Within the newest devaluation of award program candy spots, Alaska Mileage Plan has elevated the price of redeeming miles for Japan Airlines First Class flights. With out warning, one of many program’s finest candy spots has elevated by as much as 43%.
This unlucky information comes scorching off the heels of two different latest program devaluations, which is definitely a troublesome capsule to swallow.
Alaska Mileage Plan Will increase Japan Airways First Class Pricing
Late final 12 months, Alaska Mileage Plan made some changes to its award charts by integrating the pricing for all associate airways right into a single chart, fairly than having separate charts for every airline.
Essentially the most regarding a part of the chart restructuring was the presence of “Ranging from” on the high of the award columns. Many Alaska miles collectors have been involved that this left the door large open for this system to cost extra for a similar routes with out giving any warning.
It seems that that is precisely what has occurred, at the very least with premium flights with Japan Airways to date.
Till now, a one-way flight in First Class between North America and Japan would price 70,000 Alaska miles.
Now, the fee seems to has risen to 85,000 Alaska miles for flights departing from the West Coast, which is a 21% improve.
From the East Coast, it will get even worse, as the fee has now risen to 100,000 Alaska miles, representing a 43% improve.
For flights between Tokyo and Chicago, the fee has additionally risen to 100,000 miles.
If you happen to look carefully on the above picture, you’ll discover that Japan Airways enterprise class is now pricing out at 80,000 miles, which is up from 60,000 miles. It is a rise of 33% in comparison with the earlier pricing.
From the West Coast, enterprise class flights seem to nonetheless value out at 60,000 miles, as was the case prior to now.
It seems that flights from the West Coast to Japan in enterprise class have been left spared from this devaluation, at the very least for now.
We’ll be monitoring this improvement carefully within the coming days.
Cathay Pacific First Class Unchanged (For Now…)
One of many different finest makes use of of Alaska miles is to redeem for Cathay Pacific First Class.
Traditionally, flights between North America and Hong Kong have priced out at 70,000 miles. Thankfully, it seems that that is nonetheless the case, as demonstrated by First Class flights nonetheless pricing at 70,000 miles between Hong Kong and Europe.
If you happen to’ve had your eye on utilizing your Alaska miles for a First Class flight with Cathay Pacific, it will be finest to burn your miles earlier than later earlier than some other potential modifications to this system happen.
As we’ve simply seen with the rise to Japan Airways First Class, the fee can improve at any time, which is certainly fairly troubling.
Conclusion
Alaska Mileage Plan has quietly elevated the price of Japan Airlines First Class redemptions by as much as 43%. There was no warning concerning the devaluation, and it comes within the wake of changes to the Mileage Plan award charts on the finish of 2022.
It’s very unlucky that what folks feared most concerning the new award charts has occurred. With the introduction of “Ranging from” to the award charts, the door is large open for different modifications with none prior discover.
If there’s any excellent news to come back from this, it’s that the pricing for Cathay Pacific First Class flights stays unscathed, and the fee to fly from the West Coast to Japan in Japan Airways enterprise class additionally has not but been elevated.
With the latest increase to the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club sweet spot for ANA First Class, flying in fashion to Japan has simply change into costlier.
