JAL and ANA Elite Memberships Aren't What They Used to Be

The two airline heavyweights Japan Airlines (JAL) and ANA Holdings continue to rule Japanese skies. Japanese fliers tend to be either fans of JAL or ANA and regularly fly on one or the other.

The two companies have similar route networks, except in local areas, and there is little difference in the services they provide. So the choice between them has largely boiled down to personal preference.

However, the situation surrounding the two rivals changed after JAL changed the way it confers elite membership, a coveted status for fans of flying.

Membership System

This elite membership status is seen as a tool to lure frequent fliers. Such elite membership status offers a number of perks, including access to airport lounges, priority check-in lanes, priority boarding, and priority baggage collection.

Other merits include advance booking of air tickets, priority allocation when waiting for cancellations, and additional miles earned. All these contribute to fostering a distinct sense of superiority among holders of premium memberships.

Since this system is not available on the Shinkansen and other trains, it provides a major incentive for people to use airplanes.

Elite membership can prove especially advantageous when flying internationally. Even if the passenger flies economy class, he or she can receive the same service as a business class passenger, except for the type of airline seat and in-flight meals.

The basic criteria for becoming an elite member are to fly many flights with the same airline and accumulate points. These points are different from miles. This status is usually renewed annually. That is the universal practice in the global airline industry.

Which to Choose?

But JAL and ANA offer ways for fliers to keep the elite qualification semi-permanently once obtained. By obtaining elite membership and applying for a designated credit card within a certain period of time, the frequent flier can maintain the qualifications for as long as he or she owns the card.

For that reason, some people have flown a number of times within a short period of time in order to qualify for premium status. Some of these individuals combine it with travel or other activities, but most people arrive at their destination and then turn around and head home without doing much else.

Such people, who are solely intent on boarding an airplane to earn points, are colloquially referred to as "monks in training" (shugyo so) because of their punishing schedules.

Because the premium membership system helps to secure customer loyalty, both JAL and ANA had adopted roughly the same qualification rules.

Crowded Lounges

However, starting in 2024, JAL introduced a new "Life Status Points" system. It allows members to accumulate points indefinitely through their boarding history, thereby earning miles for shopping, etc, and use these points as benchmarks for membership qualification.

With JAL, it has become important to fly consistently every year, while conversely, it has become difficult to qualify through intensive flying over a brief period.

For those who had their hearts set on becoming elite members, this was a real bolt from the blue, and the number of "trainee monks" flying JAL dropped precipitously.

However, JAL justifies the change as follows: "We made the change to cater to our long-term customers." The company apparently factored in a drop in its "trainee monk" business.

In fact, having too many elite members has produced certain ill effects. Airport lounges are routinely packed. And on flights between Haneda Airport and Osaka (Itami), which are often used by business people, the boarding queue in the premium members' lane is often longer than the line for regular boarders.

Premium members can use the lounges of partner airlines at airports overseas. But they often become crowded with Japanese travelers. It is reported that in some cases that has resulted in resentment in those locations.

Is It Worth It?

Is it really worth going through the ordeal to become an elite member in the first place? For frequent fliers on international routes, the various perks can certainly be beneficial. And the availability of a lounge is certainly welcome when a passenger has a long layover.

However, the weak yen and low wage levels in Japan have led to less overseas travel. Furthermore, the spread of online meetings has led to a significant reduction in corporate overseas business trips. It is clear that opportunities for premium members to take advantage of their special status are becoming fewer.

It is true that lounges serve light snacks and drinks, including alcohol. But if the traveler wants something more substantial to eat, going to a restaurant would probably be more satisfying.

What is more, the "Priority Pass," which allows the bearer to use lounges at airports around the world, is available in Japan at a lower price than overseas due to partnerships with various credit card companies. So that option can be used instead.

Rise of LCCs

Low-cost carriers (LCC) have recently been enjoying spectacular growth. Since the difference in airfare from the major airlines is substantial, many elite members have even decided to sacrifice their special treatment and fly on LCCs in order to save money on their trips.

Both JAL and ANA have LCCs under their respective business group umbrellas, allowing them to cater to a diverse range of customers.

In the end, in choosing between JAL and ANA, if the traveler is hoping to acquire an elite membership, there is no doubt that ANA, which is sticking with the traditional rules, is the only viable choice. But with the importance of premium status waning, is it really worth it?

In that sense, JAL's change of heart seems to be in tune with the times.

(Read the article in Japanese.)

Author: Naoki Fujiwara, The Sankei Shimbun