How I used Alaska Airways Mileage Plan miles to fly enterprise class on Japan Airways and Starlux Airways

Whereas it is getting harder to maximise your factors and miles and fly within the entrance finish of the aircraft with out breaking the financial institution, it’s nonetheless very attainable. The truth is, I used to be simply capable of do it on a latest journey to Asia.

I discovered some unimaginable long-haul award redemptions on Japan Airways and Starlux Airways, and I used to be capable of make my redemptions utilizing a extensively obtainable mileage forex: Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles.

I flew Japan Airways in enterprise class to Tokyo from San Francisco for simply 60,000 Mileage Plan miles. Whereas this explicit award availability may be scarce, in case you are versatile, you’ll be able to typically duplicate this redemption to fly enterprise class and even top notch on Japan Airways utilizing both Alaska miles or, as I lately did once more, American Airlines AAdvantage miles.

For my journey house, I used simply 75,000 Mileage Plan miles to e book a business-class seat on one among Alaska’s newer Asian airline companions, Starlux. It was my third time flying the Taiwanese airline, and I extremely advocate you add it to your AvGeek bucket checklist.

This is how I discovered these business-class airline awards and booked the flights … and how one can, too.

Reserving Japan Airways business-class awards

Though not as widespread as prior to now, Japan Airways business-class awards are nonetheless lurking round, if you realize the place to look and easy methods to e book shortly.

When you may exhaustively seek for awards on the Alaska Airways and American Airways web sites, checking the assorted U.S. airports to which Japan Airways flies, I like to recommend utilizing an award search instrument like PointsYeah or Seats.aero to see if you will discover house on the lowest award ranges. Merely put in your metropolis pairs, after which you’ll be able to set some filters to look particular airways, together with Japan Airways, to generate outcomes that present which miles you should use to e book the route.

I booked my business-class ticket for September for simply 60,000 Mileage Plan miles plus $5.60 in taxes and charges, although I additionally may have redeemed 60,000 American Airways AAdvantage miles.

I lately discovered first-class award house on a Japan Airways flight from Chicago’s O’Hare Worldwide Airport (ORD) to Tokyo’s Narita International Airport (NRT) departing in September for simply 80,000 AAdvantage miles. For that very same journey, I booked enterprise class for 60,000 AAdvantage miles on the return from NRT to ORD, additionally on Japan Airways.

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These redemptions are on the market and accessible, however, as I discussed, it’s important to be versatile in terms of your dates and departure airports. For those who discover availability, you should definitely bounce on it shortly as a result of it disappears quick.

Associated: Travel to Japan with points and miles: Best ways to redeem your rewards for flights and hotels

What it was like flying Japan Airways enterprise class on the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

I’ve flown Japan Airways earlier than, however I used to be once more blown away by the unimaginable service and the tremendous meals on the lengthy journey I lately took. I used to be booked on Japan Airways Flight 57 on a 9-year-old Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, ship (or registration) No. JA863J.

This 787 had 44 business-class seats organized in a 2-2-2 configuration, with the cabin break up into two sections of enterprise class. Bogs and a small galley had been obtainable between the 2 sections.

Not like among the different 787-9s in Japan Airways’ fleet, this one featured the provider’s Sky Suite seats. Whereas they are not probably the most trendy seats within the sky, they’ll really feel ultraprivate because of their staggered configuration.

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There have been a blanket, a big pillow, headphones, slippers and a small amenity package ready at my seat.

Japan Airways is collaborating with the corporate Heralbony for its amenity kits. Whereas I assist its mission of serving to these with mental disabilities, I have not been impressed with the kits lately. They’ve all of the fundamentals, together with a easy eye masks and pocket tissues, however they only haven’t got the attract of earlier Japan Airways kits from Porsche Design. The Heralbony package did have a USB charging cable and a cellphone cable, two pretty uncommon amenity package objects.

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The seats are huge and plush, turning into lie-flat beds with the push of a button. A flight attendant helped me put down a mattress pad earlier than sleeping.

