The most-requested redemption in US miles-and-points is premium-cabin travel between the United States and Asia. At retail, Japan Airlines First Class LAX to Tokyo Narita runs $12,000-18,000 per one-way. ANA First is similar. Cathay First is similar. In miles, the same seat books for 75,000-130,000 miles — if you use the right currency and hit the right booking window.
This guide compares the four currencies that still deliver real transpacific premium value: Alaska Mileage Plan, American AAdvantage, ANA Mileage Club, and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. Each has distinct sweet spots; the correct playbook usually involves holding 2-3 of them simultaneously rather than consolidating into one.
The matrix: which currency, which route, which cabin
| Route + Cabin | Alaska | AAdvantage | ANA | Virgin Atlantic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US-Japan, JAL Business | 60k | 70k | 75-85k (Partner) | — |
| US-Japan, JAL First | 75k | 130k+ | 110-130k (Partner) | — |
| US-Japan, ANA Business | — | 75k | 75-85k | 45-47.5k (one-way) |
| US-Japan, ANA First | — | — | 110-130k | 60-65k (one-way) |
| US-Hong Kong, Cathay Business | 50k | 70k | 85-110k | — |
| US-Hong Kong, Cathay First | 70k | 110k+ | — | — |
| US-Taipei, Starlux Business | 65k | — | — | — |
| US-Sydney, Qantas Business | 75k | 80k | 75k | — |
| US-Fiji, Fiji Airways Business | 55k | — | — | — |
Bolded cells mark each route's lowest-mile option. Alaska wins most transpacific redemptions outright; Virgin Atlantic holds the ANA First sweet spot where available.
Alaska Mileage Plan — the default transpacific currency
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan joined oneworld in 2021 and became a full member in 2024. Crucially, Alaska kept its distance-based partner award chart even as other oneworld currencies moved to dynamic pricing. This is the program's defining advantage for transpacific redemptions.
Alaska sweet spots worth memorizing
- JAL First US-Japan: 75,000 miles one-way. Comparable product on AA: 130k+.
- Cathay Business US-Hong Kong: 50,000 miles. Cathay First: 70,000.
- Starlux Business to Taipei: 65,000 miles.
- Qantas premium to Australia (Business 75k / First 110k).
- Fiji Airways Business to Nadi: 55,000 miles.
How US-based members earn Alaska
Alaska's weakest point. Four paths:
- Fly Alaska. Strong for West Coast residents, weak elsewhere.
- Alaska Airlines Visa (Bank of America). $95 annual fee; typical sign-up bonus 50-70k; annual $121 Companion Fare certificate.
- Bilt Rewards transfers (1:1). Pay rent on Bilt Card for passive accrual.
- Marriott Bonvoy transfers (3:1, bonus on large transfers). Not efficient but a viable pressure-release valve for large Bonvoy balances.
American AAdvantage — the "when Alaska doesn't work" backup
AAdvantage has a hybrid structure: partner redemptions are fixed-chart; AA-metal redemptions are dynamic. For transpacific, partner redemptions dominate.
AAdvantage sweet spots
- Cathay Pacific Business: 70,000 miles one-way US-Hong Kong. More attainable availability than Alaska's 50k redemption.
- JAL Business: 70,000 miles US-Japan. Slightly more than Alaska's 60k but with broader availability.
- Qatar Airways Business to Asia via DOH: 70,000 miles. The "QSuites" product is one of the best business-class seats in aviation.
- Etihad Business to Asia via AUH: 70,000 miles.
Earning AAdvantage for US members
- Citi AAdvantage cards (Executive Mastercard $595 AF = AAdmirals Club access + 4x on AA spend).
- Barclays AAdvantage cards ($99 Aviator Red).
- Bilt Rewards (1:1 transfers, instant).
- Citi ThankYou → AA (during promotional windows; not standing).
ANA Mileage Club — the chart specialist
ANA operates one of the best-structured airline award charts remaining. Round-trip-only on partner awards (a unique restriction) but pricing is aggressive.
ANA sweet spots
- Round-trip Business US-Japan on ANA metal: 85,000-95,000 miles (off-peak 65,000).
- Round-trip First US-Japan on ANA metal: 110,000-130,000 miles.
- Round-trip Business US-Europe on Star Alliance partners: 88,000 miles (off-peak).
- Fuel surcharges are substantial on ANA metal — budget $400-700 in YQ per business class round-trip.
The round-trip constraint
ANA partner awards require round-trip booking, unlike most programs that allow one-way. This is a real friction for travelers building complex routings. Plan for it.
