JAL’s New Business Class for $15.60
Full Circle at 40
How I Finally Got to the Philippines in JAL’s New A350 Business Class for 70K Points
Five years ago, I had a plan. For my 35th birthday, I was going to the Philippines—a trip I’d dreamed about and carefully pieced together with points. Then the world shut down. COVID forced me to cancel everything, and that dream trip sat on the shelf.
Fast forward to now. I had a new plan to visit Vietnam with a long layover in Tokyo… until the schedule-change email hit: my 10-hour Tokyo layover turned into 10 hours in Chicago. Not the vibe. Time to pivot.
The Pivot (and the Route)
I reworked the whole trip and ended up with something even better—the Philippines, at last—plus a top-tier flight experience: Not only did I get my long Tokyo layover back, I upgraded the whole journey.
BUF → LGA
Taxi across town to JFK
JFK → HND (Tokyo Haneda) on Japan Airlines’ brand-new A350-1000 Business Class
HND → MNL (Manila)
How I Found the Space (PointsYeah FTW)
I found the award seats by checking PointsYeah.com every couple of days—or whenever inspiration struck. It’s my favorite award-search engine because it’s fast, clean, and makes it easy to spot partner availability without 10 open tabs. That casual cadence paid off: one check turned up JAL A350 Business Class space out of JFK, lining up perfectly with my dates.
The Deal That Sealed It
Cost: 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles + $15.60 in taxes
Cash Price: $3,172 one-way
Value: ~4.5¢ per mile
Highlight: JAL A350-1000 Business Class “THE SUITE”
For the same mileage I’d earmarked for Vietnam, I got a flagship product, my Tokyo layover, and the destination I’d been trying to reach since 2020.
Why This Flight Was Special
JAL’s new A350-1000 is a stunner: sliding-door suites, huge IFE screens, tons of storage, and thoughtful Japanese hospitality. Pair that with an easy connection at Haneda and it felt like everything finally clicked.
Full Circle
What started as a frustrating schedule change became a redemption story—literally and figuratively. I missed the Philippines at 35. Now I’m heading there at 40, in style, thanks to 70K AA miles, $15.60, a little flexibility, and a well-timed check on PointsYeah. Sometimes points travel isn’t just about cents per mile—it’s about finishing the trip you promised yourself you’d take.
💳 Bonus Tip: All the miles I used for this redemption came from just one sign-up bonus—the American Airlines AAdvantage Business World Elite Mastercard from Citi. One card, one bonus, and it unlocked a $3,172 business class flight.
