How to Best Prepare for Japan Airlines & Cathay Award Changes Now

I used to think booking Business Class seats to Asia with points was just about finding availability.
But then I understood the real game is knowing when airlines quietly change their award charts—before your miles lose value overnight.

Both Japan Airlines and Cathay Pacific—two of the most valuable airline partners in the Oneworld alliance—are adjusting their award charts in 2025. While a few short-haul routes will see slight decreases, the biggest changes hit the long-haul, premium cabins that many families aim for using miles.

These aren’t just cosmetic changes. If you’ve been banking frequent flyer program points through credit cards or looking for great value award tickets for business class or first class, it’s time to revisit your plans. Here’s what’s changing, how it affects travelers based in North America, and what savvy families can do to pivot for maximum value.

Japan Airlines’ New Award Chart: What Families Need to Know

Starting June 10, 2025, Japan Airlines (JAL) is introducing a new award chart that significantly raises the number of miles needed for long-haul flights, especially in premium cabins.

JAL already uses a distance-based award chart with dynamic pricing, so travelers were used to some variation. But this update shifts both the floor and ceiling, making previously affordable first class and business class awards harder to reach. For example:

• First class between North America and Japan will increase from 70,000–100,000 miles to 110,000–140,000 miles one-way
• Business class rises from 50,000 → 55,000 miles
• Premium economy increases from 32,500 → 40,000 miles
• Economy class increases from 25,000 → 27,000 miles

These are the new minimums—actual award prices could be even higher depending on fare class, travel date, and availability. For families dreaming of a once-in-a-lifetime travel experience with lie-flat seats and elegant in-flight dining, this is a clear signal: lock in flights now or expect to pay additional miles later.

Photo Credit: Japan Airlines – The JAL International Award Tickets Chart – Economy, Premium Economy, Business Class on Japan/ North America routes (Before June 10, 2025).

Let’s look at First Class.

Photo Credit: Maria Fung – First Class on the A350-1000 is their newest premium product. Award redemptions currently start at 70K–100K miles but will increase to 110K–140K starting June 10.

Further Reading: Japan Airlines’ New A350 First Class From London To Tokyo: An Unforgettable Journey Of Luxury & Style!

Cathay Pacific Also Moves to Higher Award Pricing

Just one day after Japan Airlines’ update, Cathay Pacific confirmed changes to their Asia Miles awards, starting April 15, 2025. But instead of releasing a clear current award chart, Cathay quietly removed theirs from their website—leaving only scattered updates to their award redemption page. Here’s what we know so far:

• Cathay Pacific flights from the West Coast (e.g. San Francisco) to Hong Kong in business class will increase from 84,000 to 88,000 miles
• From the East Coast (e.g. New York) to Hong Kong: 110,000 → 115,000 miles
• Short-haul flights like Hong Kong–Tokyo or Bali in economy class will go up slightly (12,500 → 13,000 miles)
• Some routes, like Taipei–Hong Kong, will drop from 7,500 → 7,000 miles

Flight Distance (mi)	Example Routes from Hong Kong	Economy Class	Premium Economy	Business Class	First Class
1–750	Taipei / Kaohsiung / Haikou	7,500 7,000	11,000 (TBD)	16,000 (TBD)	Not Applicable
751–2,750 (Zone 1)	Seoul / Singapore / Kuala Lumpur	10,000 9,000	20,000 (TBD)	28,000 (TBD)	43,000 (TBD)
751–2,750 (Zone 2)	Tokyo / Osaka / Sapporo	12,500 13,000	23,000 (TBD)	32,000 (TBD)	50,000 (TBD)
2,751–5,000	Sydney / Dubai	20,000 (TBD)	38,000 (TBD)	55,000 (TBD)	80,000 (TBD)
5,001–7,500	London / Paris / Los Angeles	27,000 (TBD)	50,000 (TBD)	84,000 88,000	125,000 (TBD)
7,501+	New York / Boston / Toronto	38,000 (TBD)	75,000 (TBD)	110,000 115,000	160,000 (TBD)

Notes:

• Values that are crossed out (e.g., 7,500) have been updated to a new value (e.g., 7,000).
• “TBD” = To Be Determined / Not Yet Updated at the moment.

However, the biggest impact isn’t just pricing—it’s award seat availability. Cathay is increasingly restricting access to award space, especially for bookings made with partner airlines like Alaska or American Airlines. That means even if you’ve built up a stash of AAdvantage or Mileage Plan miles, you may struggle to find eligible flights through partners.

What This Means for Families in North America

Even after the changes, Japan Airlines’ award prices remain slightly lower than what you’d find through most frequent flyer programs across Oneworld—especially when booking premium cabins.

Let’s break down the numbers with two comparisons: (1) award flights from North America to Japan on Oneworld airlines, and (2) award flights from North America to Hong Kong.

1] North America to Japan on Oneworld Airlines;

If you’re looking to book award flights between North America and Japan, here’s how the newly updated Japan Airlines pricing stacks up against other Oneworld partner airlines. This comparison focuses on one-way redemptions using miles:

Economy Class

• Japan Airlines (post-devaluation): from 27,000 miles
• Alaska Airlines: 30,000 miles
• American Airlines AAdvantage: 35,000 miles

Premium Economy

• Japan Airlines: from 40,000 miles
• Alaska Airlines: 50,000 miles
• American Airlines: 45,000 miles

Business Class

• Japan Airlines: from 55,000 miles
• Alaska Airlines: 70,000 miles
• American Airlines: 60,000 miles

First Class

• Japan Airlines: from 110,000 miles
• Other partner airlines: very limited or unavailable for this route

However, there’s a catch:

JAL only releases award seat availability at the very start of its booking window, which means travelers using Alaska or American Airlines miles may not see seats available at the right time. Both programs have shorter booking windows than JAL itself, which limits your access to those award seats.

