Going to Japan? Book some domestic 'Class J' for cheap ($1.36!) QFF SCs

[moa999]

Above confirmed

 

[sudoer]

Can anyone confirm this earning rate as I am going to Japan in October. If these rates are correct I will easily retain platinum

Hi Perthlad. I personally flew on some of these routes earlier this month. See below snippet from my activity statement..

 

[Perthlad]

Hi Sorb90.

so you flew J class and got those status credits. Thanks heaps buddy

 

[sudoer]

Yup, they were in Class J at similar prices to what I listed in the first post.

 

[Perthlad]

May sound stupid but class j is business class hey? If so was it a good flight

 

[sudoer]

It is JAL's domestic Business class, but it's closer to what we'd associate with Premium Economy. At only $10 more than economy you can't really complain though As mentioned earlier, First is available on some routes for $80 extra.

I want to post some links to JAL's English website but I still haven't hit 10 posts!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

May sound stupid but class j is business class hey? If so was it a good flight

no... you can google 'class J' to get some pictures, but essentially it is a premium economy seat, with economy class service (which may be as little as a drink in a paper cup).

it's a slightly wider seat with more legroom to make the otherwise fairly tightly packed and high density flights a bit more bearable.

the surcharge for a class J seat is also around $10 per sector (JPY1000).

for 'luxury' you need a flight on one of JALs 777s with a domestic first class cabin. that'll get you a snack/meal and a quite nice big recliner chair.

 

[Deleted member]

Yep. Well done sbor90

 

[smit0847]

Flight number is JTA (NOT! JAL) for Okinawa - Ishigaki.

Can anyone confirm that these flights are eligible for SC on QF??

Im doing this exact flight later this year!

 

[Cool Cat Phil]

One domestic route that you'll find JAL's First class is the Sapporo > Tokyo Haneda sector.

A wonderful First class JAL provides too!

 

[sudoer]

Added some more routes to the first post including a few Y class flights between the Ryukyu Islands which get reasonable yen/SC rates due to how cheap the base fares are.

There are two patterns I've noticed in finding the best rates: either go for really short flights which would likely be competing with rail/ferry, or go for flights just above 250 miles to get into the 40SC bracket. Haneda-Itami is very conveniently 251 miles. If anyone wanted to do a hardcore day-run, you could fit in four HND-ITM returns earning 320SCs.

On Sunday 18th Oct for example, this works out to 94320 yen ($993) or $3.10/SC.

Example itinerary ...

[TABLE="width: 400"]
[TR]
[TD]Flight#[/TD]
[TD]Route[/TD]
[TD]Dep[/TD]
[TD]Arr[/TD]
[TD]SC[/TD]
[TD]Fare[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]JAL101[/TD]
[TD]HND-ITM[/TD]
[TD]06:30[/TD]
[TD]07:35[/TD]
[TD]40[/TD]
[TD]10190[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]JAL106[/TD]
[TD]ITM-HND[/TD]
[TD]08:30[/TD]
[TD]09:40[/TD]
[TD]40[/TD]
[TD]10690[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]JAL113[/TD]
[TD]HND-ITM[/TD]
[TD]10:30[/TD]
[TD]11:40[/TD]
[TD]40[/TD]
[TD]11690[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]JAL116[/TD]
[TD]ITM-HND[/TD]
[TD]12:30[/TD]
[TD]13:40[/TD]
[TD]40[/TD]
[TD]10690[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]JAL121[/TD]
[TD]HND-ITM[/TD]
[TD]14:30[/TD]
[TD]15:35[/TD]
[TD]40[/TD]
[TD]10790[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]JAL126[/TD]
[TD]ITM-HND[/TD]
[TD]16:30[/TD]
[TD]17:40[/TD]
[TD]40[/TD]
[TD]13090[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]JAL133[/TD]
[TD]HND-ITM[/TD]
[TD]18:30[/TD]
[TD]19:35[/TD]
[TD]40[/TD]
[TD]13590[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]JAL138[/TD]
[TD]ITM-HND[/TD]
[TD]20:20[/TD]
[TD]21:30[/TD]
[TD]40[/TD]
[TD]13590[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

[sudoer]

<empty 10th post, so I can add links!>

 

[yohy?!]

Added some more routes to the first post including a few Y class flights between the Ryukyu Islands which get reasonable yen/SC rates due to how cheap the base fares are.

There are two patterns I've noticed in finding the best rates: either go for really short flights which would likely be competing with rail/ferry, or go for flights just above 250 miles to get into the 40SC bracket. Haneda-Itami is very conveniently 251 miles. If anyone wanted to do a hardcore day-run, you could fit in four HND-ITM returns earning 320SCs.

On Sunday 18th Oct for example, this works out to 94320 yen ($993) or $3.10/SC.

Example itinerary ...