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The meals is the place Japan Airways actually shines, although, because the provider gives the choice for a Japanese-influenced or Western-style meal served over a number of programs.

I selected the worldwide menu for this flight. A primary course of nuts and olives was adopted by a plate of hors d’oeuvres that included tuna tataki, poached shrimp and a salad with a inexperienced goddess dressing.

For my major, I had USDA Prime beef tenderloin, pumpkin conchiglioni pasta and seasonal greens. For dessert, there was a pumpkin mouse with granola accompanied by inexperienced tea.

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The very best half was a prelanding snack of ramen … one thing I’ve grown to stay up for each time I fly Japan Airways.

As typical on Japan Airways, service was flawless on my lengthy transpacific flight.

Flight attendants got here by with frequent drink refills and supplied immediate service each time I requested for something, together with copious quantities of espresso earlier than touchdown.

I all the time love flying Japan Airways and stay up for my subsequent flights this summer time.

Associated: Japan Airlines’ A350-100 inaugural from New York to Tokyo: Same great service, fabulous new seats

Reserving Starlux business-class awards

Starlux is a comparatively new Taiwan-based airline that simply began service in 2020. It flies from Taiwan Taoyuan Worldwide Airport (TPE) in Taipei to Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX), San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO) and Seattle-Tacoma Worldwide Airport (SEA), with flights to California’s Ontario Worldwide Airport (ONT) beginning June 2.

Though it’s not in an airline alliance, it companions with Alaska Airways, and redemptions in enterprise class begin at simply 75,000 miles every method.

I reviewed business class on the airline final yr, and it shortly turned one among my favourite airways. I used to be wanting to attempt it out once more.

I acquired very fortunate and located a date that labored with my Japan journey in February on the airline’s route from Taipei to Seattle. I used to be capable of e book it on the lowest price Alaska Airways Mileage Plan gives, plus a really cheap $19 in charges, taxes and surcharges.

There may be not a ton of availability, however you’ll be able to sometimes snag it in case you keep versatile and search continuously. I discover that awards are usually obtainable both very shut in (inside just a few days of journey) or very far out.

A fast search I performed as analysis for this text discovered plenty of availability for 175,000 miles every method, however the 75,000 miles for enterprise class and 50,000 miles for premium financial system had been extra elusive. I did discover just a few dates from LAX in premium financial system for 50,000 miles.

Once more, I like to recommend trying through an award search tool.

What it was like flying Starlux enterprise class on the Airbus A350-900

Starlux has truly supplanted Japan Airways as my new favourite Asian provider. The 75,000 Alaska Airways Mileage Plan miles I spent for this redemption made it one among my better of the yr.

My ticket acquired me into the unimaginable Starlux Galactic Lounge in Taipei, which is designed to appear to be a starship.

The lounge is full of references to outer house and comes stocked with an array of enjoyable meals and drinks, in addition to a number of cold and hot buffets and fridges full of drinks and even ice cream.

You can even order meals dropped at your desk through a QR code menu.

Starlux flies a fleet of Airbus A350-900s decked out in a starship-inspired design on its long-haul routes.

I used to be on a brand new A350 with the ship No. B-58507 and had seat 7A towards the again of the stylish cabin.

There was a single row of first class on this aircraft on the entrance of the business-class cabin, however it might have price $5,000 to improve from enterprise class, so I could not take one for the staff this time.

Starlux A350s have 26 business-class seats organized in a reverse-herringbone 1-2-1 configuration. There are six rows of 4 seats every, with solely two middle seats within the ultimate row.

Starlux was the primary airline with Collins Aerospace’s new Elements suite, which I discover very comfy and classy. As an added bonus, every has a closing door for privateness.

At my seat, I discovered a cornucopia of goodies, together with a well-stocked amenity package, a giant pillow, a blanket and slippers. Within the seat’s cubby had been a pair of Starlux-branded headphones, Acqua Panna water and a face masks.

