Award flights from the US
How many miles it takes to fly to Japan
What it takes to fly one way from the US to Tokyo with miles, in each cabin, from every program's own award chart. JAL and ANA price their own flights by route, and ANA also by season. Most other programs price partner flights by region or by distance flown, which is why economy to Tokyo runs from 20,000 to 80,000 miles depending on whose miles you use.
The two examples, Los Angeles to Tokyo and New York to Tokyo, show where the distance-based charts land. Prices are before taxes and carrier charges, which include fuel surcharges on JAL's and ANA's own flights. Programs that price by date, or keep their charts inside a booking tool, are listed after the tables.
Written and reviewed by the Points Plug team. Last reviewed .
The lowest published prices
Economy from the West Coast
20,000
ANA Mileage Club on ANA, one way, Los Angeles to Tokyo.
Business from the West Coast
50,000
ANA Mileage Club on ANA, one way, Los Angeles to Tokyo.
First from the West Coast
72,500
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club on ANA, one way, Los Angeles to Tokyo.
Economy from the East Coast
20,000
ANA Mileage Club on ANA, one way, New York to Tokyo.
Business from the East Coast
50,000
ANA Mileage Club on ANA, one way, New York to Tokyo.
First from the East Coast
75,000
ANA Mileage Club on ANA, one way, New York to Tokyo.
Miles and points are counted in each program's own currency, before taxes and carrier charges. A range in the tables below is the program's own lowest-to-highest price, such as off-peak to peak; these cards use its low end.
From the West Coast: Los Angeles to Tokyo
One-way prices for Los Angeles to Tokyo (5,488 miles), from each program's own chart. Programs that price by distance are shown at the band for this flight. Rows run from the cheapest economy price.
| Program | Flights on | Economy | Premium economy | Business | First | Chart row |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANA Mileage Club | ANA | 20,000 to 36,000 | 31,000 to 50,500 | 50,000 to 82,500 | 75,000 to 150,000 | Japan (Zone 1) to North America (Zone 6), one-way chartLow to High season. One-way awards, bookable since 24 June 2025, cost half the round-trip miles.ANA: International flight awards (US site) |
| ANA Mileage Club | United and other Star Alliance partners | 25,000 | – | 55,000 | – | Japan (Zone 1-A) to North America (Zone 6), partner one-way chartA trip with another flight added, such as a US connection, is Zone 1-B: 27,500 in economy and 58,500 in business.ANA: Partner flight awards (US site) |
| JAL Mileage Bank | Japan Airlines | 27,000 | 40,000 | 55,000 | 110,000 to 140,000 | Los Angeles and New York, base milesFirst is 110,000 in Low season, 125,000 in Regular and 140,000 in High. When base-miles seats are gone, Award Ticket PLUS sells seats for more miles.JAL: International Award Ticket required miles (Americas site, updated 8 September 2026) |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | ANA | 30,000 | – | 52,500 | 72,500 | Japan to Western USABooked by calling the Flying Club team.Virgin Atlantic: All Nippon Airways partner page |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | American Airlines | 36,200 | 73,800 | 98,400 | – | Qantas table, zone 6 (4,801 to 5,800 miles)Qantas: Classic Flight Reward tables |
| Lufthansa Miles & More | Star Alliance and other partners | 37,500 | – | 85,000 | 130,000 | North America to Central Asia/Far EastOne way is half the round-trip chart (75,000 / 170,000 / 260,000). Japan is in the Central Asia/Far East region.Miles & More: Award Flight chart (PDF, correct as of 3 March 2026) |
| Emirates Skywards | United | 38,000 | – | 105,000 | – | Zone 8 (5,001 to 6,000 miles)Emirates Skywards: United Airlines partner page |
| Emirates Skywards | Japan Airlines | 38,000 | – | 105,000 | – | Zone 8 (5,001 to 6,000 miles)Emirates Skywards: Japan Airlines partner page |
| Virgin Australia Velocity | United | 42,000 | 64,500 | 87,000 | – | United and Virgin Atlantic table, zone 6 (5,001 to 7,000 miles)The minimum on the most direct route.Velocity Frequent Flyer: Use Points for flights (Reward Seat tables) |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | Singapore Airlines | 42,500 | 80,500 | 114,000 | 132,500 | USA (West Coast) to Japan & South Korea, SaverNonstop flights only. Advantage awards cost 76,500 / 147,500 / 224,500. The chart prints no fixed price from the East Coast.Singapore Airlines: KrisFlyer Saver and Advantage award chart (PDF, from 1 November 2025) |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | Japan Airlines | 43,500 | 85,000 | 108,000 | 155,200 | Partner table, zone 6 (4,801 to 5,800 miles)Qantas: Classic Flight Reward tables |
