Earlier this week, it turned doable to redeem JetBlue TrueBlue points for award seats on Japan Airlines, opening up potential sweet spots for touring between the U.S. and Japan.
Whereas award availability in premium cabins for the primary day or so the brand new performance was stay gave the impression to be restricted to inside a number of days of departure and to business-class awards, it now seems like there’s widespread availability of first-class awards and, to a lesser extent, business-class seats utilizing JetBlue TrueBlue factors over the following a number of months.
As first reported by Roame, it seems that Japan Airways has opened up heaps of award area on its flights to JetBlue TrueBlue members. The catch is that a lot of this area is in premium cabins – largely first-class at this level – requiring lots of TrueBlue factors.
Some people may additionally be cautious of transferring factors from a accomplice program like American Categorical Membership Rewards or Chase Final Rewards on the off probability that this can be a mistake fare. We have been.
Nonetheless, we tried to guide a first-class award ourselves and had no subject doing so on a flight from Tokyo’s Haneda Worldwide Airport (HND) to Dallas Fort Price Worldwide Airport (DFW) in June and it processed accurately. We have been even capable of log into the confirmed reservation on Japan Airways’ website and decide our seat, so this seems to be authentic. That stated, contemplate your individual danger tolerance earlier than making any transfers or reserving any tickets.
Here is what you could know in the event you’re contemplating benefiting from this chance your self.
Deal fundamentals
Airline: Japan Airways
Routes: Between Tokyo’s Narita Airport (NRT) and Haneda Airport (HND) and varied U.S. airports together with:
- Chicago O’Hare Worldwide Airport (ORD)
- Dallas Fort Price Worldwide Airport (DFW)
- Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX)
- New York John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK)
- San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO)
- Seattle-Tacoma Worldwide Airport (SEA)
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Learn how to guide: By way of JetBlue.com. Whereas JAL is a Oneworld accomplice of each American Airways and Alaska Airways, these awards don’t appear to be bookable by way of both of these packages.
Guide by: ASAP
Journey dates: Now by means of March 2026
Price:
- 59,000 JetBlue TrueBlue factors every method between Japan and the U.S. in enterprise class
- 165,000 JetBlue TrueBlue factors every method between Japan and Los Angeles and San Francisco
- 185,000 JetBlue TrueBlue factors every method between Japan and different cities, together with Chicago, Dallas and New York
- Taxes and charges are about $15 outbound from the U.S. and as much as $280 when departing Japan, relying in your class of service.
Finest flights to guide
Though there was widespread business-class availability from varied cities earlier right now, the overwhelming majority of premium award area now appears to be in first-class. That is most likely thrilling to the aviation geeks and luxurious lovers on the market, nevertheless it additionally means you may want round thrice the variety of TrueBlue factors as you’ll for a business-class award.
In case you do need enterprise class (and who would not, for simply 59,000 factors every method!), your greatest bets are to fly out of both Los Angeles or San Francisco now by means of the summer time.
There are a number of different concerns as properly. Japan Airways presents stellar business- and first-class cabins, however there are some main variations to pay attention to relying on the route and plane you guide. The airline solely flies its Airbus A350-1000s with gorgeous new first- and business-class suites between Haneda and New York and Dallas. The opposite routes listed are flown with quite a lot of different plane with older varieties of seats aboard, together with Boeing 787-9s with simply enterprise class, and 777-300ERs with each enterprise and first-class.
So, in the event you’re capable of place to New York or Dallas, it’s absolutely price it to get to expertise the airline’s latest fixtures. JAL’s A350-1000 first-class even won the 2024 TPG Award for greatest new first-class due to the suites’ monumental footprints, fashionable finishes, up-to-the-second tech (have you ever seen these 43-inch leisure screens?) and unparalleled facilities and meal service.
Barring that, if you’re simply on the lookout for an effective way to journey between the U.S. and Asia, you actually cannot beat JAL for glorious service and comfy seats.
Finest methods to get JetBlue TrueBlue factors
JetBlue TrueBlue is a switch accomplice of the next bank card rewards packages on the listed ratios:
If you wish to switch factors from a accomplice to your JetBlue TrueBlue account, your greatest bets are both Chase or Citi, since their switch ratio is a lot better than that of Amex. For example, in the event you wished to guide a one-way first-class award from New York to Tokyo, you would want 185,000 Chase or Citi factors, however 231,250 Amex factors. So take that into consideration.
Additionally make certain that the award flight you need is on the market on the day you need earlier than making any transfers as a result of these are irreversible.
Backside line
Japan Airways premium award area has been exceptionally arduous to come back by these days when redeeming miles from accomplice packages. The choice to redeem JetBlue TrueBlue factors for JAL flights solely got here on-line earlier this week, and to date, it has been thrilling to see affordably priced saver awards, even in enterprise class, out there. However this degree of each enterprise and first-class award availability on a lot of JAL’s U.S. routes over a number of months is, fairly merely, unprecedented.
It’s good to be cautious earlier than reserving — we don’t imagine this can be a mistake fare and we have been capable of make a confirmed reserving in first-class ourselves with a purpose to present the perfect recommendation for you. Nonetheless, we’re speaking lots of factors, particularly for these coveted first-class tickets, so earlier than you make any bank card factors transfers, make sure you’ve a selected, bookable award in thoughts. And in the event you do find yourself flying JAL first-class, it’s positive to be an unforgettable expertise price all these factors.
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