The amenity package was by a model known as “Three” and contained a plastic comb-brush combo, earplugs, socks, a toothbrush, Ora2 toothpaste and toilette wipes, in addition to Three-branded lip balm, oil serum and moisturizer. Flight attendants additionally introduced out pajamas for the lengthy flight from Taipei to Seattle.

Once I was able to sleep, a flight attendant helped me make up the mattress with a mattress pad for additional padding. Totally flat, the seat was about 77 inches lengthy.

Service was top-notch, from boarding to deplaning, with flight attendants doing common sweeps by way of the cabin to see if passengers wanted something.

The meals on Starlux is nice, too, with plentiful menu choices that embody one thing for everybody. Like on Japan Airways, you’ll be able to preorder meals in enterprise and top notch.

Meals on this explicit flight was very good, with a starter of a lemon-scented scallop served with Japanese ikura (salmon roe), a tomato salsa and crunchy seaweed. This was adopted by a roasted pink pepper tomato soup course and a selection of contemporary bread. Subsequent up was a major course of grilled iberico (Spanish) pork ribs and potatoes.

For dessert, I had a lightweight ardour fruit sorbet with a sea salt milk gelato sprinkled with some type of candy Taiwanese cracker. There was additionally a piece of seasonal contemporary fruit.

And that is not all. As a prelanding snack, there was extra bread, a Caesar salad and a “pizza” that was a bit like an open-faced tartine with cheese and beef ragu.

I did not get to attempt the midflight snack menu, however I may have additionally requested braised beef noodle soup or a rooster kebab. Because it was, I virtually rolled off the aircraft.

It was one other fabulous flight with an early arrival into Seattle. Starlux actually must be in your checklist. I can not wait to fly the provider once more (once I can discover that saver award house once more).

Proper now, there are a number of methods to earn extra Alaska miles. Alaska at present has two cobranded playing cards with Financial institution of America. The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card is at present providing a sign-up bonus of 60,000 miles, plus Alaska’s Well-known Companion Fare ($99 fare plus taxes and charges from $23) after making $3,000 or extra in purchases throughout the first 90 days of account opening. Plus, after account obtain a 30% low cost code for a future qualifying flight. The Alaska Airlines Visa® Business card can also be providing 60,000 bonus miles and Alaska’s Well-known Companion Fare ($99 fare plus taxes and charges from $23), although that provide requires making $4,000 or extra in purchases throughout the first 90 days of account opening.

As a result of Alaska is within the strategy of merging with Hawaiian Airlines, you too can join for two Hawaiian Airlines credit cards with the power to switch these HawaiianMiles to Alaska Airways Mileage Plan at a 1:1 ratio.

Moreover, you’ll be able to switch factors from Bilt Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy to Alaska Airways and not directly ship American Express Membership Rewards factors to Alaska Airways through the HawaiianMiles program, although the latter is barely obtainable by way of June 30.

Associated: You may want to transfer your Amex points to HawaiianMiles (and then to Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan) soon

One ultimate strategy to earn Alaska miles is on the horizon. Alaska will quickly have a premium card in its credit card portfolio. Whereas we do not but understand how excessive the welcome bonus will probably be, we do know the cardboard will include a $395 annual price.

Alaska has confirmed that it’ll additionally earn 3 miles per greenback spent on all eligible overseas purchases, enable prospects to waive a $12.50 award reserving price on accomplice award bookings and embody a shortcut to elite standing.

Backside line

All in all, I had two unimaginable flights on two of the world’s greatest airways that had been (nearly) all paid for with miles. It simply goes to indicate there stays actual worth in accumulating factors and miles, even when ongoing adjustments to loyalty packages are making it more durable to seek out distinctive awards.

It additionally speaks to only how useful the Alaska Airways Mileage Plan program may be. I am excited to use for the brand new premium Alaska bank card when it turns into obtainable. Hopefully, I can use the sign-up bonus to fund my subsequent flight on Japan Airways or Starlux.

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