| Virgin Australia Velocity | ANA | 45,000 | 65,000 | 82,000 | 120,000 | Air Canada, ANA and others table, zone 8 (4,801 to 5,800 miles)The minimum on the most direct route.Velocity Frequent Flyer: Use Points for flights (Reward Seat tables) |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | United | from 45,000 | from 60,000 | from 85,000 | – | North America to Pacific, 5,001 to 7,500 miles, Air Canada and select partnersStarting levels: United is a select partner, priced like Air Canada's own flights, so the points rise at busy times.Aeroplan: Flight Reward Chart (PDF, August 2026) |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | Delta | 49,500 | 90,000 | 130,000 | – | All other routes, 5,001 to 6,000 milesEach flight is priced separately, so a connection adds its own price.Virgin Atlantic: Delta Air Lines partner page |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | ANA and other partners | 50,000 | – | 85,000 | 120,000 | North America to Pacific, 5,001 to 7,500 miles, all other partnersAny partner except Air Canada's select partners, such as United. Priced on the distance flown.Aeroplan: Flight Reward Chart (PDF, August 2026) |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | Star Alliance partners | 56,000 to 62,500 | – | 142,500 | 173,500 | North America to North Asia, Star Alliance chartOne way is half the round-trip chart. The chart doesn't say whether Japan is in North Asia 1 (56,000 in economy) or North Asia 2 (62,500).Singapore Airlines: KrisFlyer Star Alliance award chart (PDF, from 1 November 2025) |
| Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles | Star Alliance and other partners | 75,000 | – | 130,000 | 195,000 | Far East to North America, partner tableJapan is in the Far East region.Turkish Airlines: Miles&Smiles award ticket mileage tables |
| Korean Air SKYPASS | Delta and other SkyTeam airlines | 80,000 | – | 140,000 | – | SkyTeam chart, North America to Korea and JapanA round-trip price: a one-way award costs the same miles.Korean Air: SkyTeam award redemption table |
From the East Coast: New York to Tokyo
One-way prices for New York to Tokyo (6,772 miles), from each program's own chart. Programs that price by distance are shown at the band for this flight. Rows run from the cheapest economy price.
| Program | Flights on | Economy | Premium economy | Business | First | Chart row |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANA Mileage Club | ANA | 20,000 to 36,000 | 31,000 to 50,500 | 50,000 to 82,500 | 75,000 to 150,000 | Japan (Zone 1) to North America (Zone 6), one-way chartLow to High season. One-way awards, bookable since 24 June 2025, cost half the round-trip miles.ANA: International flight awards (US site) |
| ANA Mileage Club | United and other Star Alliance partners | 25,000 | – | 55,000 | – | Japan (Zone 1-A) to North America (Zone 6), partner one-way chartA trip with another flight added, such as a US connection, is Zone 1-B: 27,500 in economy and 58,500 in business.ANA: Partner flight awards (US site) |
| JAL Mileage Bank | Japan Airlines | 27,000 | 40,000 | 55,000 | 110,000 to 140,000 | Los Angeles and New York, base milesFirst is 110,000 in Low season, 125,000 in Regular and 140,000 in High. When base-miles seats are gone, Award Ticket PLUS sells seats for more miles.JAL: International Award Ticket required miles (Americas site, updated 8 September 2026) |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | ANA | 32,500 | – | 60,000 | 85,000 | Japan to Central & Eastern USABooked by calling the Flying Club team.Virgin Atlantic: All Nippon Airways partner page |
| Lufthansa Miles & More | Star Alliance and other partners | 37,500 | – | 85,000 | 130,000 | North America to Central Asia/Far EastOne way is half the round-trip chart (75,000 / 170,000 / 260,000). Japan is in the Central Asia/Far East region.Miles & More: Award Flight chart (PDF, correct as of 3 March 2026) |
| Virgin Australia Velocity | United | 42,000 | 64,500 | 87,000 | – | United and Virgin Atlantic table, zone 6 (5,001 to 7,000 miles)The minimum on the most direct route.Velocity Frequent Flyer: Use Points for flights (Reward Seat tables) |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | American Airlines | 43,200 | 85,300 | 113,900 | – | Qantas table, zone 7 (5,801 to 7,000 miles)Qantas: Classic Flight Reward tables |
| Emirates Skywards | United | 44,000 | – | 125,000 | – | Zone 9 (6,001 to 7,000 miles)Emirates Skywards: United Airlines partner page |
