You can fly Japan Airlines Business Class with Qantas Points by booking a Classic Flight Reward on qantas.com. Sydney to Tokyo costs 108,000 Qantas Points one way, plus taxes. The hard part is finding the seats, so in this guide I'll show you exactly how I search for them, how JAL compares with Qantas Business Class, and a second way to book JAL using Japan Airlines miles, often for far fewer points.
I've just flown to Japan and back in Business Class on points, so everything below comes from that trip.
I walk through the whole trip, the search and the JAL miles strategy in this video:
Which airlines can you fly to Japan with Qantas Points?
Three airlines fly between Australia and Japan that you can book with Qantas Points: Japan Airlines, Qantas and Jetstar. Jetstar's "business class" isn't a lie-flat bed (it's closer to premium economy on most airlines), so for a proper Business Class experience your two real options are Japan Airlines and Qantas.
Japan Airlines vs Qantas Business Class to Japan
I flew Japan Airlines Business Class home from Japan, and I've flown Qantas Business Class plenty of times. Honestly, the seats are much of a muchness, but there are a few differences worth knowing.
What I loved about Japan Airlines Business Class
- Very private window seats. A privacy screen raises between the window seat and the aisle seat, so solo travellers can be completely boxed off. Couples can lower it and still sit together.
- The food. You can choose a Western or Japanese menu, and both were great.
- The service. Some of the best cabin crew I've ever had on any airline.
Where Qantas has the edge
- Bed length. I'm about 6'1" to 6'2" and the JAL bed felt a little tight. Qantas feels an inch or two longer. Most people under about 6'3" won't notice.
- The little things. On my JAL flight the pillow was very flat, there were no pyjamas, the cabin was warm with no personal air vent, and the lights stayed on for most of an overnight flight. All minor, but they add up.
The points and taxes (this is the big one)
| Sydney to Tokyo, Business Class, one way | Qantas Points | Taxes |
|---|
| Japan Airlines | 108,000 | Roughly double Qantas |
| Qantas | 98,400 | Significantly lower |
Points prices at the time of filming (October 2026). Check the current figures on qantas.com before you book.
So on JAL you pay more points and more taxes for a fairly similar product. If both are available on your dates, I'd pick Qantas. If only JAL is available, book it. It's still a fantastic way to fly.
One more reason I lean towards Qantas-operated flights
On the same trip, a typhoon cancelled a partner flight I'd booked with Qantas Points (China Eastern, Shanghai to Tokyo). Each airline told me to call the other, and I ended up paying around A$1,500 for a last-minute replacement flight. That wasn't Japan Airlines, and 99 times out of 100 partner bookings are fine. But when things go wrong, it's simpler if the airline that sold you the ticket is also the one flying the plane. Here's the full story: what happens when your award flight is cancelled.
How to find Japan Airlines and Qantas reward seats to Japan
Business Class reward seats to Japan can be scarce, so how you search makes a huge difference. Here's exactly what I do in the Qantas Flight Reward Finder:
- Select all the major Australian airports. Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are your best bets.
- Select all four Japanese airports under North East Asia: Tokyo Haneda, Tokyo Narita, Osaka and Sapporo. Only searching Tokyo cuts your options.
- Filter to Business Class and scan the full 12-month calendar.
- Switch from "direct" to "one stop". This is what saved my trip home. There were no direct seats from Tokyo to Sydney, but there were seats from Osaka to Sydney connecting through Tokyo. Qantas wouldn't let me book just the Tokyo leg, so I booked the whole Osaka to Sydney trip. It cost no more points and got me home in Business.
- Check every day and set alerts. Availability comes and goes in waves through the year, with dry patches and then fresh releases. Tools like seats.aero or Gyoza Flights can alert you when seats appear.
For a deeper dive, see my video on the best Business Class flights to Japan with Qantas Points.