[TABLE="width: 400"]
[TR]
[TD]Flight#[/TD]
[TD]Route[/TD]
[TD]Dep[/TD]
[TD]Arr[/TD]
[TD]SC[/TD]
[TD]Fare[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]JAL101[/TD]
[TD]HND-ITM[/TD]
[TD]06:30[/TD]
[TD]07:35[/TD]
[TD]40[/TD]
[TD]10190[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]JAL106[/TD]
[TD]ITM-HND[/TD]
[TD]08:30[/TD]
[TD]09:40[/TD]
[TD]40[/TD]
[TD]10690[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]JAL113[/TD]
[TD]HND-ITM[/TD]
[TD]10:30[/TD]
[TD]11:40[/TD]
[TD]40[/TD]
[TD]11690[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]JAL116[/TD]
[TD]ITM-HND[/TD]
[TD]12:30[/TD]
[TD]13:40[/TD]
[TD]40[/TD]
[TD]10690[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]JAL121[/TD]
[TD]HND-ITM[/TD]
[TD]14:30[/TD]
[TD]15:35[/TD]
[TD]40[/TD]
[TD]10790[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]JAL126[/TD]
[TD]ITM-HND[/TD]
[TD]16:30[/TD]
[TD]17:40[/TD]
[TD]40[/TD]
[TD]13090[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]JAL133[/TD]
[TD]HND-ITM[/TD]
[TD]18:30[/TD]
[TD]19:35[/TD]
[TD]40[/TD]
[TD]13590[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]JAL138[/TD]
[TD]ITM-HND[/TD]
[TD]20:20[/TD]
[TD]21:30[/TD]
[TD]40[/TD]
[TD]13590[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Have seen this run done by others before it is doable but very intense - try marrying it with an international itinerary at the start and finish for try MR-Warrior status!

 

[sudoer]

If going for 240SCs, two HND-OKA returns can be done on the same day with a better SC earn rate and a nice 3 hour lunch break at HND (but remember, no lounge access included with these fares so will need to be SG for Sakura or WP+ for Diamond Premier Lounges).

[TABLE="width: 400"]
[TR]
[TD]Flight#[/TD]
[TD]Route[/TD]
[TD]Dep[/TD]
[TD]Arr[/TD]
[TD]SC[/TD]
[TD]Fare[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]JAL901[/TD]
[TD]HND-OKA[/TD]
[TD]06:25[/TD]
[TD]09:00[/TD]
[TD]60[/TD]
[TD]17950[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]JAL106[/TD]
[TD]OKA-HND[/TD]
[TD]09:55[/TD]
[TD]12:15[/TD]
[TD]60[/TD]
[TD]14890[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]JAL113[/TD]
[TD]HND-OKA[/TD]
[TD]15:05[/TD]
[TD]17:40[/TD]
[TD]60[/TD]
[TD]14890[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]JAL116[/TD]
[TD]OKA-HND[/TD]
[TD]19:40[/TD]
[TD]22:00[/TD]
[TD]60[/TD]
[TD]20890[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Comes to 68620 yen ($722) = $3.00/SC

 

[teamhamsandwich]

Hello Japan Status Run!

 

[gogo419]

If going for 240SCs, two HND-OKA returns can be done on the same day with a better SC earn rate and a nice 3 hour lunch break at HND (but remember, no lounge access included with these fares so will need to be SG for Sakura or WP+ for Diamond Premier Lounges).

[TABLE="width: 400"]
[TR]
[TD]Flight#[/TD]
[TD]Route[/TD]
[TD]Dep[/TD]
[TD]Arr[/TD]
[TD]SC[/TD]
[TD]Fare[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]JAL901[/TD]
[TD]HND-OKA[/TD]
[TD]06:25[/TD]
[TD]09:00[/TD]
[TD]60[/TD]
[TD]17950[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]JAL106[/TD]
[TD]OKA-HND[/TD]
[TD]09:55[/TD]
[TD]12:15[/TD]
[TD]60[/TD]
[TD]14890[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]JAL113[/TD]
[TD]HND-OKA[/TD]
[TD]15:05[/TD]
[TD]17:40[/TD]
[TD]60[/TD]
[TD]14890[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]JAL116[/TD]
[TD]OKA-HND[/TD]
[TD]19:40[/TD]
[TD]22:00[/TD]
[TD]60[/TD]
[TD]20890[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Comes to 68620 yen ($722) = $3.00/SC

With a bit of luck. The Yen will hopefully keep sliding down against AUD and it will be even cheaper later in the year...

 

[Dino84]

I've got a HND-OKA flight booked for next month, it sure is a good little SC earner. Will be my first 777 flight too so I'm definitely looking forward to it.

Scott

 

[sudoer]

I've got a HND-OKA flight booked for next month, it sure is a good little SC earner. Will be my first 777 flight too so I'm definitely looking forward to it.

Get an OKA-ISG return in there if you can! Ishigaki isn't too bad a destination either

 

[gogo419]

Has anyone booked a JAL Airpass and then upgraded at the airport? Did you get SC for Y? Or J? And what was the cost?

cheers gogo

 

[blu]

Has anyone booked a JAL Airpass and then upgraded at the airport? Did you get SC for Y? Or J? And what was the cost?

cheers gogo

Yes, used to do it annually before JQ Japan commenced. Always was only Y1,000 at checkin counter - not online and attracted J SC's.
At Asahikawa, we were first in line for the remaining two ClassJ seats. So, it's a bit of a gamble with the AirPass.
I wasn't aware you could book ClassJ online with an Advance Purchase Fare - might have to try that. JAL MB members probably grab most ClassJ online before departure day.