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We could list plenty of reasons why Japan is an incredible place to visit. But to save you the time — and give you the encouragement to experience it for yourself — we'll jump right to the best ways to get to the country's most accessible metropolis: Tokyo.
Here are the five best points and miles currencies to get to Tokyo, Japan.
The Best Points and Miles for Free (or Nearly Free) Flights to Tokyo
Tokyo can be accessed by two major international airports: Narita (NRT) and Haneda (HND). The main difference between the two is that Haneda is closer to all the action — the city center — and Narita is a bit of a trek.
Major airlines like ANA, Japan Airlines, American Airlines, and more serve both airports, so you'll want to pay attention to the three-letter code attached to your itinerary. Otherwise, you might be in for a surprise when you touch down in Tokyo and have to hop on a long-ish train ride to Tokyo proper.
For simplicity, booking engines will often let you search “TYO” for “all Tokyo airports,” which is a helpful tidbit to keep in your back pocket the next time you look for a flight there.
And before we trek further, we'll set the stage by saying that the five points and miles types we're about to mention aren't the only currencies you can use to get to Tokyo. You can surely use other programs, but the following five sit at the cross-section of being easy to accrue and offering a great deal on the transpacific flight.
Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards
Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards are one of our favorite ways to book flights to Tokyo. But to maximize your points, you'll have to get creative with your departure airport.
Atmos Rewards publishes a specific chart for flights from North America to the Asia-Pacific region. You can find a truncated version of the Asia-Pacific award chart below.
| Distance (miles) | Economy (starting at) | Premium Economy (starting at) | Business (starting at) | First (starting at) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,001–5,000 | 30,000 | 40,000 | 60,000 | 90,000 |
| 5,001–7,000 | 37,500 | 50,000 | 75,000 | 110,000 |
| 7,001–10,000 | 42,500 | 55,000 | 85,000 | 130,000 |
| 10,000 and above | 65,000 | 85,000 | 130,000 | 195,000 |
However, a perk of flying Alaska's fellow Oneworld member, Japan Airlines, out of Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Chicago (ORD), or New York (JFK) — and possibly other airports, depending on scheduling — is that JAL offers first class on these routes. These aspirational awards cost 110,000 points plus taxes and fees.
Alaska Airlines has Bilt Rewards as a transfer partner, at a 1:1 ratio. You can also transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to Atmos Rewards at a 3:1 ratio, including a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points transferred at once.
You can also earn enough points for a trip to Tokyo after earning a signup bonus on the Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® card. As a new applicant, you can earn 70,000 bonus miles + $99 Companion Fare (plus taxes and fees from $23) after spending $2,500 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.
- Earn unlimited 3 miles for every $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases
- Earn unlimited 2 miles for every $1 spent on eligible gas, EV charging stations, cable, streaming services and local transit (including ride share) purchases
- Earn unlimited 1 mile for every $1 spent on all other eligible purchases
American Airlines AAdvantage®
American Airlines AAdvantage miles are one of the most versatile airline currencies you can earn. And for flights from the U.S. to Japan in particular, AA miles can help you secure a great deal.
American belongs to the Oneworld alliance alongside Japan Airlines. So, you can use AAdvantage miles to book flights to Tokyo on either AA or JAL.
JAL award pricing starts at the following rates — no matter where you depart from in the lower 48:
- Economy: 35,000 miles
- Premium Economy: 50,000 miles
- Business: 60,000 miles
- First: 80,000 miles
Just note that American Airlines has started pricing certain connecting flights higher than the starting rates listed above. So, stick to nonstop flights when possible.
Japan Airlines is a great option for using AA miles to Japan in all classes above economy. Sure, premium cabin availability on JAL is harder to come by, but it's still prevalent enough that you can find a bookable seat or two with a little digging. Keeping a tool like Seats.aero in your back pocket is another way to scout these awards without searching through all of American Airlines' award calendar.
Start in Hawaii
Flying from Hawaii to Tokyo on JAL will give you a marginally better deal. Rates for JAL awards from the islands to Tokyo start at:
- Economy: 32,500 miles
- Premium Economy: 42,500 miles
- Business: 52,500 miles
American Airlines has several co-branded credit cards offering big sign-up bonuses for new applicants. On several products, you can secure the miles necessary to book a trip to Tokyo after meeting the minimum spending requirement.
You can also transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to AA at a 3:1 ratio, but these transfers don't carry the 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points you transfer like you'll find with other airlines.
With these perks, it's easy to justify the annual fee of $99, waived for first 12 months.
- Free checked bags for you and up to 4 companions on domestic itineraries
- Priority boarding to help you win the race for overhead bin space
- A 25% discount on inflight food, beverage, and Wi-Fi purchases
- Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent at restaurants
- Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent at gas stations
- Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
- Earn 1X mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases
ANA Mileage Club
ANA Mileage Club is quirky and sometimes hard to use, but it's a great option for using miles for flights to Tokyo. ANA Mileage Club historically required round-trip award bookings, but that changed in June 2025. Members can now book one-way awards on both ANA-operated international flights and partner airlines.
You'll have to deal with seasonality and fuel surcharges, but ANA awards can still be competitive. However, availability on ANA metal from the lower 48 can be hit or miss.
Star Alliance partners like United Airlines will generally have better availability through ANA. There's no seasonality with partner awards, as you'll pay 50,000 miles for a round-trip economy award, 110,000 for business class, or 170,000 miles for first class. These rates are a steal compared to what you'd otherwise pay through United MileagePlus.
ANA Mileage Club is accessible through two transferable point programs: American Express Membership Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy. Despite the short list of partner programs, several ways exist to earn both Membership Rewards and Bonvoy points. The best place to start is signing up for a Membership Rewards-earning credit card or one of the many Marriott credit cards.