The other way: book Japan Airlines with JAL miles
This is the strategy most Aussies don't know about. Japan Airlines' own frequent flyer program (JAL Mileage Bank) often has far more Business Class reward seats than you'll see on qantas.com. On the day I checked, the Qantas site showed only a handful of JAL Business seats to Japan, while the JAL site had around 40.
It can also be much cheaper. JAL uses dynamic pricing, and its cheapest Business Class reward rate starts from 45,000 miles one way. Prices rise with demand, often to 70,000 to 90,000 miles, and more in peak season. Compare that with roughly 100,000 Qantas Points for the same flight, and you can pay about half the points by booking through JAL instead.
The catch: JAL miles are hard to earn in Australia. Here are the two ways I use.
Option 1: pay.com.au (for business owners)
pay.com.au lets you pay business bills by card and earn PayRewards points, which you can transfer to several airline programs, including Japan Airlines and Air Canada Aeroplan (neither of which you can reach with Amex points).
- PayRewards to JAL transfers at 3:1 (3 PayRewards points = 1 JAL mile).
- PayRewards to Qantas transfers at 2:1.
Even at the worse rate, JAL can still win. A 45,000-mile JAL seat needs about 135,000 PayRewards points. The same seat at around 100,000 Qantas Points would need about 200,000 PayRewards points. Taxes are about the same either way.
Option 2: Rove Miles (for everyone)
No business? Rove is a hotel booking platform where you earn miles on every hotel stay, often 12 to 30 miles per dollar, with prices usually close to booking.com. The best part: Rove miles transfer to most airline partners, including Japan Airlines, at 1:1. When I filmed, there was even a 50% transfer bonus to JAL.
A simple example: spend $2,000 on your Japan hotel at 15 miles per dollar and you'd earn 30,000 Rove miles. With a 50% bonus, that's 45,000 JAL miles, enough for a Business Class seat at the lowest rate.
A few tips if you use Rove:
- Rove is a US platform and asks for a US phone number when you sign up. You can get one but does involve a process.
- Miles are usually credited after your stay. Non-refundable rates can pay out instantly, so check the room details.
- Always contact the hotel after booking to confirm they have your reservation. That's good practice with any third-party booking site.
Other ways to fly to Japan on points
Virgin Australia Velocity partners with ANA, and Air Canada Aeroplan can also book ANA. When I searched, though, both had very few Business Class seats to Japan, and the ones they had were mostly within a week of departure. For a trip you can actually plan, Qantas Points and JAL miles are where I'd focus.
Is it worth it?
Absolutely. At around 100,000 Qantas Points for a Business Class seat that often sells for several thousand dollars, Japan is one of the better redemptions from Australia. Run your own numbers in our Qantas Points value calculator, and see how much a Qantas Point is worth for the rule we use: under 2c is bad, 2 to 3c is okay, over 3c is great.
FAQs
How many Qantas Points to fly Japan Airlines Business Class?
At the time of writing, Sydney to Tokyo in Japan Airlines Business Class costs 108,000 Qantas Points one way, plus taxes. Qantas's own Business Class on the same route costs 98,400 points.
Can I book Japan Airlines with Qantas Points online?
Yes. Japan Airlines is a Qantas partner, and you can search and book JAL Classic Flight Rewards on qantas.com or through the Qantas Flight Reward Finder.
Is Japan Airlines or Qantas Business Class better to Japan?
The seats are very similar. JAL has more private window seats and excellent food and service. Qantas has slightly longer beds, pyjamas, and costs fewer points and lower taxes, so I'd choose Qantas if both are available.
Why can't I find Business Class reward seats to Japan?
Seats are limited and come in waves. Search all four Japanese airports, include one-stop options, check daily and set alerts. Searching only direct flights to Tokyo cuts your chances a lot.
Want help finding the seats?
In The Points Hub we find Business Class reward seats bookable with Qantas Points every day, including Japan, and share the best ones with the points and taxes for each. Want me to plan your trip with you? Check out our 1-on-1 booking service.
