70,000 points · 3–4 months timeline
Quick Answer
Flying to Tokyo, Japan costs 70,000 points for economy or 160,000 points for business class (round-trip). The best route is ANA via Virgin Atlantic. Get the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (60,000 bonus after $4,000 in 3 months) and reach your goal in 3–4 months.
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club is the secret weapon for flights to Japan and South Korea. While most travelers assume they need to book directly with the local airline, Virgin Atlantic's partnership with ANA (All Nippon Airways) unlocks premium award space at just 70,000 miles round-trip in economy — often 20–30% cheaper than booking through other programs. ANA consistently ranks among the world's best airlines, so you're getting top-tier service at some of the lowest points costs available.
The booking process works like this: once you've transferred your Chase points to Virgin Atlantic, search for award availability at virginatlantic.com. Select 'Book with miles', choose your route, and specifically look for ANA-operated flights (flight numbers starting with NH). For the best availability, search 6–11 months in advance — ANA releases award space to partners in batches. If you can't find space online, call Virgin Atlantic's award booking line where agents can sometimes locate space not visible on the website.
The bottom line: Tokyo, Japan requires approximately 70,000 points for economy or 160,000 for business class. With Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (60,000 bonus points), you can reach this goal in 3–4 months. The points value delivered — compared to cash fares of $1100–$1800+ for economy — makes this one of the most powerful travel strategies available.
HYATT · Best hotel redemption in Tokyo, Japan
Hyatt Regency Tokyo offers an exceptional points redemption in Tokyo, Japan. At 12,000 HYATT points per night, you're getting outstanding value compared to cash rates in the area. Hyatt is best value in Japan. 12-25K/night. Transfer your credit card points to HYATT and book directly at hyatt.com — award availability for most properties in Tokyo, Japan is generally strong outside peak holiday periods.
A round-trip economy flight to Tokyo costs approximately 70,000 Virgin Atlantic Flying Club miles when booking ANA. Business class runs around 160,000 miles round-trip. The Virgin Atlantic sweet spot for ANA is one of the best redemptions in all of points travel.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred ($95/yr) with its 60,000-point signup bonus is the best starting card. You'll also want the Chase Freedom Unlimited (20,000-point bonus) to bridge the gap to 80,000 total points, covering economy for one or business for a couple.
Go to virginatlantic.com, click 'Book with miles', select your route to Tokyo (TYO/NRT/HND), and search for ANA-operated flights. ANA's award space opens 355 days in advance. Call Virgin Atlantic at 1-800-862-8621 if you can't find space online — phone agents have better access.
Tokyo is absolutely worth the points. Economy cash fares typically run $900–$1,400 round-trip, making each point worth 1.3–2¢. Business class to Tokyo can cost $5,000–$8,000 cash — redeeming 160,000 points delivers 3–5¢ per point value, far exceeding most other redemptions.
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