reward flights to Japan sep2026

[Clive005]

Hi all I am hoping to get some guidance for reward flights to Japan in sep2026, I am looking for 3 seats in J, preferably direct from Australia, I am based in Adelaide but happy to leave from anywhere in Aus, I have had a quick look but don't seem to be able to find many available (using earlier dates as a test of availability) except jet star and would rather a better J experience, I have plenty of Velocity points and some Qantas
any advice appreciated

Clive

 

[Forg]

How much closer to now did you check?
I think what you probably need to know, from those who have a clue (unlike me), is when you'd see a release of award fares for the relevant airlines for a Sep 2026 flight ... ? As I think you're thinking, 'tis prolly a wee bit early.

Speaking of airlines ... do you care about needing to stop along the way? Because if you want direct you prolly need to look at either Japan or Australia based airlines ... which is JAL, Qantas, Jetstar or ANA. I don't know if ANA has any agreements with VA (but ANA is Star Alliance if that makes any difference).
I know you'd prefer "full J" rather than Jestar J, but if you do end-up considering Jetstar J then I guess be aware that the JAL & ANA Premium Economy fares include J lounge access (well - they did a year or two ago - I assume they still do), and from memory daytime flights were possible on both as well (so lie-flat doesn't get you THAT much).

 

[Clive005]

How much closer to now did you check?
I think what you probably need to know, from those who have a clue (unlike me), is when you'd see a release of award fares for the relevant airlines for a Sep 2026 flight ... ? As I think you're thinking, 'tis prolly a wee bit early.

Speaking of airlines ... do you care about needing to stop along the way? Because if you want direct you prolly need to look at either Japan or Australia based airlines ... which is JAL, Qantas, Jetstar or ANA. I don't know if ANA has any agreements with VA (but ANA is Star Alliance if that makes any difference).
I know you'd prefer "full J" rather than Jestar J, but if you do end-up considering Jetstar J then I guess be aware that the JAL & ANA Premium Economy fares include J lounge access (well - they did a year or two ago - I assume they still do), and from memory daytime flights were possible on both as well (so lie-flat doesn't get you THAT much).

Thanks Forg, I have been searching earlier date to see if there is much availability, I have searched on Velocity for any ANA and Qantas for JAL but dont seem to find anything available
is it best to Search directly with JAL and ANA?

Thanks

Clive

 

[jase05]

3x J seats won’t be easy but I’d be looking at SQ or MH awards out of ADL to SIN or KUL and then maybe look at seperate awards from there

 

[markis10]

No point looking now, all airlines only release seats under a year out:

Qantas 353 days , for premium cabins, Bronze members can usually only book them from 297 days out and Silver members from 323 days. Gold members and higher get access from 353 days. Jetstar releases are 200 days while emirates 330-339 days.
Virgin 330 days while SQ via virgin is 331 days.
Singapore is 355 days.

 

[Clive005]

No point looking now, all airlines only release seats under a year out:

Qantas 353 days , for premium cabins, Bronze members can usually only book them from 297 days out and Silver members from 323 days. Gold members and higher get access from 353 days. Jetstar releases are 200 days while emirates 330-339 days.
Virgin 330 days while SQ via virgin is 331 days.
Singapore is 355 days.

Thanks, I realise it's to far out to book Im more after info on what are my options with what airlines to use and the best chance of finding J seats on those airlines, like I said I have a lot of Velocity points and 300k of Qantas, looking at Aus to Japan
thanks for any help

Clive

 

[elanshin]

Hi all I am hoping to get some guidance for reward flights to Japan in sep2026, I am looking for 3 seats in J, preferably direct from Australia, I am based in Adelaide but happy to leave from anywhere in Aus, I have had a quick look but don't seem to be able to find many available (using earlier dates as a test of availability) except jet star and would rather a better J experience, I have plenty of Velocity points and some Qantas
any advice appreciated

Clive

I'd temper your expectations and plan not to fly in J based on the information.

The biggest problem is 3 passengers. A lot of airlines won't release 3 J seats at all way out.