| Emirates Skywards | Japan Airlines | 44,000 | – | 125,000 | – | Zone 9 (6,001 to 7,000 miles)Emirates Skywards: Japan Airlines partner page |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | United | from 45,000 | from 60,000 | from 85,000 | – | North America to Pacific, 5,001 to 7,500 miles, Air Canada and select partnersStarting levels: United is a select partner, priced like Air Canada's own flights, so the points rise at busy times.Aeroplan: Flight Reward Chart (PDF, August 2026) |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | ANA and other partners | 50,000 | – | 85,000 | 120,000 | North America to Pacific, 5,001 to 7,500 miles, all other partnersAny partner except Air Canada's select partners, such as United. Priced on the distance flown.Aeroplan: Flight Reward Chart (PDF, August 2026) |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | Japan Airlines | 51,800 | 98,200 | 125,400 | 179,800 | Partner table, zone 7 (5,801 to 7,000 miles)Qantas: Classic Flight Reward tables |
| Virgin Australia Velocity | ANA | 55,000 | 80,000 | 100,000 | 140,000 | Air Canada, ANA and others table, zone 9 (5,801 to 7,000 miles)The minimum on the most direct route.Velocity Frequent Flyer: Use Points for flights (Reward Seat tables) |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | Star Alliance partners | 56,000 to 62,500 | – | 142,500 | 173,500 | North America to North Asia, Star Alliance chartOne way is half the round-trip chart. The chart doesn't say whether Japan is in North Asia 1 (56,000 in economy) or North Asia 2 (62,500).Singapore Airlines: KrisFlyer Star Alliance award chart (PDF, from 1 November 2025) |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | Delta | 65,500 | 115,000 | 165,000 | – | All other routes, 6,001 miles and overEach flight is priced separately, so a connection adds its own price.Virgin Atlantic: Delta Air Lines partner page |
| Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles | Star Alliance and other partners | 75,000 | – | 130,000 | 195,000 | Far East to North America, partner tableJapan is in the Far East region.Turkish Airlines: Miles&Smiles award ticket mileage tables |
| Korean Air SKYPASS | Delta and other SkyTeam airlines | 80,000 | – | 140,000 | – | SkyTeam chart, North America to Korea and JapanA round-trip price: a one-way award costs the same miles.Korean Air: SkyTeam award redemption table |
What you pay on top of the miles
JAL Mileage Bank
JAL flights between Japan and the US add a fuel surcharge from USD 316.30 and taxes and fees from USD 29.00 per person, one way (as of 1 September 2026; the surcharge is revised every two months).
Source: JAL: International Award Ticket required miles (Americas site, updated 8 September 2026)
ANA Mileage Club
ANA adds its fuel surcharge to award tickets as it does to paid ones. Between Japan and North America it is $352 per flight on itineraries starting outside Japan, for tickets issued from 1 September to 31 October 2026, and it is reset every two months.
Air Canada Aeroplan
Rewards on any airline other than Air Canada carry a C$39 partner booking fee per ticket.
Source: Aeroplan: Flight Reward policy
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
Star Alliance awards add taxes, surcharges and fees, which the chart says start from US$40 on a round trip.
Source: Singapore Airlines: KrisFlyer Star Alliance award chart (PDF, from 1 November 2025)
Awards on Singapore Airlines flights add taxes, charges and fees from US$24.
Source: Singapore Airlines: KrisFlyer Saver and Advantage award chart (PDF, from 1 November 2025)
Lufthansa Miles & More
Every award adds taxes, fees and partner airline surcharges, paid by card. Rebooking a chart-priced award costs EUR 50 per person.
Qantas Frequent Flyer
Taxes, fees and carrier charges are paid in cash on top of the points and quoted at booking.
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Partner rewards carry taxes, fees, charges and carrier-imposed surcharges paid on top of the points, and a date change costs £30 per person.
Source: Virgin Atlantic: Flying Club terms and conditions (from 30 October 2024)
Korean Air SKYPASS
Each SkyTeam award adds taxes and charges of at least USD 5.60.
Emirates Skywards
Taxes, fuel surcharge and other charges on United and Japan Airlines reward flights are paid separately.
Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
Award tickets carry airport taxes and statutory charges, and changes or refunds cost a transaction fee. The award terms mention no fuel surcharge.
Source: Turkish Airlines: Miles&Smiles award travel terms and conditions
Programs that price by date
These programs publish no fixed price for this trip: the miles needed move with the date and the cash fare, so check the program's own search before moving points.
