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A simple concept every points and miles fan should embrace is: opportunity for now, for travel later.

Just because you don’t want to – and should not – leave you house right now doesn’t mean you can’t plan great trips for later. With incredible promos popping up and availability to cash in points for airline seats and hotel rooms as good as its ever been, it’d be a shame to miss out.

One of the best flash offers to emerge is a sneak American Airlines AAdvantage promo, with first class to Tokyo for just 55,000 miles one way, or business for 45,000.

Leading Indonesian blog PinterPoin says they stumbled on an AAdvantage promo, where you can cash in American Airlines AAdvantage miles at exceptional rates. Travel from the USA to Tokyo for the end of 2020, and also into 2021 on American Airlines is currently just 55,000 AAdvantage Miles one way in first class, or 45,000 one way in flat bed business class.

a wooden structure with a blue skyThe promo works in both directions, and with just $5.60 in taxes out of the USA, and $56 out back from Tokyo, you could end up with round trip first class for 110,000 AAdvantage miles and $60 odd bucks. That sure ain’t bad, nor is 90,000 miles and $60 bucks either.

How do you find the seats? You’ll need to search at AA.com, and look for travel during this time. Early reports suggest most airport departures are available, and most will route via Dallas. This could be a very cool way to try Flagship First dining.

Again, the reduced amount of miles only applies if you’re actually using American Airlines miles, though the fantastic award space is bookable by other airlines. Tokyo is the dream, and this is a great way to live it.

The more flexibility you have the better. Thanks to incredibly proactive health screening, Japan has been one of the “luckier” countries in its recovery, and much is already operating again as usual. By the end of 2020, it should be even better, assuming they open their doors to visitors between now and then…

Gilbert Ott

Gilbert Ott is an ever curious traveler and one of the world's leading travel experts. His adventures take him all over the globe, often spanning over 200,000 miles a year and his travel exploits are regularly...

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8 Comments

  1. I snagged Hong Kong from Portland in F each way for 55,000 miles August 21 – September 8 last week 🙂

  2. Gib, have you flown American first class to Asia? To be really, really kind, it’s not very good. My wife pretty much made me swear that we’d never do that again. The price really is cheap though, so if it were just me without my wife, I’d maybe consider it for the personal space.

  3. Pay the small extra mileage premium and fly Japan Airlines.AA is really not worth it for such a long flight.Poor food and surly flight attendants make for a poor experience.

  4. gilbert has flown AA first and was not terribly happy about the service. i was hoping that would have been linked in this article as his and OMAAT’s subsequent experiencing definitely raised red flags for me

  5. Hey Gilbert! Do you have any sample bookings/itineraries that reflect the mileage prices you wrote about? The lowest I’m finding are 60k one-way for Business class and 80k one-way for First. Looking at fall 2020 bookings. Thanks!

    1. Hey Brandon, the best availability was around Nov/December and into 2021. It was fully wide open this morning – I think PinterPoin took a screenshot – but could well be gone now.

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