#7 https://stan.store/rewardingroutes

Flying to Japan with points and miles can feel like navigating a maze but once you figure it out, it’s like unlocking a secret travel advantage that lets you go back again and again without overspending. In this episode, I’m breaking down exactly how I book flights to Japan using points the same approach that’s allowed me to make Japan travel a yearly tradition.

Before diving into all the redemptions and routes, I start with how I personally plan each trip. I always begin with the flights they shape everything else, from where I go to how long I stay. Japan travel is in high demand right now, which makes finding business class award seats tough, but not impossible. I’ll show you how I’ve found both business and economy flights using points, while keeping flexibility and value in mind.

We’ll begin with Tokyo’s two main airports Haneda (HND), my preferred choice thanks to its Edo Marketplace and proximity to central Tokyo, and Narita (NRT), which is farther out but remains a major international hub. From there, I’ll cover other airports like Osaka (KIX), Nagoya (NGO), Fukuoka (FUK), and Sapporo (CTS), plus the best ways to connect domestically using Peach, Jetstar, or even the Shinkansen.

One of the most powerful strategies I share is how to use positioning flights. These short domestic or regional hops can connect you to the best-value long-haul routes. I’ll explain how I use FlightConnections to visualize every nonstop route into Tokyo, find hidden opportunities, and plan efficient routes that save both miles and cash.

Then, I walk through the airlines and programs I’ve used or researched extensively, breaking down what actually works in practice:

• ANA (All Nippon Airways) via Amex Membership Rewards or Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
• Japan Airlines (JAL) via Bilt, Citi, Capital One, or Amex
• Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, and British Airways Avios for additional OneWorld redemptions
• Budget and alternative routes like ZIPAIR, EVA Air, Starlux, and Korean Air for creative options across Asia

Throughout the episode, I share my own redemptions from flying United Polaris business class when Japan reopened to using Air Canada Aeroplan and Virgin Atlantic for affordable economy flights. You’ll hear what worked best, what I’d do differently, and how these lessons are shaping my future trips.

To wrap up, I share the tools and resources I rely on most to search for award availability and plan smarter:

• FlightConnections
  — visualize nonstop routes and plan positioning flights
• Seats.aero
  — search award availability across airlines
• Point.Me
  — compare redemption options and transfer partners
• Thrifty Traveler Premium
  — get alerts on points deals and flight discounts
• Roame.Travel
  — live award searches with built-in transfer partner details

If keeping track of all the transfer partners sounds overwhelming, I’ve created a simple resource to make it easier. You can download my Transfer Partner Cheat Sheet directly from my Stan Store:
https://stan.store/rewardingroutes

Stan Store (Transfer Partner Cheat Sheet)
→ https://stan.store/rewardingroutes

FlightConnections
→ https://www.flightconnections.com

Seats.aero
→ https://www.seats.aero

Point.Me
→ https://www.point.me

Thrifty Traveler Premium
→ https://www.thriftytraveler.com/premium

Roame.Travel
→ https://www.roame.travel

#6 We kick off at the gateway: Tokyo’s airports. Narita (NRT) is farther but often cheaper with easy rides into the city via Skyliner, N’EX, or comfy airport buses you can book on Klook (taxis from NRT = $$$). Haneda (HND) is my fave closer, with the Edo Marketplace (Terminal 3) for last-minute eats and souvenirs before security. Beyond Tokyo, keep Kansai (Osaka), Itami, Chubu (Nagoya), and Fukuoka on your radar domestic hops or the Shinkansen make multi-city routes effortless.

Essentials that level up your trip: carry some cash (small, family run spots are often cash only), use the money tray at checkout, and consider a debit card that reimburses ATM fees. Keep your passport on you it’s the law and it’s needed for tax-free shopping (note: rules are set to change in 2026). For connectivity, I’ve tried both pocket Wi-Fi and eSIMs; eSIMs win for “one less gadget to charge,” and regional plans make KR→JP seamless. No tipping needed service is built in. Public trash cans are scarce; eat near the shop and toss your trash there (or pack a tiny bag). BYO hand towel bathroom dryers are shy. And yes, wear real walking shoes 20–30k step days are a thing. Biggest sanity saver? Luggage shipping (look for the black-cat Yamato desks). Pay a modest fee, travel hands free, arrive happy.

Timing matters: avoid Golden Week (late Apr–early May) and Obon (mid-Aug) unless you love crowds. Spring blossoms (Mar–Apr) and fall foliage (Oct–Dec) are magic; May and October are comfortably great. Summer brings matsuri fireworks…and serious heat/typhoons choose your vibe accordingly.

Load a regional IC card (Suica/PASMO) into your phone; top-ups are easy (have a non-Visa backup just in case), tap without unlocking, and it even works for a few hours after your phone dies. On trains: be quiet, no phone calls, shift your backpack to the front, and avoid eating on locals (the Shinkansen is the exception). Last trains wrap around midnight plan taxis or…embrace the 5 a.m. first train life. Google Maps is your best friend down to which car to board for the quickest exit.

Speaking of the Shinkansen: book reserved seats (and the luggage-space rows if you’re rolling big), arrive early, and hunt down an ekiben box. Tokyo Station is a wonderland Character Street, Ramen Street, endless snacks budget time to get pleasantly lost.

Food rules the trip: make reservations for popular or high-end spots, expect a small table charge (otoshi) at many izakaya, and don’t customize dishes. Learn a couple phrases and watch doors open literally; I’ve had strangers strike up the kindest conversations. Allergies? Bring a printed card in Japanese. When browsing reviews, a 3–3.5 on local apps can still be excellent standards are high.

For deeper culture, splurge on a ryokan with kaiseki dinner, try an onsen (confirm tattoo policy), book a tea or cooking class, and catch a Japanese baseball game the energy is unforgettable. Choose hotels within a short walk of a station, and pre-book big-ticket experiences (Shibuya Sky sunset, teamLab, themed cafés like Pokémon or Kirby) well in advance they sell out fast.

Finally, embrace safe wandering. Build space into your itinerary to meander; some of my favorite finds (like that surprise banana pastry shop near Skytree) came from unplanned detours. Japan rewards curiosity.

Message me or email RewardingRoutesPodcast@gmail.com
so we can share it with the whole community.

ONLY in JAPAN * John Daub (main channel) — YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@onlyinjapan

ONLY in JAPAN * GO (live / mobile streaming channel) — YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/onlyinjapango

The Navigatio (blog / Japan travel site) — https://thenavigatio.com/

#5 $15,880 Trip for $221: How Points Made It Happen

Ever dream of visiting Japan (and neighbors) without draining your wallet? In this episode, I break down how we turned $15,880.20 of flights and hotels into a trip that cost just $221.62 out of pocket step by step. You’ll hear the big picture strategy behind our Orlando → San Francisco → Seoul → Busan → Tokyo route: why we used positioning flights, how airline alliances & partners unlocked seats (think Virgin → Korean)(Alaska → JAL) and when I chose Hyatt redemptions over cash.

I keep it simple and practical: what cards fueled our balances, how the “Player 2” system helped and the decision making you can copy for your own trip.

Along the way I’ll point to tools and creators that helped us plan smarter Klook.com for shuttles and tickets.

@tdrexplorer on YouTube for theme park strategy.

If you want photos, reels, and behind the scenes from this exact itinerary follow me on Instagram @rewardingroutes.

If you’re new to points and miles this episode shows the why and the how in one tidy story so you can start building your own rewarding route, one trip at a time. Tune in!