For 85,000 ANA Mileage Club miles plus ~$250 in taxes, you can fly a round-trip in ANA "The Room" business class between the US and Tokyo — a fare that runs around $6,000 return. That's roughly 6.8¢ per mile, about 4.8× their baseline value. Here's exactly how to book it, including ANA's quirky round-trip rule and the surcharge-free bonus most people miss.
Updated: July 2026. Award pricing changes — verify the current cost before you book.
The math
| Cash price of the seat | ~$6,000 (round-trip business, US–Tokyo) |
| Points used | 85,000 ANA Mileage Club miles (round-trip — ANA prices its own awards round-trip only) |
| Taxes & fees paid | ~$250 |
| Cents per point | (6,000 − 250) ÷ 85,000 × 100 = 6.76¢ |
| On-paper value of 85k ANA | ~$1,190 (at our 1.4¢ baseline) |
| Value unlocked | ~4.8× the baseline |
Two things make this redemption stand out. First, 85,000 miles for a round-trip in one of the best business seats flying is unusually cheap — most programs charge that much one-way. Second, ANA's taxes on its own metal are reasonable. See how we value every currency for where the 1.4¢ baseline comes from.
Note: ANA prices its own awards on a seasonal (Low / Regular / High) chart. 85,000 is a realistic Regular-season round-trip; Low season can be cheaper and High season more. Verify the cost for your exact dates.
How to earn the points
Here's the catch that shapes everything: in the US, only American Express Membership Rewards transfers to ANA Mileage Club (1:1). No other bank feeds ANA directly, so this is fundamentally an Amex play:
- Amex Membership Rewards → ANA Mileage Club (1:1) — but the transfer is not instant; it typically takes 1–4 days, so plan ahead of your booking.
A realistic path to 85,000 ANA miles:
- Earn Membership Rewards on an Amex card — the Amex Gold, Amex Platinum, or a no-fee Blue Business Plus all pool into the same MR balance.
- Because ANA transfers take days, confirm your award space is bookable first, then transfer, leaving buffer time. ANA miles in your account also expire on a rolling 36-month schedule, so don't stockpile years in advance.
- Set up your ANA Mileage Club account before you need it — registration can take a moment to activate.
How to find this award space
- You must build a round-trip. ANA won't sell you a one-way on its own miles — price the return from the start.
- Search on ana.co.jp with your ANA Mileage Club login. ANA's own site is the most reliable place to see ANA business space.
- The surcharge-free bonus: ANA miles also book Star Alliance partners, and booking United metal through ANA carries no fuel surcharges — a cheap, low-tax way to fly United business across the Pacific or to Europe. The partner chart is also round-trip and region-based.
- Watch the seasons. The same route can jump a tier between Low and High season — shifting your dates by a week can save miles.
- Book early or late. ANA loads award space around 355 days out, and more can appear near departure. Two business seats are far easier to find than two First seats.
What "The Room" is like
The factual product (documented, not embellished): ANA's newest business class is "The Room," on its refurbished 777-300ERs — marketed as one of the widest business seats in the sky, in a 1-2-1 staggered layout with a large sliding partition for privacy, a wide bed, and generous surface area (the "living space" concept). Older widebodies fly ANA's staggered "reverse-herringbone-style" business seat, still fully lie-flat with aisle access from every seat. Dining features a Japanese multi-course option and a Western menu, with sake and Champagne. In Tokyo, business passengers use the ANA Lounge at Haneda or Narita.
Is it worth it?
At ~6.8¢ per mile, a round-trip in "The Room" for 85,000 miles is one of the best business-class values available from a single transfer partner — most programs charge close to that many miles for a one-way. What makes it strong is the combination of a genuinely class-leading seat, a low cash-equivalent multiple (about 4.8×), and reasonable taxes on ANA's own metal.
The honest counterpoint: you're tied to Amex as your only US feed, transfers take 1–4 days so timing matters, the seasonal chart can bump your price a whole tier, and ANA miles expire on a rolling 36-month clock. It's a redemption you'd rarely pay $6,000 cash for outright, but the value is real if you can line up the dates. If you want ANA's First cabin for even more value, that's usually best booked through Virgin — see the Virgin → ANA First guide.
Search & verify prices
Award pricing and space change constantly — check live before you transfer:
- Book & search award space: ANA — shows its own award space most reliably.
- Find award space fast: seats.aero · point.me · ExpertFlyer
- Compare cash prices & date grids: Google Flights · ITA Matrix
These open external airline/tool sites; confirm the live price and space before moving any points.
FAQ
Do I need an ANA credit card? No. In the US, ANA miles come from transferring Amex Membership Rewards 1:1 — see How to earn the points above.
Why not just book ANA First for a bit more? ANA prices its own First awards high; the value sweet spot for First is via Virgin Atlantic (see that guide). ANA's own miles shine in business.
Is 85,000 miles always the price? No — it's a Regular-season round-trip estimate. Low season is cheaper, High season more. Verify your dates on the seasonal chart.
What's the surcharge-free trick? Use ANA miles to book United business (a Star Alliance partner) and you pay no fuel surcharges — a low-tax way to fly Star Alliance metal.
How far ahead should I transfer from Amex? Amex → ANA takes 1–4 days. Confirm bookable space first, then transfer with buffer time, since ANA won't hold award seats for a pending transfer.
Related: How much are your points worth? · ANA First via Virgin Points · Singapore Suites · Amex Gold · Transfer partners
