Japan Airlines (JAL) has announced significant changes to its Mileage Bank award program, set to take effect on June 10, 2025. While the airline provided advance notice, giving travelers time to adjust plans, the devaluation hits hardest for premium cabin redemptions. Here’s a breakdown of the changes and how they might impact your travel plans.

TIME LEFT UNTIL DEVALUATION

Key Changes to JAL Mileage Bank Awards

International Flights Premium Cabins Hit Hard

JAL’s fixed award chart is getting a significant overhaul for international routes, with notable increases for First and Business Class awards. Below are highlights for popular routes:

Route Cabin Old Price New Price Increase
North America ⇄ Japan Economy 25,000 27,000 +8%
  Premium Economy 32,500 40,000 +23%
  Business 50,000 55,000 +10%
  First 70,000–100,000 110,000–140,000 Up to +40%
Hawaii ⇄ Japan Economy 20,000 20,000–25,000 Variable pricing
  Premium Economy 30,000 30,000–35,000 Variable pricing
  Business 40,000 43,000–45,000 +8–13%
  First 50,000–70,000 90,000–110,000 Up to +80%
Europe ⇄ Japan First 80,000–110,000 110,000–140,000 Up to +27%

Key Takeaways:

  • First Class sees the steepest hikes, with some routes requiring 40% more miles.
  • Hawaii routes now use variable pricing, and flights from Kona (KOA) will cost more than Honolulu (HNL).
  • Premium Economy on North America-Japan jumps 23%.

Domestic Flights: Modest Increases

Domestic awards within Japan will see smaller increases (typically +500 miles per segment), except for First Class, which remains unchanged:

Zone Example Routes Economy (Old → New) Business (Old → New) First Class
A Sapporo ⇄ Hakodate 4,000 → 4,500 5,000 → 5,500 Unchanged
C Tokyo ⇄ Osaka 6,000 → 6,500 7,000 → 7,500 14,500 (No change)
E Tokyo ⇄ Sapporo 8,000 → 8,500 9,500 → 10,000 20,000 (No change)
G Tokyo ⇄ Miyako 10,000 → 10,500 13,000 → 13,500 24,000 (No change)

For full award charts, visit JAL’s official website, International, Domestic.

Who’s Affected?

  • Premium Cabin Travelers: First and Business Class flyers will feel the pinch most, especially on long-haul routes.
  • Hawaii-Based Travelers: New variable pricing and higher costs from Kona mean less predictability.
  • Mileage Bank Savers: Those hoarding JAL miles for future trips should reconsider their strategy.

Who Isn’t Affected?

  • Partner Program Users: Book JAL flights through Oneworld partners like American Airlines AAdvantage or British Airways Avios. These programs aren’t subject to JAL’s devaluation.
  • Non-Premium Flyers: Economy redemptions see smaller increases (or none for some Hawaii routes).

What Should You Do?

  1. Book Before June 10, 2025: Lock in current rates for awards issued by this date.
  2. Explore Partner Options: Use programs like AAdvantage (still offering 60k miles for JAL First Class to Asia) or Avios for short-haul flights.
  3. Avoid Poor Transfers: Marriott Bonvoy’s 3:1 transfer ratio to JAL is horrible, prioritize other redemptions.

👇 Check our detailed guide on how to book JAL Business and First Class with AAdvantage.

Book JAL Business Class with AAdvantage

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