Earning ANA miles
Amex Membership Rewards (1:1, instant, the primary path). Marriott Bonvoy (3:1 with 5k bonus). Credit card paths are less direct than for Alaska or AAdvantage.
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club — the ANA First specialist
Virgin Atlantic's most valuable feature is its ANA partnership. Specifically, booking ANA First Class through Virgin:
| Route | Cabin | Virgin miles (round-trip) |
|---|---|---|
| LAX-NRT/HND on ANA | Business | 90,000-95,000 |
| LAX-NRT/HND on ANA | First (The Suite) | 120,000-130,000 |
| JFK/IAD-NRT on ANA | First (The Suite) | 120,000-130,000 |
These rates are unmatched anywhere else for ANA First. The catch: award availability through Virgin has thinned materially in 2024-2026, with many dates showing zero First Class. Treat Virgin's ANA First as a lottery ticket — watch for it 330 days out.
Virgin earning — the easiest currency for US members
All 5 US bank transferable-point programs transfer to Virgin 1:1:
- Chase UR (1:1, instant)
- Amex MR (1:1, frequent 30-40% transfer bonuses)
- Citi ThankYou (1:1, periodic bonuses)
- Capital One (1:1)
- Bilt Rewards (1:1)
This 5-bank access is unique in the transpacific landscape. No other currency in this comparison has it.
The recommendation by traveler profile
Premium-cabin maximalist
Hold all four. Alaska for JAL/Cathay/Starlux business. Virgin for ANA First lottery. AAdvantage for Cathay Business when Alaska has no space. ANA for dedicated round-trip planners.
Amex MR optimizer
Virgin + ANA. MR transfers to both at 1:1. Virgin for transpacific Business or First via ANA metal. ANA for Europe via Star Alliance or Japan round-trips.
Chase UR optimizer
Virgin only. UR doesn't transfer to Alaska, AAdvantage, or ANA. Virgin is the primary UR transpacific play.
Occasional flyer with a specific trip in mind
Match currency to the route. Pick one currency based on the specific partner and cabin you want. Don't build diversified balances in all four unless you'll use them.
Power moves
- Book JAL First 350+ days out. JAL releases most partner First inventory at the 353-day mark. Waiting even one week usually means zero availability. Set calendar reminders and book the moment schedules open.
- Use Amex → Virgin bonuses for ANA First attempts. Virgin runs 25-40% Amex MR transfer bonuses 2-4 times yearly. Transferring 96k MR during a 30% bonus yields 125k Virgin — exactly an ANA First round-trip.
- Search on virginatlantic.com to find Delta space. Delta saver availability invisible on delta.com often appears on Virgin's search. Book the same Delta flight at 47.5k one-way Virgin miles instead of 200k+ SkyMiles.
- Hold Alaska balance conservatively. Alaska hasn't devalued its partner chart in years, but it's a small airline in a large alliance. Use balances rather than hoarding.
- Leverage stopover rules. Alaska allows one free stopover on international partner awards. Use it to turn a simple JFK→HKG round-trip into JFK→TYO→HKG→JFK at no additional mileage cost.
Common pitfalls
- Booking transpacific First on Delta SkyMiles, United MileagePlus, or other dynamic currencies — almost always 2-3x the price of partner alternatives.
- Transferring bank points without checking availability first. Transfers are non-reversible; always confirm inventory exists before initiating.
- Ignoring fuel surcharges. ANA metal carries ~$400-700 YQ per business round-trip. JAL and Qantas are cleaner.
- Assuming partner award space is always available. Transpacific premium award space is genuinely scarce; flexibility on dates and origin airport is essential.
FAQ
Which currency should I build first?
If you hold Chase UR: start with Virgin for ANA First aspirations. If you hold Amex MR: also Virgin, or ANA for round-trip dedicated planners. If you hold Bilt: Alaska for the JAL First sweet spot.
Why is Alaska's JAL First at 75k so much cheaper than competitors?
Alaska negotiated favorable distance-based pricing with JAL years ago and has maintained it. No other currency got the same deal. When this rate is eventually repriced (it will be eventually), it will likely double.
Can I combine miles from multiple programs on one ticket?
No, generally. Each ticket is booked with one currency. You can book different legs of a complex trip with different currencies, but each leg is single-currency.
Are transpacific premium cabins getting harder to book with miles?
Yes. Post-2019 airline capacity discipline and points-program dynamic pricing have collectively reduced saver availability. The trend is clear. Book early, fly soon, don't accumulate enormous speculative balances.
Last verified April 2026. Partner award charts change periodically — always verify pricing on the relevant program's site before initiating bank transfers.