ANA Mileage Club sweet spots.
Home of the single most ambitious award in the game: around the world in business class for 125K miles. Round-trip only, Amex MR only — and worth the ceremony.
Round-trip only, but the round-the-world chart is unmatched — 125k in business, 165k in first.
ANA Mileage Club rewards planners. Everything about it is deliberate — awards are round-trip only, space opens 355 days out at midnight Japan time, and transfers arrive from exactly one flexible currency — but the prices repay the ceremony. U.S.-Japan round-trips in business on ANA's own excellent product undercut what rivals charge one-way, and then there is the chart everyone whispers about.
The round-the-world award prices a multi-continent Star Alliance itinerary — up to eight stopovers — at 125K miles in business or 165K in first, by total distance flown. Nothing else in points construes travel this generously. We value ANA miles at 1.9¢, and the RTW chart is most of the reason.
Where the miles come from
Transferable currencies that move into ANA Mileage Club, best value first.
| Currency | Ratio | Source value | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Express Membership Rewards | 1:1 | 2¢/pt | Full partner list → |
The sweet spots
The round-the-world award
Star Alliance metal, up to eight stopovers, priced on total distance. The booking is phone-only and the routing rules are a study in themselves — but no other program sells a trip like this at any price near it.
U.S. ↔ Japan round-trip in ANA business
Priced round-trip at what dynamic programs charge one-way. ANA's own long-haul business is one of the best in the sky, and award space on its U.S. routes opens reliably at 355 days.
Star Alliance partner round-trips
The partner chart prices by zone pairs and stays put while competitors float. If your trip is naturally a round-trip, ANA often beats the program you were about to use.
Watch out for
- Round-trip only. There are no one-way awards, full stop — if your trip is one-way, this is the wrong program.
- Fuel surcharges apply on many awards, including ANA metal — typically a few hundred dollars on Japan round-trips. Price the cash component before you transfer.
- Amex MR transfers are the only flexible way in, and they are not instant — allow up to 2-3 days, which means you cannot chase last-seat availability with an empty account.
- The RTW award books by phone against strict routing rules; give yourself weeks of planning, not days.
How to earn ANA Mileage Club miles
- Amex MR transfers at 1:1 and is effectively the only funding route for U.S. collectors — build the MR balance first, then move it when your dates firm up.
- ANA award space opens 355 days out at midnight JST; the transfer delay means moving points about a week before your target date, once you have confirmed the calendar pattern on your route.
- Paid Star Alliance flying credits to Mileage Club at solid rates on mid-tier fares — worth it if you are accumulating toward the RTW chart.
Frequently asked
What is the ANA round-the-world award?
A distance-priced award that strings Star Alliance flights across multiple continents into one ticket — up to eight stopovers — for 125K miles in business or 165K in first. It books by phone under detailed routing rules, and it is the single highest-value published award we know of.
How do I get ANA miles?
For most U.S. collectors: transfer Amex Membership Rewards at 1:1 (allow 2-3 days), or credit paid Star Alliance flights. No other major transferable currency reaches Mileage Club.
Why are ANA awards round-trip only?
Program design — ANA prices its chart on round-trips and has never offered one-ways. The compensation is price: its round-trips frequently cost what other programs charge for a single direction, which is why we value the miles at 1.9¢ despite the constraint.