EXPLAINED: JAL Mileage Bank Crystal

The Basics

The Three Services

JAL’s services / offerings / status benefits are split into what they call the three services and each one is applied at different times throughout the membership year.

What do you get with Mileage Bank Crystal

Advance Front Seat selection

Eligible members can select a front seat in advance – priority is based on JMB/JGC status – when booking JAL international flights.

However, this is only available when flying on fares eligible for advance front seat assignment and you must hold the status on date of departure or your seat assignment may be adjusted if you lose your status.

Milage Bonus

JMB Crystal members will receive bonus redeemable miles for every flight on JAL, American Airlines, British Airways and Iberia flights travelled on.

– JAL Group: 55% Bonus
– American Airlines: 55% Bonus
– British Airways: 25%
– Iberia: 25%

Priority Check-in

Members can have access to use priority check in desks (ie Business Class checkin counters) only when flying JAL international flights or when on another Oneworld carrier for themselves and one companion.

Priority Boarding

With Mileage Bank Crystal status, you are able to have priority boarding only when flying on international JAL flights only.

This is better than Royal Air Maroc which does not allow priority boarding at all for their members at this status

However airlines like Cathay Pacific, British Airways and American Airlines will offer priority boarding for their Oneworld Ruby Members.

Extra Checked Baggage Allowance

In addition to the standard checked baggage allowance, JMB Crystal members who fly with JAL or other Oneworld carriers are allowed additional checked bag allowances

When flying on JAL domestic this is an extra 10Kg but on international flights this is 1 extra checked bag.

This is consistent with American Airlines which offers an additional checked bag for Oneworld Ruby members but it pales in comparison to Royal Air Maroc which offers and additional 23Kg for their lowest Elite Members.

Lounge Access

Mileage Bank Crystal members get lounge coupons to access to JAL lounges when travelling (not to dissimilar to Cathay Pacific – if only to note that JAL is more generous with its coupons than Cathay is). Members though, are unfortunately only able to enter the domestic lounges with the coupons.

JAL run a multitude of promotions at any given time so its always worth checking the website to see what the promotions are for the time you are travelling.

How to Collect FLY ON Points

When you travel with Japan Airlines, or a Oneworld partner marked as Japan Airlines, you earn FLY ON points with which you can achieve elite status with.

The blue membership card is the most basic and is available to everyone and does not come with benefits except the ability to earn FLY ON points and Redeemable Mileage. Crystal, Sapphire and Diamond are earned and come with a varying degree of benefits. This is not to be confused with JAL’s Global Club Crystal, a separate and parallel elite status program offered by JAL.

Moving up the ladder with the Mileage bank is completely dependent on the number of FLY ON points accrued within a given year, and like Redeemable Mileage Points, expire after a set time period – in this case FLY ON Points expire at the end of each calendar year. However, your status will only expire on the following years end.

There is no other use for FLY ON Points other than setting your elite status; they cannot be spent.

Although Japan Airline Mileage Bank works a little differently than to other Oneworld members. Some differences include:

You can only collect FLY ON points when travelling on a flight marketed by Japan Airlines or a Oneworld Alliance member, the rate you collect at is dependant on a couple of factors (as discussed below).

To achieve Mileage Bank Crystal status, you need either:

• JMB member who has accrued at least 30,000 FLY ON Points (including 15,000 FLY ON Points on JAL Group flights), or
• JMB member who has attained at least 30 flights (including at least 15 JAL Group flights) and 10,000 FLY ON Points

Calculating the Number of FLY ON Points Earned

FLY ON points are based on a calculation with tones of exceptions, quick, rates and multipliers meaning that you nearly always need a pen and paper to work out how many points you will get.

For example you can get a 2x multiplier when flying domestically in Japan with JAL but only 1x when flying internationally. you can get an extra 400 points when buying a “regular” ticket and you can get a 2x multiplier when you use a promotional product.

To keep this section short as the notes on FLY ON Points are exceptionally long, the basic formula is:

FLY ON Points Earned = Distance Flown (in Miles) x Conversion Rate + Bonus Points + Promotional Bonus

If you want to know more use the link below:

EXPLAINED : FLY ON Points

The simplest and best tool for finding out how many FLY ON points you’ll earn on any flight is to use the Japan Airlines FLY ON Points calculator – however being JAL – there is a version for domestic and international flights.

Mileage Bank Tiers

Blue

Equivalent
Oneworld Basic

Crystal

Equivalent
Oneworld Ruby

Sapphire

Equivalent
Oneworld Sapphire

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Emerald

Equivalent
Oneworld Emerald

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