Japan Airlines Business Class For 4 People
I know many of you had booked trips to Japan for early 2022 in hopes that the country would start welcoming travelers. Personally, I was hoping to visit my brother in February but that didn't happen.
If you need to rebook or you simply want to book a trip to Japan at the beginning of 2023, there's plenty of award space on Japan Airlines. You'll even find business class space for four people on a number of dates.
So, let's get into it!
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Straight To The Points:
Routes: BOS/JFK/LAX/ORD/SEA/SFO/YVR-TYO
Operating airline: Japan Airlines
Class of service: Business class
Dates: January - March 2023
Seats available: 4-5
Cabin layout: 2-3-2, 2-2-2, 1-2-1
Book with (per person, one-way):
- Air France-KLM Flying Blue: 115,000 miles
- *Alaska Mileage Plan: 60,000 miles
- *American AAdvantage: 60,000 miles
- Asia Miles:
- SEAYVR: 61,000 miles
- BOS/JFK/LAX/ORD/SAN/SFO: 75,000 miles
- British Airways Executive Club:
- LAX/SEA/SFO/YVR: 77,250 Avios
- ORD/SAN: 92,750 Avios
- BOS/JFK108,250 Avios
- Emirates Skywards:
- SEA/YVR: 76,000 miles
- LAX/SAN/SFO: 88,000 miles
- BOS/JFK/ORD: 100,000 miles
- JAL Mileage Bank: 50,000 miles
- Qantas Frequent Flyer:
- SEA/YVR; 75,000 points
- LAX/SAN/SFO: 90,000 points
- BOS/JFK/ORD: 104,500 points
*No surcharges
Taxes/fees (per person):
- One-way: $5.60 (~$42 from YVR)
- Round-trip: ~$54 (~$74 from YVR)
- Surcharges:
- One-way: ~$98 (~$76 from YVR)
- Round-trip: ~$196 (~$152 from YVR)
Alaska adds a $12.50 partner award booking fee.
Bank transfer partners:
- Alaska: Marriott
- American: Bilt, Marriott
- Asia Miles: Amex, Brex, Citi, Capital One
- British Airways: Amex, Capital One, Chase, Marriott
- Emirates: Amex, Bilt, Brex, Chase, Citi, Capital One, Marriott
- Flying Blue: Amex, Brex, Chase, Citi, Capital One, Marriott
- JAL: Marriott
- Qantas: Amex, Brex, Citi, Marriott
Don't forget to let me know if you book and how you did it!
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DISCLAIMER: Please be aware that COVID travel restrictions could prevent you from traveling. Additionally, please make sure you understand the cancellation, redeposit, and change fees required before booking.
Travel Restrictions and Requirements
With travel restrictions changing by the day, please take a look at the US embassy site for your destination. Here's a link to Japan to get you started.
Flight Experience
Japan Airlines has a reputation for great service so a business class flight should be more than enjoyable. The biggest thing to keep in mind is that JAL operates different aircraft to/from North America.
On the 777-300, you'll find find a business class cabin arranged in a 2-3-2 layout with Apex Suites. While a 2-3-2 layout might seem like a nightmare, each seat is lie-flat and has direct aisle access. Breathe easy. The window seats provide a ton of privacy and are preferred by many.
On the 787-9, you'll find a 2-2-2 layout (Apex Suites). Again, the window seats are a favorite.
Flights operated by the 767 will have a staggered 1-2-1 cabin layout. While this option is the least private of the bunch, it's only on the YVR route at this time.
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Available Dates
You''ll find the most space for 4 people out of JFK, ORD, LAX. Don't forget, you can always fly out of one airport and return to another.
