How Many Japan Airlines Mileage Bank Miles from San Francisco to Japan?
Also see: Japan → San Francisco
Flying from San Francisco (SFO) to Japan on JAL Mileage Bank miles costs 27,000 miles in economy and 55,000 miles in business class each way. SFO is a major JAL gateway for Bay Area and Silicon Valley travelers, with ~10–11 hours of westbound flight time — one of the shorter North America–Japan routes.
Japan Airlines Award Chart — San Francisco to Japan
JAL departs from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) International Terminal to Tokyo Narita (NRT) and Tokyo Haneda (HND). Japan has two Tokyo airports: Haneda (HND) is closer to central Tokyo (~30 min by monorail); Narita (NRT) is further out (~60–90 min). Check which your specific flight uses when booking.
| Cabin | Miles (each way) |
|---|---|
| Economy | 27,000 |
| Premium Economy | 40,000 |
| Business Class | 55,000 |
| First Class | 110,000 (low season) / 125,000 (regular) / 140,000 (high season) |
First class uses JAL's three-tier peak pricing. Low season covers shoulder months; high season includes summer (July–August), Golden Week, and year-end holidays.
Tips for Redeeming JAL Miles to San Francisco to Japan
- 1SFO is the closest major West Coast airport to Japan by flight time — a meaningful advantage on a long-haul route.
- 2The International Terminal at SFO has a good range of lounges; JAL business class passengers have access before departure.
- 3Both NRT and HND are served — if heading to Tokyo city center, HND arrivals are more convenient.
- 4JAL Business Class (Sky Suite on 777/A350, Sky Suite III on 787) features fully flat beds with direct aisle access — 55,000 miles each way is exceptional value for one of the best business class products in the sky.
- 5American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Citi ThankYou all transfer to JAL Mileage Bank at 1:1.
- 6All JAL award flights must originate or end in Japan. You cannot use JAL miles for itineraries that don't touch Japan.
- 7Stopovers in Japan are permitted on international awards — you can add a Japan stay to your itinerary at no extra mileage cost.
- 8First class is only available on JAL's Boeing 777-300ER and Airbus A350 — not all flights on this route offer it. Check the aircraft type when searching.
- 9First class uses three-tier peak pricing: low season is cheapest; high season (summer, Golden Week, year-end) costs the most.
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Other Japan Airlines Routes
See award costs for other destinations bookable with Japan Airlines Mileage Bank: