June 2, 2025
Bilt Rewards Adds Japan Airlines: What This Means for Award Travel in 2025
Episode Description
Have you ever dreamed of flying to Japan in business class—without paying out of pocket? Bilt just made that a lot easier.
In this episode, I’m joined by award travel strategist Ben Komenkul to talk about the newest (and most exciting) Bilt Rewards transfer partner: Japan Airlines. This partnership opens the door to premium flights across Asia and around the world—and it’s not just for those planning a trip to Tokyo.
Ben and I walk through everything from low-cost regional flights and lie-flat business class options to more advanced redemptions like partner bookings with Emirates or Korean Air. We also share the biggest tips and pitfalls to know before transferring your Bilt points, including how to avoid JAL’s 60-day award booking delay and why their mileage expiration policy might not work for everyone.
If you’ve been curious about using Bilt points—or want to understand when this program can unlock premium cabin value—this is a must-listen.
Turn your expenses into points and save tens of thousands of dollars a year on your wishlist travel. Don’t miss out! Click here to know more about my comprehensive online program, Points Made Easy.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- How to book Japan Airlines business class flights using Bilt points
- What makes JAL’s partner redemptions like Emirates so valuable
- The hidden power of booking regional flights and stopovers through JAL
- How to navigate rules like hard mileage expiration and account delays
- Why Bilt’s 1:1 transfer rate makes this partnership stand out
- Who should (and shouldn’t) transfer points to JAL Mileage Bank
- Why this is a strong play even if Japan isn’t your next stop
Featured on the Show:
- Follow me on Instagram
- Get on the waitlist for the Points Made Easy Course here!
- Get My Cash-Back Credit Card Cheat Sheet!
- If you have any questions or you want me to dive deeper into a specific topic, email me here: podcast@pointmetofirstclass.com
- Connect with Ben Komenkul here
- Bilt Rewards
- Japan Airlines Mileage Bank
- Emirates Skywards
- Korean Air SKYPASS
- AwardWallet
- CardPointers
- Ep 99: Can You Really Book an Around-the-World Trip with Points?
Click here to download full episode transcript
Enjoy the Show?
- Don’t miss an episode, follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or RSS.
- Leave me a review in Apple Podcasts.
Point Me to First Class is the show for professionals and business owners with higher-than-average personal or business expenses, who want to learn to leverage these expenses into credit card points they can spend on travel.
Each week, I share valuable tips, tools, and strategies to help you uplevel your skills earning and redeeming credit card points, so you can expand your travel and expand your experiences.