United MileagePlus
United publishes no award chart. Its MileagePlus investor presentation describes award prices that United sets itself, higher on peak days and lower off-peak, so the miles to Japan show only in its search.
Source: United Airlines: MileagePlus investor presentation (PDF, June 2020)
Delta SkyMiles
Delta prints no award chart: prices show by date in its award calendar, and award seats are capacity-controlled.
Source: Delta: Travel with Miles
American Airlines AAdvantage
Awards on American's own flights are priced by date, from as low as 7,500 miles one way on the cheapest routes. Its chart of starting prices from North America loads only in a browser.
Source: American Airlines: AAdvantage awards on American Airlines
Air France-KLM Flying Blue
Flying Blue prints no award chart: Miles buy any available seat on Air France and KLM, one way or return, and starting prices show only in its Miles price estimator.
Source: Air France: Buy a plane ticket with your Flying Blue Miles
JetBlue TrueBlue
JetBlue has no award chart: points for its own flights follow the fare at booking, and partner flights must be paid entirely in points.
Under Blue Sky, TrueBlue points book eligible United flights across United's global network, priced in JetBlue's search.
Source: JetBlue newsroom: Blue Sky takes flight (October 2025)
JetBlue's airline partners page lists United, Condor, Etihad Airways, Icelandair, Qatar Airways, Cape Air and, for redemption only, China Airlines. It doesn't list Japan Airlines, although a JetBlue release in April 2025 announced redemptions on JAL flights.
Source: JetBlue: Airline partners
Charts that only show in the booking tool
These programs do publish prices, but only inside a calculator or booking page we can't quote, so they are left out of the tables rather than filled from other websites.
American Airlines AAdvantage
AAdvantage prices awards on partners, including Japan Airlines, from a one-way chart by region, with Japan and Korea as Asia Region 1. The chart's mile values load only in a browser.
Source: American Airlines: AAdvantage partner airline awards
Alaska Atmos Rewards
Atmos Rewards points book Japan Airlines flights online, but Alaska's award charts page loads only in a browser, so its prices to Japan aren't quoted here.
Source: Alaska Airlines: Atmos Rewards, Japan Airlines partner page
British Airways Club
British Airways says partner flights may be priced differently from its own, by route and distance travelled, but its Reward Flights pages print no distance table.
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
Asia Miles prices awards on Cathay Pacific and partner airlines by the distance zone of each direction, but the award charts its terms point to load only in a browser.
Source: Cathay: membership programme terms and conditions (PDF, from 1 January 2026)
Qatar Airways Privilege Club
Privilege Club prices partner awards by the total flight distance of the itinerary, but its terms print no table, and its calculator shows the Avios only after a search.
Etihad Guest
Etihad Guest prints no chart or starting prices on its Fly with miles page: Promo seats come at fixed, reduced rates, and the miles for other seats show in its Miles Calculator.
Source: Etihad Guest: Fly with miles
Avianca LifeMiles
LifeMiles publishes no award chart: Avianca's help centre sends members to the flight search on lifemiles.com to see how many miles a route needs.
Source: Avianca help centre: redeeming miles on avianca and partner airlines
Getting the miles
Bank points that transfer to a program are the usual way to top up for one of these awards. Transfers can't be reversed, so confirm the seat is bookable first. The full list is on our transfer partners table.
- JAL Mileage Bank: Capital One (4:3), Bilt (1:1), Marriott (3:1)
- ANA Mileage Club: Amex (1:1), Marriott (3:1)
- Air Canada Aeroplan: Chase (1:1), Amex (1:1), Capital One (1:1), Bilt (1:1), Marriott (3:1)
- Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles: Capital One (1:1), Citi (1:1), Bilt (1:1), Marriott (3:1)
- Lufthansa Miles & More: no US bank program transfers in
- Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer: Chase (1:1), Amex (1:1), Capital One (1:1), Citi (1:1), Marriott (3:1)
- Qantas Frequent Flyer: Amex (1:1), Capital One (1:1), Citi (1:1), Marriott (3:1)
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club: Chase (1:1), Amex (1:1), Capital One (1:1), Citi (1:1), Bilt (1:1), Wells Fargo (ratio not stated), Marriott (3:1)
- Virgin Australia Velocity: Marriott (3:1)
- Korean Air SKYPASS: no US bank program transfers in
- Emirates Skywards: Amex (5:4), Capital One (4:3), Citi (1:0.8), Bilt (1:1), Marriott (3:1)
Award flights to Japan FAQ
- What is the cheapest way to fly to Japan in economy with miles?
