The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Advertiser disclosure
The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Guides
Bilt's newest transfer partner: How to earn and redeem miles with Japan Airlines Mileage Bank
Ben Smithson is a senior writer for TPG and is based in London. Originally from Australia and a qualified lawyer with a financial services background, he has almost a decade of experience writing about a broad range of travel and loyalty topics.
May 16, 2025 • 8 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Editorial note: TPG founder Brian Kelly is a Bilt adviser and investor.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
Related stories
Quick summary
Japan Airlines Mileage Bank is a valuable but often overlooked airline loyalty program, now easier to access with new transfer options from select rewards programs.
Members can earn miles through flights with Japan Airlines, Oneworld alliance partners, other partner airlines, hotel bookings, car rentals and select merchants in Japan.
The program offers flexible redemption options, including flights to Japan, domestic U.S. and Japanese routes, and select partner airline awards, often with reasonable taxes and fees.
Mileage Bank features generous stopover policies, allowing multiple stopovers on award itineraries, and supports family mile pooling.
What to consider
Mileage Bank accounts typically must be at least 60 days old to redeem miles, though some transfer partners allow earlier redemptions.
Award rates for Japan Airlines flights will increase for bookings made on or after June 10, 2025, but partner airline redemption rates remain unchanged.
First-class awards are not available on select partner airlines, and non-travel redemptions generally offer less value.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed guide to maximizing Japan Airlines Mileage Bank, including optimal redemption strategies, stopover rules and partner award sweet spots.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
However, with Bilt Rewards recently adding Mileage Bank as its newest 1:1 transfer partner, it's now much easier to earn miles to redeem on Japan Airlines and its partner airlines.
Here's why you should pay attention to Mileage Bank.
There are many ways to earn Japan Airlines miles, both through flying and spending.
Earn Mileage Bank miles by flying
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
Japan Airlines is a member of the Oneworld alliance, which includes members like American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Qantas and British Airways. The airline also partners with other nonalliance airlines, including Air France, Emirates, Korean Air and Hawaiian Airlines.
You can earn miles by crediting your revenue from Japan Airlines, Oneworld and other partner flights to your Mileage Bank account. Check the partner earnings site and look at your airline and fare class to see how many miles you’ll earn. For example, most economy fares on American Airlines earn between 30% and 50% of the miles flown.
If you’re flying on a cheap fare and don’t hold status with American, crediting to Japan Airlines (even at the reduced earning rate) could still make sense.
Earn Mileage Bank miles with credit cards
ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY
Bilt Rewards members can transfer Bilt Points to Japan Airlines Mileage Bank at a 1:1 ratio. Bilt expects most transfers to Japan Airlines Mileage Bank to be completed within 10 minutes.
Japan Airlines Mileage Bank typically requires accounts to be at least 60 days old to redeem miles. However, Bilt members will be able to redeem miles within seven days after a transfer if their Japan Airlines Mileage Bank account is not 60 days old.
You can also transfer Marriott points to Mileage Bank at a 3:1 ratio. (You’ll also get 5,000 extra miles points for every 60,000 you transfer.) Earning Marriott points is fairly easy — the following credit cards earn bonus points on Marriott purchases, and many of them come with additional perks like elite status and annual free night awards:
The information for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Earn Mileage Bank miles by shopping and other travel activities
CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY
You can also earn Japan Airlines miles through a myriad of business partners, including (but not limited to):
Booking IHG, Hyatt, Marriott, Melia and other hotels through the Mileage Bank platform (and foregoing earning hotel points for these bookings)
Booking rental cars through Avis, Budget, Dollar, Hertz and others
Tokyo Monorail routes
Select parking lots
Onsen Ryokan
Japan Airlines' airport luggage delivery service
Using WAON electronic money as payment at Aeon, Family Mart, and other WAON member stores across Japan
While Mileage Bank has an online shopping portal, this is only for redeeming miles, not earning them.
The Japan Airlines Family Club allows the pooling of miles for up to eight family members, all of whom must be immediate family, plus parents and in-laws. A Family Club membership is good for five years and must be renewed for subsequent five-year periods.
Japan Airlines operates flights to Tokyo from the following U.S. gateways:
Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL)
Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport (KOA)
John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
San Diego International Airport (SAN)
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
Here are some of the best ways to redeem your Japan Airlines miles:
Fly to Japan from North America for 25,000 miles in economy, 32,500 miles in premium economy and 50,000 miles in business class each way with reasonable fees, taxes and carrier-imposed surcharges, and no peak or off-peak pricing
Fly Japan Airlines' fabulous new A350 first class suite from the United States to Japan for 70,000 miles in low season, 85,000 miles in regular season and 100,000 miles in high season each way (you can check the season dates here)
Book a lap infant for just 10% of the miles required for an adult on the same flight
Book American Airlines domestic economy class flights of up to 1,000 miles in length for just 12,000 miles
Book American Airlines or British Airways flights from the northeast United States to the United Kingdom for 23,000 miles each way in economy class, 30,000 miles in premium economy or 42,000 miles in business class each way
Fly Emirates business class from JFK to Dubai International Airport (DXB) for 80,000 miles each way.
Book flights of 6,001 to 8,000 miles in length on a single Oneworld carrier like Cathay Pacific for 80,000 miles. This covers most of the West Coast of the United States to Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)
You can also redeem miles for non-travel products like online shopping, but you won't usually get great value from your miles this way.
Note that for bookings made on or after June 10, 2025, Mileage Bank award rates flying Japan Airlines to Japan will increase as follows:
27,000 miles in economy
40,000 miles in premium economy
55,000 miles in business class
110,000/125,000/140,000 miles in first class (depending on low, regular or high season dates)
There are no changes to partner redemption rates on this date.
Mileage Bank does not allow first-class awards on Air France, Emirates, Korean Air or Malaysia Airlines.
It's worth noting that Mileage Bank has one of the most generous stopover policies of any airline loyalty program. Up to an incredible seven stopovers are allowed on multiple Oneworld airline redemptions, and three stopovers on a single Oneworld or other partner airline redemption.
Most Mileage Bank redemptions can be booked online.
If you’re willing to sit down and study the different promos, routing rules and award charts for the Mileage Bank program, you can get pretty far for very few miles. There are several zones in the distance-based award chart for partners that are ripe for creating itineraries that maximize the generous award charts and stopover rules.
Now that you can transfer Bilt points to Mileage Bank, this program is worth considering, especially if you hope to travel to Japan or beyond.