If your family wants to fly Japan Airlines in Business or First Class—especially over peak seasons—Cathay Pacific’s Asia Miles and JAL Mileage Bank are still the most reliable programs to use.

That said, there are two important caveats:

• Cathay Pacific is expected to adjust its own partner award pricing on long-haul routes. If that happens, we may lose one of the best remaining sweet spots for transpacific award redemptions.
• Earning JAL miles remains a challenge for North America–based travelers. Outside of a co-branded credit card and Marriott Bonvoy point transfers, it’s difficult to earn directly into JAL’s frequent flyer program.

2] Award Flights: North America to Hong Kong

Business Class (One-Way):

• Cathay Pacific (Asia Miles):
  • West Coast (e.g. San Francisco): 88,000 miles
  • East Coast (e.g. New York): 115,000 miles
• Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan: from 75,000 miles
• American Airlines AAdvantage: from 75,000 miles

At first glance, the award prices through partner airlines like Alaska or American look more attractive. But there’s a bigger story behind the numbers.

Award window:

Japan Airlines and Cathay Pacific tends to release award space far in advance (360 days) —but primarily to its own loyalty program members. For families using Asia Miles (especially through a transfer partner like Amex, Citi, Capital One, or Bilt), this gives a clear booking advantage over those relying on Alaska Airlines or American Airlines AAdvantage, which have shorter booking windows (331 days) and more limited partner access.

Member exclusivity:

Cathay appears to be following a similar strategy to EVA Air—reserving more premium cabin award seats for its own members, and reducing availability to outside programs. This shift makes it increasingly important for families to earn directly into Asia Miles, rather than assuming partner redemptions will remain as accessible as they have in the past.

It’s not all bad news. Both Cathay Asia Miles and JAL Mileage Bank still offer opportunities—if you plan ahead, understand their frequent flyer program rules, and build your strategy around flexible transferable points.

First, if you’ve already saved enough for your dream trip in business or first class, book now. For Japan Airlines, redemptions locked in before June 10 will honor the current award chart. The same goes for Cathay Pacific before April 15.

Second, remember that both Japan Airlines (JL) and Cathay Pacific (CX) typically release award space far much earlier than the other frequent flyer programs. So the best seats go to families who plan early.

Third, be mindful of award seat release patterns. If you’re using American Airlines AAdvantage or Alaska Airlines to book JAL or Cathay flights, you may find fewer seats available. In contrast, Cathay members and JAL Mileage Bank members often get access to more inventory.

That brings us to a key point: earning the right miles in the right frequent flyer program matters more than ever.

My family will be flying both Japan Airlines and Cathay Pacific in business class during the upcoming winter school breaks—and yes, it took some strategy. I break down exactly why I chose the Cathay Pacific and JAL programs over AA, AS, and even BA for early-access award seats, and how I found and booked them. These same tactics will become even more important as the new award charts roll out.

Related reading: My Insider’s Strategy: Unlock Award Tickets To Asia During Peak Seasons

Related reading: How To Prepare Winter 2025 Award Bookings

How to Earn Japan Airlines and Cathay Pacific Miles from North America

Let’s talk strategy.

Japan Airlines miles are harder to earn in North America. There’s a JAL-branded credit card that offers 1 mile per dollar and a 10,000-mile welcome bonus. But most families will benefit more by transferring from Marriott Bonvoy.

Here’s how the transfer works: Marriott points convert to JAL at a 3:1 transfer ratio, with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points. So 150,000 Bonvoy points = ~64,000 JAL miles. The value might sound bad—but this method can actually offer solid value when you’re aiming for multiple Business or First Class tickets on Japan Airlines during peak seasons. I recently transferred Marriott Bonvoy points to JAL Mileage Bank to secure Business Class award seats right when the calendar opened. Here’s why I made that move—and how it played out.

Top cards for this strategy include:

• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy (155K pts welcome bonus)
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant (185K pts = ~77K JAL miles)
• Marriott Bonvoy Business (150K pts = ~62K JAL miles)

Meanwhile, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles are far easier to collect. Cathay is a transfer partner of all major U.S. flexible currencies: Amex Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, Capital One Miles, Bilt, and even Brex. That means many families are already earning toward Asia Miles without realizing it. Earning flexible points give you the freedom to adapt as award charts evolve—whether that’s shifting your loyalty to Qatar Airways, British Airways, or even trying Oneworld multi-carrier awards for more creative routing.

Recommended cards that deliver bonus miles and flexibility:

• Capital One Venture X
• Capital One Venture X Business
• American Express Business Gold
• Citi Strata Premier Card

Final Thoughts: Strategy Over Stress

Yes, this is what some would call bad news. But it’s also a reminder: families who plan ahead and stay actively aware of award changes still have a clear advantage. Whether you’re eyeing Cathay Pacific-operated flights from San Francisco or Japan Airlines first class for a future world trip, the best defense is a good strategy: earn broadly, book early, and know how each airline loyalty program behaves. I’ll keep tracking updates to award availability, fare classes, and sweet spots across Oneworld to help you get the most out of your points—even as airlines shift the game.

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