JFK-HND
January: 9, 16, 17, 19, 22, 24-26, 29-31
February: 7-9, 12-14, 16, 20-23, 26-28
March: 1
HND-JFK
January: 17, 18, 20, 24, 26, 27, 31
February: 3, 4, 7, 9, 11, 14-17, 21-24, 28
March: 1
ORD-HND
January: 8, 11, 15-19, 24, 25, 29-31
February: 2, 5-8, 12-16, 19-23, 27, 28
HND-ORD
January: 25, 26
February: 1, 3, 4, 7-9, 11, 16, 17, 23, 25, 28
March: 1
LAX-TYO
January: 3, 4, 16-19, 23-25, 31
February: 1, 2, 6-9, 14, 20-23, 26, 27
March: 1, 2
TYO-LAX
January: 16-18, 24, 26, 30, 31
February: 1, 2, 4, 6-9, 13-16, 18, 20-23, 28
March: 1, 2
SFO-TYO
January: 17, 22, 24, 30, 31
February: 1, 6-9, 12-15, 19-23, 26-28
March: 1, 2
TYO-SFO
January: 24, 31
February: 1, 3, 9, 10, 14-16, 18, 21, 22, 25, 28
March: 1, 2
BOS-NRT
January: 8, 17, 23, 24, 30, 31
February: 1, 2, 6, 9, 12, 13, 19-21, 23, 26-28
March: 2
NRT-BOS
January: 24, 26, 31
February: 1, 8, 14, 21, 22
March: 1
SEA-NRT
January: N/A
February: 22-28
March: 1, 2
NRT-SEA
January: 18, 20, 26
February: 1, 2, 5, 16, 22-24, 28
March: 2
YVR-NRT
January: 19, 21, 22, 26, 29
February: 5, 7, 9, 13, 19, 21, 23, 24, 27, 28
March: 2
NRT-YVR
January: N/A
February: 7, 8, 11-13, 15, 18, 25-27
March: N/A
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Best Ways To Book
If you want to keep the cash cost of your ticket to an absolute minimum, American and Alaska miles are the way to go. American has a slight advantage as you can hold awards for 5 days if you want to transfer Bilt or Marriott points.
You can include a domestic connection if you don't live near one of these airports for no extra AA miles if saver level award space is open. With Alaska miles, you can include a connection but only on Alaska itself.
At 61,000 Asia Miles from SEA and YVR, that's a great option thanks to several transfers partners. Even from the rest of the US, 75,000 Asia miles one-way is solid when you consider how easier they are to earn.
However, Asia Miles uses a different award chart if you fly on more than one partner airline which means non-stops are likely your best bet.
You can use GCmap to calculate your flight distance with connections and then check the Oneworld Multi-Carrier Award Chart to see how many Asia Miles you'd need if you want to connect on American within the US.
JAL Mileage Bank also allows you to book one-way business class for 50,000 miles but they're just so hard to earn unless you have a bunch of Marriott points lying around waiting to be transferred.
Regardless of the program, remember that connections to other parts of Asia (particularly Southeast Asia) could increase the miles required.
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How To Book
I think searching with American Airlines is easiest if you want to see your options. Here's how I'd approach the search process:
- Go to AA's site
- Select Advanced / Multi-city search (just click this link)
- Select Redeem miles
- Select One way or Round trip
- Enter From & To cities
- Select departure date(s)
- Choose the number of passengers
- Select Class as Business/First
- Click Search
- If you're searching for a nonstop, select Calendar then sort by nonstop.
- Once you know which dates have JAL space, you can run a search from your home airport if you're not booking nonstop
If you're not booking with American miles, you can run a search with the program you're using once you find a date you want to book.
I did notice that Air France doesn't show the same award space online so you might have to call Flying Blue to book. I prefer to call the Spain (+34 91375 3096) or Germany (+49 (0) 69 867 98 106) call centers.
If you want to use Asia Miles and include a connection on American, you'll need to call (866-892-2598) to complete the booking.
You can call Emirates at 800-777-3999.
Final Thoughts
It's hard not to love Japan. From the food to the bullet trains to the natural beauty, there's something for everyone. Whether it's a quick trip to try some great food or you want to spend a couple of weeks exploring, you'll have fun!
Until next time, happy booking!
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