Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
GUIDE
How to earn JAL Mileage Bank miles for upgrade awards
JAL Mileage Bank upgrade awards are awards that use miles from a JAL Mileage Bank (JMB) account to upgrade a flight. This page covers the earning side only: how large that balance grows depends on the sector mileage flown and the accumulation rate for the fare of the ticket purchased, because JMB flight mileage is credited that way rather than at a flat rate per cabin. [4] [5]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- JMB flight mileage is based on the sector mileage of the sector travelled and on the accumulation rate for the fare of the purchased ticket, so the booking class on a paid ticket decides how fast the balance builds. [4] [5]
- On British Airways-operated flights, First Class in F or A earns 150%, Business Class in J, C, D, R or I earns 125%, and Economy Class in Q, O or G earns 25%, as of 18 October 2026. [4]
- Award tickets, non-revenue tickets and special discounted fares such as travel agent, tour conductor and infant fares earn no JMB miles. [4] [5] [6]
- Credit for a flight that did not post has to be requested within six months of the flight date. [4] [5] [6]
How is JAL Mileage Bank flight mileage calculated?
Flight mileage is credited automatically to a JMB account when a member travels on eligible flights. [4] The membership number must be given in nine digits when the reservation is made or at check-in, and every ticket must be issued in the member's own name. [4] Members whose numbers are shorter than nine digits add a leading zero, so JAL's own example turns 1234567 into 001234567. [4]
The sector mileage behind each credit is calculated on IATA Ticketed Point Mileage (TPM), and the figures are revised in July and January of each year from the TPM released in the previous spring and autumn. [4] [5] The percentage applied on top of that sector mileage comes from the booking class of the purchased fare. [4]
| Cabin | Applicable booking classes | Accumulation rate |
|---|---|---|
| First Class | F, A | 150% |
| Business Class | J, C, D, R, I | 125% |
| Premium Economy Class | W, E, T | 100% |
| Economy Class | Y, B | 100% |
| Economy Class | H | 70% |
| Economy Class | K, M, L, V, S, N | 50% |
| Economy Class | Q, O, G | 25% |
Do all JAL partner airlines use the same accumulation rates?
No. Each partner page carries its own list of applicable booking classes and rates, so the same letter can earn differently depending on which airline operated the flight. [4] [5] [6]
- Finnair. Business Class in J, C or D earns 125% and in I or R earns 70%; Premium Economy in W or E earns 100% and in T or P earns 70%; Economy in Y or B earns 100%, while N, Q, O and Z earn 25%. [5]
- Royal Air Maroc. Business Class in J, C, D or I earns 125%; Economy in Y, B or H earns 100%, and the lowest listed classes T, R, W, P, G and O earn 30%. [6]
- Alaska Airlines/Hawaiian Airlines. First Class in F or A earns 150%, Business Class in J earns 125%, and Economy in G or X earns 30%. [7]
Inclusive Tour Fares are eligible for mileage accrual if they are booked in one of the applicable booking classes, and a ticket is ineligible regardless of the fare paid if it is booked in a class that is not listed. [4] [5] [7] For some fares the accumulation rate may differ from the published table. [4] [5] [7]
How do you claim JAL Mileage Bank miles for a flight that did not credit?
A member who did not give the JMB membership number before the flight can ask for post-flight credit instead, and all such requests must be made within six months from the flight date. [4] [5] [6] Mileage will not be credited when the member travels under a different name, on award or non-revenue tickets, on special discounted fares such as travel agent, tour conductor or infant fares, on cargo or charter flights (except JAL international flights), on tickets or booking classes that are ineligible under partner agreements, when the flight is not boarded for any reason including delay or cancellation, or when the flight has been registered to a frequent flyer programme other than JMB. [4] [5] [6]
Exceptions and limits
- Codeshares. British Airways codeshare flights earn only when operated by oneworld alliance airlines with BA flight numbers or by BA CityFlyer (CJ) or EuroFlyer (A0). [4] Finnair codeshares earn only when operated by oneworld alliance airlines or Nordic Regional Airlines with AY flight numbers. [5] Royal Air Maroc codeshares earn only when operated by oneworld alliance airlines. [6]
- Mile-up bonuses. FLY ON members receive additional bonus miles on each flight based on their FLY ON membership level. [4] For Finnair flights the FLY ON Mile-Up bonus applies to departures on or after 1 May 2026, at a rate that varies by FLY ON status level. [5]
- Cabin quirks. On Alaska Airlines US domestic flights operated with two or three classes of service, the Business Class accrual rate is applied to First Class. [7]
- Known delays. JAL notes a partial delay in the accrual of flight miles for Finnair flights, and a partial delay in accrual for Alaska/Hawaiian flights. [5] [7]
Frequently asked questions
Does the cabin I fly or the booking class decide my miles?
The booking class of the purchased fare sets the accumulation rate, so two passengers in the same cabin can earn different amounts on the same route. [4]
Do award tickets earn JAL Mileage Bank miles?
No. Award tickets, non-revenue tickets and special discounted fares such as travel agent, tour conductor and infant fares are excluded from mileage accrual. [4] [6]
How long do I have to request missing miles?
Post-flight credit requests must be made within six months from the flight date. [4] [5]
Do elite members earn extra miles on these flights?
Yes. FLY ON members receive additional bonus miles for each flight based on their FLY ON membership level, and on Finnair flights the bonus applies from departures on or after 1 May 2026. [4] [5]
Sources
Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. It uses only the official JAL Mileage Bank earning pages listed below, covering British Airways, Finnair, Royal Air Maroc and Alaska Airlines/Hawaiian Airlines flights.
- JAL Mileage Bank – British Airways flight mileage and accumulation rates, checked 18 October 2026
- JAL Mileage Bank – Finnair flight mileage and accumulation rates, checked 18 October 2026
- Royal Air Maroc – JAL Mileage Bank flight mileage and accumulation rates, checked 18 October 2026
- Alaska Airlines/Hawaiian Airlines – JAL Mileage Bank accumulation rates, checked 18 October 2026