Airline passengers in the United States have a new option for booking flights to Japan using frequent flier miles.
JetBlue announced on Wednesday that its TrueBlue points would be redeemable for qualifying flights operated by Japan Airlines, effective immediately. The new redemption option marks the first time ever that JetBlue passengers can use their points to purchase flights with an airline partner in East Asia.
TrueBlue members can book Japan Airlines redemption flights directly on JetBlue’s website starting April 23. Among the destinations available in Japan are Tokyo, Osaka, Okinawa, and Hokkaido. With the new partnership, members of Japan Airlines’ JAL Mileage Bank program can also redeem miles for JetBlue flights throughout North America, including destinations in Canada, the Caribbean, Latin America, and the East Coast of the U.S.
“We’re delighted to announce our newest mileage partnership with JetBlue, a leading carrier based in New York,” said Yasushi Omori, executive officer, senior vice president of mileage and lifestyle business, Japan Airlines. “This partnership will enable JAL to enhance its network beyond New York and Boston, where direct flights from Japan are available.”
Japan Airlines is beloved by many international fliers for its comfortable seats and in-flight amenities. Since 2024, the Tokyo-based carrier has been rolling out impressive new seats across all of its cabin classes. The carrier’s new first and business class suites on its Airbus A350-1000 planes are among the most opulent in the airline industry, with features like wide sofa-style seats that fold down into double-size beds. Those aircraft fly daily from Tokyo Haneda International Airport (HND) to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW).
Japan is one of the leading international destinations for American tourists. In fact, a record-breaking 2.7 million Americans visited Japan in 2024, a 33 percent increase over 2023’s U.S. tourist numbers, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
