Press Release

- International & Domestic Air Ticket Award Discount Mileage Campaign to be Launched -  

Tokyo December 14, 2007: In 2008, Japan Airlines (JAL) will celebrate two anniversaries of the JAL Mileage Bank (JMB), the airline’s frequent flyer program. JAL first launched its frequent flyer program 25 years ago in the USA, and introduced the program 15 years ago to Japan. To mark this silver anniversary and 15^th anniversary, the airline will launch two discount mileage campaigns, making it even easier for JMB members to redeem air ticket awards for international and Japan domestic travel.

Highlights of the celebration include mileage discounts for members of the airlines’ frequent flyer program. JMB will offer mileage discounts of up to 25% on JAL international air ticket awards and up to 26.7% on JAL domestic air ticket awards during the campaign periods. The amount of discount will depend on the route selected. Award reservations can only be made online.

JAL launched its first frequent flyer program in the USA in November 1983 with the name JAL Mileage Bank (JMB). In Japan the first JAL frequent flyer program started in January 1993 under the name JAL Sky Plus, initially for first and business class passengers and later expanding to include individual economy class travelers. Customers qualifying for awards received presents of travel coupons. In Japan the program was renamed the JAL Mileage Bank in October 1996. Worldwide membership has now reached 20.5 million.   

1) JAL Group International Award Ticket Discount Mileage Campaign (Online reservations only) 

During the campaign period, the JMB mileage required for an executive class, premium economy or economy class international round-trip award ticket will range from 3,000 to 10,000 miles less than the normal redemption level. 

Campaign period: April 1 - June 30, 2008 and December 1, 2008 - February 28, 2009. Award travel is not permitted on  Restricted Travel Dates.

Travel dates: Must commence within the campaign period.

Eligible members: JMB members in all regions worldwide.

Eligible flights / routes: JAL Group flights (excluding code shares).

Applicable Classes: Executive Class, Premium Economy, and Economy Class

Campaign Application & Registration: Starting February 1 2008, must be made through JAL website. A maximum of 330 days in advance of travel up to 23:59 7 days prior to date of departure. 

Example Mileage Required for an Economy Class Round-Trip International Award Ticket

For full details and conditions, please visit www.jal.co.jp/en/newjmb2008/

2) JAL Group Domestic Award Ticket Discount Mileage Campaign (Online reservations only)    

During the campaign period, the JMB mileage required for an economy class domestic round-trip award ticket will range from 1,000 to 4,000 miles less than the normal redemption level. 

Campaign period: April 1 - June 30 2008 and December 1, 2008 - February 28, 2009 (excluding April 29 - May 6, 2008 and December 26 2008 - January 4 2009).    

Travel dates: Must commence within the campaign period.

Eligible members: JMB members in all regions worldwide.

Eligible flights / routes: JAL Group flights (excluding code shares).

Applicable Classes: Economy Class. Additional 2,000 miles required per sector for Class J.

Campaign Application & Registration: Starting February 1 2008 through JAL’s website. No earlier than 9:30 a.m. 2 months before the departure date and no later than 23:59 4 days before the departure date.

Example Mileage Required for an Economy Class Round-Trip Domestic Award Ticket         

For full details and conditions, please visit www.jal.co.jp/en/newjmb2008/

* 15,000 miles is required to redeem a round-trip Japan domestic award ticket、regardless of the distance traveled. From April 1 2008, the normal mileage level required for round-trip Japan domestic award tickets will be replaced by a 3 zone system based on distance as shown in the table above.

About JAL Mileage Bank

As a member of the JAL Mileage Bank there are many ways to earn and redeem JMB miles. Miles can be earned by flying on JAL or JMB partner airlines. Over the years the program has been expanded to include mileage earnings not only from flights on JAL and its JAL Group subsidiary airlines, but also with 12 international partner carriers, and JMB Mile Partners including car and cellular phone rental companies and over 8,700 hotels worldwide.

For Japan region members, miles can also be earned in many aspects of daily life, for example, when shopping online, dining out, organizing a wedding, renting or moving house, subscribing to a publication and even when singing at a karaoke bar.

Accumulated mileage can be exchanged for a wide range of exciting awards entitling members to free travel on JAL and JMB partner’s air networks, international flight upgrades, and free nights stay at numerous JMB partner hotels worldwide. Miles can also be exchanged for JAL coupon awards which in turn can be used to make full or part payment for in-flight purchases, stays at JAL Hotels and other purchases.

Exclusive services and benefits are offered to JAL’s most frequent flyers through the JMB ‘FLY ON’ program and JAL Global Club (JGC).  

On April 1 2007, JAL became a fully-fledged member of oneworld^®, the leading quality airline alliance. Within the alliance, each member airline retains their own FFP program, but links them to all the other members’ programs. Consequently, JMB members can now earn and redeem mileage on eligible flights and fares throughout the oneworld network serving nearly 150 countries and almost 700 airports, making mileage accumulation easier, increasing the variety of travel awards available, and giving frequent flyers more opportunities to advance to a higher FFP program status.

Furthermore, JAL Global Club Premier, JMB Diamond and Sapphire cardholders can now gain access to 400 airport lounges worldwide offered by the alliance's airlines, and depending on their status level, are entitled to priority check-in, preferred boarding and seating, as well as priority standby and waitlisting at airports covered by the alliance’s network.

Prior to joining oneworld, JAL had already established reciprocal frequent flyer program agreements with oneworld members: American Airlines (from 1995), British Airways (from 1999), Cathay Pacific (from 1999) and LAN (from 2005). Since JAL joined oneworld, JMB members’ rewards and privileges have been extended to include the 5 other airlines in the alliance: Finnair, Iberia, Malev, Qantas and Royal Jordanian.

JMB members can also accumulate and redeem mileage on Air France (1995), Emirates (2002), and Dragonair (2001), a Cathay Pacific affiliated which joined oneworld on November 1, 2007.

JAL Mileage Bank enrolment is free. Membership application can be made online at www.jal.com

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JMB Double Anniversary.pdf