part rather than the long-haul portion, which is the most crucial.
The long leg will be in coach if you see a tiny business-class seat emblem on the award price. If no small symbol appears in the darkened area, both legs are in business (first class domestic).
In conclusion
This is a fantastic opportunity to travel in comfort to Tokyo or even add on a vacation to further cities in Asia once in Japan. If Japan has been on your trip wish list, we advise you to take advantage of this opportunity as soon as possible since we hardly ever see business-class travel chances at these award costs.
The cost of that itinerary from Boston to Tokyo in cash would be more than $18,000, just to give you an idea of how fantastic of a deal this is.
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