All Nippon Airways' Mileage Club is loved in the US miles-and-points community for one thing: its round-the-world award chart. But the program has quieter sweet spots worth knowing beyond the headline RTW product. For US flyers, ANA is primarily accessed via Amex Membership Rewards transfers.
The round-the-world chart
ANA charges based on total distance flown across your entire round-the-world itinerary, in three cabin classes:
| Total distance | Economy | Business | First |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 22,000 miles | 55,000 | 115,000 | 180,000 |
| 22,001-25,000 miles | 65,000 | 135,000 | 220,000 |
| 25,001-29,000 miles | 75,000 | 150,000 | 250,000 |
| 29,001-34,000 miles | 85,000 | 165,000 | 270,000 |
| 34,001-39,000 miles | 100,000 | 190,000 | 300,000 |
A typical round-the-world trip covers 22,000-25,000 miles. In business class at 115,000-135,000 ANA miles, the economics are extraordinary — a legitimate premium-cabin trip around the world for the mile count of many programs' basic transatlantic business class redemption.
The not-round-the-world sweet spots
ANA has published charts for standard partner redemptions too. US-to-Asia pricing:
- US to Japan round-trip — 75,000 miles in economy, 90,000 in business, 150,000 in first class (ANA metal).
- US to Japan connecting onward in Asia — 85,000-95,000 business, 150,000-165,000 first.
- US to Europe on Star partners round-trip — 88,000-115,000 business.
- Intra-Asia business class round-trip — 30,000-40,000 miles.
How US flyers earn ANA miles
The primary path: Amex Membership Rewards transfers at 1:1. ANA has no US co-brand credit card. Occasional transfer bonuses from Amex MR to ANA run at 30-40% — making ANA miles effectively earnable at roughly 0.7 MR per 1 ANA during promotion windows.
Outside of Amex transfers, ANA earning from the US is limited to actual Star Alliance flight credit, which requires substantive Star travel to accumulate meaningful balances.
ANA's fuel surcharge reality
ANA applies fuel surcharges on award tickets operated by carriers that surcharge — which includes ANA itself on long-haul routes, Lufthansa, BA, and some Asian carriers. A Tokyo-to-London business class award on ANA metal might require 85,000 miles plus $400-600 in surcharges.
This is not a deal-breaker for aspirational redemptions where the cash equivalent is $5-10k, but it changes the comparison versus Aeroplan or Singapore KrisFlyer for similar routes.
Booking flow
ANA award redemptions are made through ANA's website directly. The site is functional but not polished — expect occasional errors during search, and be prepared to call ANA's US reservations line for specific routings that don't appear online. ANA phone reservations are helpful once reached.
Routing rules
ANA permits one stopover on round-trip itineraries originating/terminating in Japan. Round-the-world itineraries permit multiple stopovers per their distance-chart rules. The routing flexibility is meaningful for multi-city Asian itineraries.
Best aspirational redemptions
- ANA First Class (The Room, if available on your date) — long-haul premium cabin product with private suite. 150,000 ANA miles one-way US-Tokyo at best rates with no surcharges on specific routes.
- Lufthansa First Class — 110,000 ANA miles one-way Boston-Frankfurt. Among the best long-haul first class redemptions in Star Alliance.
- Singapore Airlines Suites (New York-Frankfurt-Singapore) — pricing varies, but ANA miles are one viable access path when Singapore's own KrisFlyer program is stingy on availability.
- Round-the-world business class at 115k-135k — the product that defines the program.
Who should prioritize ANA
- Travelers planning a genuine round-the-world trip in business or first class.
- Amex MR holders who can time transfers to ANA bonus windows (historically 30-40% bonuses appear).
- Travelers targeting Lufthansa First Class or ANA First Class specifically.
- Asian-region travelers with Tokyo-centric routing preferences.
Who should look elsewhere
- Casual US-domestic flyers — ANA doesn't help here.
- Travelers who avoid surcharges at all costs — Aeroplan is better.
- Travelers without Amex MR — earning ANA miles from US flying alone is slow.
FAQ
How long do Amex MR to ANA transfers take?
Typically 1-3 days, occasionally longer. Not as instant as Chase UR to Aeroplan. Plan your transfer before confirming the award hold.
Are ANA transfer bonuses frequent?
Amex runs MR-to-ANA bonuses periodically (30-40% historically common). They appear several times per year rather than constantly. Target them for large transfers.
Can I hold an ANA award while transferring miles?
ANA generally allows a 3-day hold on award reservations. Transfer from Amex MR completes within this window in most cases.
What if ANA availability isn't showing online?
Call ANA US reservations. Partner award inventory sometimes shows via phone that doesn't appear in the online tool — especially for complex multi-carrier routings.
Can I combine ANA miles with cash for award redemptions?
ANA does not offer a formal Points + Cash program. Award tickets are either mile-based or cash-based.
Last verified April 2026.