If you treat loyalty programs like a game, ANA Mileage Club is the final boss. It is difficult, archaic, and unforgiving. The website often fails to load. Transfers take 48 hours. Customer service hold times can rival a flight to Tokyo.
But the math makes it undeniable.
While Delta and United charge 200,000+ miles for a round-trip Business Class ticket to Asia, ANA charges roughly 100,000 to 110,000 miles for the exact same seat. Even with the major devaluation in April 2024 and the death of the Round the World award in June 2025, ANA Mileage Club remains the highest-value frequent flyer program for US travelers—if you know how to navigate the software.
The “New” ANA: 2026 Rules & Changes
The last 18 months have completely rewritten the ANA playbook. If you are reading a guide from early 2024 or prior, it is dangerously outdated. Here is the operational reality for 2026.
1. The Death of Round the World (RTW)
For years, the ANA Round the World ticket was the “holy grail” of travel hacking—25,000 miles to fly around the globe. That era is over. As of June 23, 2025, ANA ceased issuing new RTW awards. Existing tickets remain valid until expiration, but you can no longer book new itineraries. Do not waste time planning these routes.
2. The One-Way Revolution
To soften the blow of losing RTW, ANA introduced one-way award bookings on June 24, 2025. This is a massive improvement for flexibility. Previously, if you couldn’t find return availability on ANA, you couldn’t book the outbound. Now, you can book ANA for the outbound (e.g., JFK to Tokyo) and use United or Aeroplan for the return.
The pricing for one-way tickets is effectively 50% of the round-trip cost, making the program far more usable for solo travelers looking for snipeable availability.
3. The April 2024 Devaluation
ANA increased award prices by roughly 30% in 2024. While “devaluation” is a dirty word, context matters. Even at the new rates, ANA is significantly cheaper than its competitors. A round-trip Business Class flight to Japan that used to cost 75k miles now costs 100k-110k miles. In contrast, United charges 110k miles one-way for the same route.
Earning ANA Miles: The Amex Pipeline
You cannot earn ANA miles by flying Delta or American. The primary earning vector for US-based travelers is American Express Membership Rewards.
Transfer Ratio: 1:1
Transfer Time: 48 hours (Strict)
Fees: None
The 48-hour transfer delay is the single biggest risk in the ANA ecosystem. When you see a “The Room” Business Class seat available, you must transfer your points and hope the seat is still there two days later. This is why I recommend the “Partner Shield” strategy: hold the seat with a partner program (like Air Canada Aeroplan) if possible, or search for availability patterns before transferring.
You can also earn miles through Star Alliance partner flights (like United or Singapore Airlines), crediting them to your ANA account. However, unless you fly paid Business Class frequently, credit card transfers will be your primary engine.
Redemption Sweet Spots (2026 Edition)
Despite the changes, three specific redemptions still offer outsized mathematical value. I have run the numbers based on current December 2025 availability.
| Route (Round-Trip) | Economy | Business | First |
|---|---|---|---|
| North America ↔ Japan (Low Season) | 40,000 | 100,000 | 150,000 |
| North America ↔ Japan (Regular) | 50,000 | 105,000 | 170,000 |
| North America ↔ Europe (Partner) | 55,000 | 100,000 | 165,000 |
| North America ↔ Australia (Partner) | 75,000 | 130,000 | 205,000 |
1. US to Japan in “The Room” (Business Class)
Cost: 100,000 – 110,000 Miles (Round-Trip)
Value: 5.0+ cents per point.
This is the flagship redemption. ANA’s “The Room” features double-wide seats and closing doors. Cash prices for these tickets often exceed $5,500. Redeeming 100k miles yields a value of 5.5 cents per point, which is exceptional.
2. US to Europe (Star Alliance Partner)
Cost: 100,000 Miles (Round-Trip) or 50,000 Miles (One-Way)
Value: 3.5 cents per point.
You can fly United Polaris, Austrian Airlines, or SWISS Business Class for just 50,000 ANA miles one-way. United charges its own members 80k-100k miles for these same seats. Note that carriers like Lufthansa and Austrian will trigger high fuel surcharges (approx $400-$600), while United and SAS often have lower fees.