Your best bet for Australia to Japan would be 2J with JL from either MEL or SYD (although their surcharges have increased) on the day they are released - 360 days before flight iirc. Then the last ticket in Y.

If you choose to go via SIN (SQ through Velocity or transfer to KF) or KUL (MH or MH+JL) you may have different options especially KUL as JL likes to release more from KUL than SIN (sometimes even on the same flight).

An alternate strategy is having Y rewards tickets booked and waiting right until the last couple of weeks and then trying to get ANA J tickets from Sydney last minute.

 

[Clive005]

Thanks elanshin, there does seem to be good availability on Singapore in J on test dates I have tried but that would be via Singapore which isnt a bad thing , is this normal?
when booking JL or ANA reward seats should I book on there sites?

Thanks

Clive

 

[elanshin]

Thanks elanshin, there does seem to be good availability on Singapore in J on test dates I have tried but that would be via Singapore which isnt a bad thing , is this normal?
when booking JL or ANA reward seats should I book on there sites?

Thanks

Clive

For JL use Qantas but be aware theyvhave increased their surcharges last year. JAL flies daily from SYD and will soon to be only 3/4 days a week from MEL (currently daily).

ANA can be booked via Velocity and flies twice daily from SYD and from PER at times.

Qantas would only really be an option if you're holding platinum or above or you get a lucky break and they released a whole bunch for some reason.

Singapore on SQ (either Velocity or KF) would be the most likely option to get J seats if you must use J seats.

 

[Forg]

@elanshin are Y+ seats more readily available?

Only asking because of what I said earlier - if you can get daytime flights then a lie-flat isn't super relevant, Y+ seats seem comfy enough for a ~9hr flight, JAL & ANA have J Lounge access in Y+, and J airline food isn't worth paying extra for IMHO.

BUT Clive005 is trying to avoid Jetstar J which is essentially the aforementioned (albeit without the pleasantness of a daytime flight). So maybe irrelevant.

 

[drron]

Thanks elanshin, there does seem to be good availability on Singapore in J on test dates I have tried but that would be via Singapore which isnt a bad thing , is this normal?
when booking JL or ANA reward seats should I book on there sites?

Thanks

Clive

When we last went to Japan the only reward seats I could find for the 2 of us wee BNE-SIN-HND on SQ via Velocity. t hey are much more frequently available in J than any other program IMHO. Also would be available on Aeroplan and a bit earlier than the Velocity availability. But I ain't got no Aeroplan points.

 

[Pele]

Clive

I am 12 months ahead of you. I am going in September 2025 with a family of three in J on points.

First up forget travelling as a party of three. Split up into 2 and 1. Going over we all got flights a day apart on JL from SYD- HND using QFF. On the way back we got two people flying out of cough via SIN on SQ and one on ANA from HND- SYD using VFF.

Dont bother with Qantas flights unless you have status. And in any case they are the fourth best carrier in terms of service of the contenders behind JL,SQ,NH.

Best bet is to book as soon as the flights come available and be prepared to travel a day either side of your preferred dates. If you have balls of steel you can wait until two weeks before departure as there are flights opening up then usually with NH on VFF. But im guessing your wife wont be comfortable with that plan.......

 

[ShelleyB]

Note that in addition to the airlines mentioned above, China Airlines (via Taipei) using Qantas Point is also a possbility. These seats also open up a little under 12 months in advance and if you book when they open, there are often at least 2 J seats available. Previously 3 or 4 seats in J were available (and I have booked these) but not now. I agree with others on here that suggest 3 seats in J at the moment is likely a pipe-dream and it would be better to split the party, either across days to hav all J or across class to take the same flight.

 

[Forg]

^ It's also worth underlining that China Airlines is not a Communist Party airline, they're Taiwanese, you don't share the cabin with chickens or pigs or whatnot like you do on Air China / China Eastern / etc (and similarly Clyde probably isn't flying the plane & the engines on the A350 haven't been swapped-out for DC3 engines at the last service with the A350 ones being sold on AliBaba).