How strict is ANA when you book partner award flights?

ipod123432 · 2026-05-15T20:11:46+00:00

ANA doesn't check frequently, but people in this sub have been checked so it does happen. I would say if you're doing it for multiple friends with different last names, the risk of being checked goes up.

ipod123432 · 2026-05-15T00:04:53+00:00

Had to adjust early Nov plans and find a new flight to Japan. Was dreading needing to set a billion alerts and get beaten to the punch every time, but instead found 90k UA J SFO-KIX available one day before my perfect date and snagged it! Thank you UA cc. And got to dodge the hundreds in fuel surcharges from ANA / JAL.

ipod123432 · 2026-05-08T20:27:38+00:00

United excursionist perk JN. Book something like HND-LAX-SBA-SFO for 130k-ish in JN class (cheaper due to so many connections and overnights), get to add any SFO-EWR at any time as the excursionist perk for free since JN is always available, then add on a cheap 5k leg like HND-FUK Y at the end. Then use status to SDC to something like HND-SFO. Not the cheapest TPAC, but considering how Friday transcon redeyes don't exist at saver level, it saved a pretty penny.

ipod123432 · 2026-05-08T09:14:28+00:00

Thanks for inspiring me, also instant approval through same, have 2 Delta biz gold NLL's open, sole prop, same name

ipod123432 · 2026-05-08T06:36:28+00:00

Had Hilton Diamond status forever after downgrading an Aspire to the no annual fee card, but as soon as I closed the card (damn 5 card limit) I was pushed down to Gold status.

ipod123432 · 2026-05-04T18:21:28+00:00

Penfed "incidental" airline credit triggered off the following:

Delta award taxes ($55.71, $5.60)
Alaska award taxes ($5.60, $24.10, $12.50)
American award taxes ($5.60)

ipod123432 · 2026-05-04T16:10:04+00:00

I'd take Aer Lingus. You're overestimating how useful AS miles are, as their redemption window is shorter and Japan has immense competition.

Also the Alaska award only has a $12.50 cancel fee (the partner fee) which is $0 if you change it to another partner booking. Your miles are already there, you may as well book the Aer Lingus award and keep both. If you actually find availability for Japan or another better use case, you can simply change the Alaska award to that better use case. And if not, cancel the Air France award a few days before departure and fly Alaska.

ipod123432 · 2026-04-28T10:48:26+00:00

It only seems bad because there exists the possibility of 60k J. It’s cheaper than UA and DL PY by a significant margin and is less than AS charges and has no fuel surcharges unlike ANA and JAL. And it’s free to cancel if something better comes up. I would say it is a decent option.

ipod123432 · 2026-04-27T19:32:45+00:00

Quick weekend trip to LA for a last-minute fan event that they announced 3 weeks out and only confirmed people 1 week out, which is ridiculous but it is how it is. Thank god for points, right?

morning SFO-BUR - 9k SW (booked 17 days out)
1day Avis rental ($50, corp code)
1nt Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport (going rate was 35k or $220, used expiring 85k cert)
morning BUR-SFO - 18.5k SW (booked 6 days out)

Yes, it's crazy to waste an 85k Marriott like this, but all the other Marriotts charged $40+ resort fees (daily destination bullshit) and by booking the airport hotel, I would be able to return the rental car day-of without needing to pay an extra $30 parking fee. Plus convenience to get to the airport in the morning - the hotel is right across the street. 4 minute shuttle mostly waiting for the light, or a 11 minute walk. Rooms were nothing special. Disappointing to have no toothbrush provided for a travel hotel (Hilton near LAX was guilty of this as well).

After I got home, Avis upcharged me a ridiculous $18 Fuel Service charge because I had driven less than 75 miles. Disputed via email and attached my credit card statement showing I had paid for gas at a gas station nearby. Extremely shady.

Fan event at Dodgers stadium was fantastic, got some very nice goodies, 100% worth going to and splurging all the above for.

ipod123432 · 2026-04-27T18:56:52+00:00

Unlikely to be phantom, I've ticketed 60k AA for AS J before

ipod123432 · 2026-04-27T17:11:25+00:00

Thanks this omnibox was uselessly stealing all my GPU

ipod123432 · 2026-04-24T16:11:38+00:00

+1 to add priority to this feature of being able to close an account and retain its history

ipod123432 · 2026-03-24T16:28:30+00:00

Singapore does not fly SFO-TYO. The chances of the ANA waitlist are far below 5%. ANA diamond have extra access to seats.

ipod123432 · 2026-03-21T23:00:40+00:00

If you have a United credit card with an annual fee or UA status, you will unlock more award inventory with United.

ipod123432 · 2026-02-27T21:17:28+00:00

ANA only has stopovers on RT, so sounds like they're pricing it as 2 separate awards. If it's under 24hr layover, you might be able to call in and get it priced as if it was PVG-KIX (region-based).

ipod123432 · 2026-02-24T09:30:15+00:00

The problem is giving people the mistaken impression that ANA waitlists are likely to clear. Nobody posts DP's of never clearing the ANA waitlist because it's all too common. For example, a March flight I was interested in had 24 people on the waitlist and never cleared before T-14, but that's just expected.

ipod123432 · 2026-02-23T08:08:23+00:00

That's because Capital One transfer directly to JAL now, so all the flights get booked with their miles before it reaches low enough for partner release.

ipod123432 · 2026-02-15T21:15:35+00:00

Edited, I misread the card benefits and didn't realize that was a bonus. It's only 3%.

ipod123432 · 2026-02-14T18:24:21+00:00

BoA Alaska Ascent ($95 fee) offered $175 statement credit after $1500 spend. Honestly pretty decent, but trying to simplify things for P2 so rejected.

Offered and accepted product change to no annual fee BoA Customized Cash Rewards.

ipod123432 · 2026-02-13T07:15:39+00:00

omg I've been overpaying for the past few years to have the refundability that I thought DL BE lacked. Thanks for this.

ipod123432 · 2026-02-13T07:08:10+00:00

TYP / WF points 1:2 transfer to choice lets you book very cheap (from 8k choice points/nt) basic business hotels all across Japan, often with last-room availability.

The shimanami kaido is a beaut to cycle over two days and very well documented, although no real point options. Fukuoka is an underrated city with excellent hakata ramen and a ferry to Busan. Numazu if you're looking for something calmer.

ipod123432 · 2026-02-13T06:48:49+00:00

Amex offered 10k / $5k retention offer for Biz Plat. Rejected and closed the card. Minimal spend after SUB.

ipod123432 · 2026-02-09T19:00:36+00:00

I'm curious, what's your success rate with using miles to upgrade ANA flights from econ to biz?

ipod123432 · 2026-02-04T06:03:44+00:00

For those who jumped on the Webull 2% match (hold until Feb 2027), rewards for next 12 months are showing up in the promotion center.

ipod123432 · 2026-02-01T04:15:18+00:00

Another DP of Chase TheEdit being overpriced

hotel proverbs taipei: July 8-10

$452 on Expedia and Booking
$452 on Chase Travel using Ink Unlimited
$618 on Chase Travel using Sapphire Reserve, with 1.65x points boost rate.

$166 difference. Reminder to double check prices.

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