- The lowest published one-way economy prices are: from the West Coast (Los Angeles to Tokyo), 20,000 ANA Mileage Club miles on ANA; from the East Coast (New York to Tokyo), 20,000 ANA Mileage Club miles on ANA. These come from each program's own award chart, before taxes and carrier charges, and the seat still has to be available as an award. Miles aren't worth the same in every program, so compare what each currency costs you to get.
- What is the cheapest way to fly to Japan in business class with miles?
- The lowest published one-way business class prices are: from the West Coast (Los Angeles to Tokyo), 50,000 ANA Mileage Club miles on ANA; from the East Coast (New York to Tokyo), 50,000 ANA Mileage Club miles on ANA. These come from each program's own award chart, before taxes and carrier charges, and the seat still has to be available as an award. Miles aren't worth the same in every program, so compare what each currency costs you to get.
- What is the cheapest way to fly to Japan in first class with miles?
- The lowest published one-way first class prices are: from the West Coast (Los Angeles to Tokyo), 72,500 Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points on ANA; from the East Coast (New York to Tokyo), 75,000 ANA Mileage Club miles on ANA. These come from each program's own award chart, before taxes and carrier charges, and the seat still has to be available as an award. Miles aren't worth the same in every program, so compare what each currency costs you to get.
- Is a one-way award to Japan half the price of a round trip?
- Usually. JAL prices its own awards one way, and ANA has sold one-way awards at half the round-trip miles since 24 June 2025. Miles & More and KrisFlyer print round-trip partner charts and charge half for one way. Korean Air is the exception: its partner charts are per round trip, and a one-way award deducts the full round-trip miles.
- Do award flights to Japan have fuel surcharges?
- On JAL's and ANA's own flights, yes. JAL lists a fuel surcharge from USD 316.30 one way between Japan and the US (as of 1 September 2026), and ANA charges $352 per flight on itineraries starting outside Japan for tickets issued in September and October 2026. Both airlines reset the amount every two months.
- Can I book ANA first class with Virgin Atlantic points?
- Yes. Virgin Atlantic's ANA chart prices first class between Japan and the western US at 72,500 points one way, and between Japan and the central and eastern US at 85,000. ANA rewards are booked by calling the Flying Club team, not online.
Sources
- JAL: International Award Ticket required miles (Americas site, updated 8 September 2026) · official page
- ANA: International flight awards (US site) · official page
- ANA: Partner flight awards (US site) · official page
- Aeroplan: Flight Reward Chart (PDF, August 2026) · official page
- Turkish Airlines: Miles&Smiles award ticket mileage tables · official page
- Miles & More: Award Flight chart (PDF, correct as of 3 March 2026) · official page
- Singapore Airlines: KrisFlyer Star Alliance award chart (PDF, from 1 November 2025) · official page
- Singapore Airlines: KrisFlyer Saver and Advantage award chart (PDF, from 1 November 2025) · official page
- Qantas: Classic Flight Reward tables · official page
- Virgin Atlantic: All Nippon Airways partner page · official page
- Virgin Atlantic: Delta Air Lines partner page · official page
- Velocity Frequent Flyer: Use Points for flights (Reward Seat tables) · official page
- Korean Air: SkyTeam award redemption table · official page
- Emirates Skywards: United Airlines partner page · official page
- Emirates Skywards: Japan Airlines partner page · official page
- United Airlines: MileagePlus investor presentation (PDF, June 2020) · official page
- Delta: Travel with Miles · official page
- American Airlines: AAdvantage awards on American Airlines · official page
- Air France: Buy a plane ticket with your Flying Blue Miles · official page
- JetBlue: Redeeming points for award travel · official page
- JetBlue newsroom: Blue Sky takes flight (October 2025) · official page
- JetBlue: Airline partners · official page
- American Airlines: AAdvantage partner airline awards · official page
- Alaska Airlines: Atmos Rewards, Japan Airlines partner page · official page
- British Airways: Reward Flights (US page) · official page
- Cathay: membership programme terms and conditions (PDF, from 1 January 2026) · official page
- Qatar Airways: Privilege Club terms and conditions · official page
- Etihad Guest: Fly with miles · official page
- Avianca help centre: redeeming miles on avianca and partner airlines · official page
- ANA: International fuel surcharges · official page
- Aeroplan: Flight Reward policy · official page
- Miles & More: flight award terms and conditions · official page
- Virgin Atlantic: Flying Club terms and conditions (from 30 October 2024) · official page
- Turkish Airlines: Miles&Smiles award travel terms and conditions · official page