Presently, the Platinum Card® offers new applicants as high as 175,000 points after you spend $12,000 on eligible purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership (apply and find out your offer, welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer).
(Terms apply)
- You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $12,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you're approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount - all with no credit score impact. If you're approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Get more for your travels with 5X Membership Rewards® points on all flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel®, including Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings. You earn 5X points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
- With over 1,550 airport lounges - more than any other credit card company on the market* - enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection, over $850 of annual value, with access to Centurion Lounges, 10 Delta Sky Club visits (subject to visit limitations) when flying on an eligible Delta flight, Priority Pass™ membership (enrollment required), and other select partner lounges. *As of 01/2026
- $200 Uber Cash + $120 Uber One Credit: With the Platinum Card® you can receive $15 in Uber Cash each month plus a bonus $20 in December when you add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to use on rides and orders in the U.S when you select an Amex Card for your transaction. Plus, when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership, you can get up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year. Terms apply.
- $300 Digital Entertainment Credit: Experience the latest shows, news and recipes. Get up to $25 in statement credits each month when you use your Platinum Card® for eligible purchases on Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN streaming services, Hulu, The New York Times, Paramount+, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal, YouTube Premium, and YouTube TV when you purchase directly from one or more of the providers. Enrollment required.
- $600 Hotel Credit: Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection* bookings through American Express Travel® using the Platinum Card®. *The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- $400 Resy Credit + Platinum Nights™ by Resy: Get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for eligible purchases with Resy, including dining purchases at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants. Enrollment required. As a Platinum Card® Member you have special access to reservations on select nights at participating sought after Resy restaurants in select cities through Platinum Nights™ by Resy. Simply add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile to book your reservation.
- $219 CLEAR+ Credit: CLEAR+ helps get you to your gate faster by using your face to verify you are you at 55+ airports nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR+ Membership* with up to $219 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR+ with your Platinum Card®. *Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to the Platinum Card® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
- Start your vacation sooner and keep it going longer. When you book Fine Hotels + Resorts® through American Express Travel®, enjoy noon check-in, when available, and guaranteed 4PM late check-out.
- $300 lululemon Credit: Enjoy up to $75 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® for eligible purchases at U.S. lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) and lululemon.com. That's up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year. Enrollment required.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Get up to a $12.95* statement credit back each month after you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Platinum Card®. *Up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes on one membership fee.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- $895 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
- Earn 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year).
- Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
- Earn 5X points on Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings.
JAL Mileage Bank
Japan Airlines Mileage Bank has emerged as a popular option over the past year as it began partnering with major programs with transferable currencies in the U.S. While you can book JAL flights through partners, you can often find better availability when booking directly through JAL. You'll also be able to snag seats 360 days in advance, as opposed to programs like AAdvantage, where you can only book 331 days in advance.
To earn JAL miles, you can transfer Bilt Points at a 1:1 ratio or Capital One miles at a 4:3 ratio. Like other programs, you can also transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to JAL at a 3:1 ratio.
JAL has a published award chart. North America flights can be booked for as low as the following:
| North America to/from Japan | Miles starting at: |
|---|---|
| Economy | 27,000 |
| Premium Economy | 40,000 |
| Business Class | 55,000 |
| First Class | 110,000–140,000 |
Note that while these Saver awards (JAL refers to these as base miles) for Business and First can be juicy, they can be quite hard to snag, often requiring you to book extremely far out in advance.
Related: Japan Airlines Miles Expiration Guide: Managing JAL's Inflexible Expiration Policy
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
U.K.-based Virgin Atlantic is a SkyTeam member rather than Star Alliance, but Flying Club members can still redeem points on ANA flights from the U.S. to Japan. That's a big deal for a few reasons. Virgin Atlantic has fantastic rates for ANA flights (despite the May 2024 devaluation) — including in business and first class — and Flying Club points are easy to earn.
However, these awards aren't bookable online; you'll have to call Virgin Atlantic Flying Club at 800-365-9500 after identifying award space. But there lies one challenge: identifying award space.
United's award search calendar is the most rudimentary way to find ANA award space. Seats.aero is perhaps a better alternative, even featuring a dedicated “ANA First Class Finder” tool to help you quickly locate the airline's best seats. And after you find a seat for sale with points, call Virgin and confirm the space before initiating your transfer.
After everything checks out, Virgin Atlantic will charge you one of the following prices (priced one way):
Booking a one-way ANA business-class ticket from the U.S. for 60,000 Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points, or Hawaii for 37,500 points plus taxes and fees is undoubtedly hard to beat. Even better, Virgin Points are some of the easiest to earn, courtesy of its bevy of transferable rewards program partners.
With this extensive list of partner programs, you can choose the best ways to earn Virgin Points. Signup bonuses (and, by extension, the number of Virgin Points you'll get after transferring) may vary over time, but one consistently good way to rack up Flying Club points is with the Citi Strata Premier® Card.
As a new applicant for the Citi Strata Premier, you'll bank 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
- Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
- Earn 10 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
- Earn 3 Points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- $100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking.
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
- 10X on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked through CitiTravel.com
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Restaurants
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Supermarkets
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Gas and EV Charging Stations
- 1X – Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on All Other Purchases
Final Thoughts
Tokyo, Japan, is a fascinating place. And while this might be a biased opinion, it's more than worth visiting and exploring. While cash rates to get to Tokyo (especially in premium cabins) are surely expensive, points and miles allow you to get there for free or nearly free. Even better, most of the programs offering the best deals to Tokyo are widely accessible from several transfer partners. In other words, that trip to Tokyo might be closer than you think.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: American Express Platinum Card® (Rates & Fees), and Citi Strata Premier® Card (Rates & Fees)