3. US to Australia/New Zealand
Cost: 130,000 Miles (Round-Trip)
Value: 4.0 cents per point.
Getting to Oceania in Business Class is notoriously expensive. Qantas and Air New Zealand rarely release space. However, if you can find availability on Air Canada or United via ANA, you pay just 130k miles round-trip. Compare this to 200k+ miles on other programs.
The Hidden Cost: Fuel Surcharges
You cannot discuss ANA without addressing “YQ” (carrier-imposed surcharges). Unlike US programs that charge $5.60 in taxes, ANA passes on fuel costs.
Current Status (Dec 2025):
Fuel surcharges have stabilized. For flights issued between Dec 2025 and Jan 2026, the surcharge is ~27,500 JPY ($185 USD) per one-way sector between the US and Japan. A round-trip redemption will cost you 100,000 miles + approx $450 USD in total taxes and fees.
Is it worth paying $450 to save 100,000 miles? Absolutely. If you booked via United, you would pay $50 in taxes but spend 220,000 miles. You are effectively “buying” 120,000 miles for $400, a rate of 0.3 cents per point. That is pure arbitrage. For a deeper dive on avoiding these fees on other carriers, read our guide on airline fuel surcharges.
Booking Strategy: The T-355 Rule
ANA releases award seats exactly 355 days before departure at 9:00 AM Japan Standard Time (JST). Because ANA miles are so valuable, competition is fierce.
The Strategy:
- Calculate the Date: Use a date calculator to find exactly 355 days from today.
- Convert Time: 9:00 AM JST is usually 7:00 PM EST (previous day) or 8:00 PM EST depending on Daylight Savings.
- The “Return” Problem: Since ANA used to require round-trips, you had to wait for the return flight to open 10 days later to book the whole trip. With the new one-way booking rules (June 2025), this is no longer necessary. You can snipe the outbound flight immediately at T-355 days as a one-way ticket.
- Waitlist Warning: ANA allows you to “Waitlist” awards. Do not do this. Waitlists rarely clear (success rate < 5%). Only book "Available" seats.
For more on release windows, check our master list of when airlines release award availability.
Critical Warning: The Expiration Trap
There is one rule that catches even experts: ANA miles expire 36 months after earning, hard stop.
Unlike US airlines where earning 1 mile resets the clock, ANA miles have a fixed death date. If you transfer 100,000 Amex points today (Dec 12, 2025), they will expire Dec 31, 2028, regardless of your activity. Never transfer points until you are ready to book. Parking points in ANA is a recipe for disaster.
Is ANA Status Worth It?
For most US-based travelers, chasing ANA status (Bronze, Platinum, Diamond) is unnecessary unless you fly paid revenue tickets to Asia constantly. However, Diamond status does have one “god tier” benefit: Your miles never expire.
If you are sitting on a mountain of ANA miles and can’t use them, earning Diamond status is the only way to save them from the 36-month cliff. Otherwise, stick to earning Amex Membership Rewards and transferring only when needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still book ANA Round the World tickets in 2026?
No. New bookings for ANA Round the World tickets were discontinued on June 23, 2025. You can only fly existing itineraries booked prior to that date. The best alternative now is building a multi-city itinerary using one-way awards, though the cost will be higher than the old RTW chart.
Does ANA charge fuel surcharges on United flights?
Generally, no. When using ANA miles to book United Airlines flights (e.g., US to Europe), fuel surcharges are usually $0 or very low. However, you will still pay government taxes. Booking partners like Lufthansa or Austrian will trigger high surcharges.
Can I book for family members?
Yes, but with a catch. ANA requires you to register “Award Users” in your account. You can register up to 10 distinct family members (within 2 degrees of kinship). You cannot book a ticket for a random friend or boyfriend/girlfriend unless you are married or they are registered family.
How long do Amex transfers to ANA take?
Transfers typically take 48 hours (2 business days). They are rarely instant. Transfers do not process on weekends or Japanese holidays, so plan your transfers for Monday or Tuesday morning US time to maximize speed.