Overview
ANA Mileage Club has long been one of the best-value ways to reach Japan in a premium cabin, and 2026 removed its most frustrating restriction. Partner awards were round-trip only until May 19, 2026, when a new partner chart introduced one-way pricing.
This guide covers the transfer routes and the transfer speed problem that comes with them, the new partner award rules, the status ladder, and the 36-month expiration that nothing resets. For the cards that feed the program, see our roundup of the best credit cards.
ANA Mileage Club overview
All Nippon Airways is a Star Alliance member and Japan’s largest airline. Its award chart is distance and region based, and it lets you combine Star Alliance partners freely on a single itinerary, so a Lufthansa transatlantic segment and a Turkish Airlines intra-Europe hop can sit on the same ticket.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Currency | ANA Mileage Club miles |
| Alliance | Star Alliance |
| Status currency | Premium Points |
| Elite tiers | Bronze, Platinum, Diamond |
| Miles expiration | 36 months, no reset |
| U.S. transfer partners | Amex Membership Rewards 1:1, Marriott Bonvoy 3:1 |
How to earn ANA miles
American Express Membership Rewards is the main U.S. route, at 1:1. Marriott Bonvoy adds a hotel path at 3:1. There is no ANA co-branded credit card in the United States, so transfers do the work.
The practical workaround is to accept some risk: confirm that award space has been stable on your dates over several days before you transfer, and avoid transferring for a single seat on a peak date.
The 2026 partner award change
For years, ANA required partner awards to be booked as round trips. That rule ended on May 19, 2026, when a new partner award chart took effect and introduced one-way pricing.
This matters more than it sounds. Under the old rule, a one-way itinerary was simply impossible, so ANA miles could not be mixed with another program on the return. One-way pricing removes that constraint and makes the program far easier to combine with the rest of a points portfolio.
ANA elite status
Status runs on Premium Points earned from flying ANA and its partners, and it moves through Bronze, Platinum, and Diamond. Those map onto the Star Alliance ladder, so the benefits travel across the alliance.
Since Premium Points come only from flights, transferring miles in does nothing for status. For nearly every U.S. member, ANA is a currency account rather than a status program.
Do ANA miles expire?
Yes, 36 months after they are earned. This is a hard expiration: there is no extension and no activity-based reset, so a batch of miles dies on its own schedule no matter what else happens in the account.
- No reset: Earning or spending other miles does not extend anything.
- The clock starts at transfer: Miles moved in from Amex expire 36 months from that transfer date.
- Two exceptions: Diamond Service members and Million Milers keep their miles while they hold that standing.
Is ANA Mileage Club worth it?
For premium cabin travel to Japan and across Star Alliance, it remains one of the strongest charts available to Amex holders, and the 2026 move to one-way partner awards makes it considerably more usable.
- Slow transfers: Up to 96 hours from Amex, with award space at risk the whole time.
- Hard 36-month expiry: Stockpiling a balance guarantees eventual losses.
- One main transfer route: Only Amex and Marriott reach the program from the U.S.
Bottom line
ANA rewards patience and punishes hoarding. Find award space, watch it hold for a few days, then transfer, and plan to use the miles well inside the 36-month window.
With one-way partner awards now available, ANA fits into a wider points strategy far better than it used to. For more on the cards that earn transferable points, see our guide to the best travel credit cards and subscribe to our newsletter.
Frequently Asked Questions about ANA Mileage Club
Can I book one-way awards with ANA miles?
Yes, since May 19, 2026. ANA partner awards were round-trip only before that date, when a new partner award chart introduced one-way pricing. That change makes ANA miles much easier to combine with other programs on a single trip.
Which credit card points transfer to ANA?
American Express Membership Rewards at 1:1 and Marriott Bonvoy at 3:1. There is no ANA co-branded card in the United States, so Amex is the main route for most people.
How long do Amex transfers to ANA take?
Amex advertises up to 96 hours, and they often arrive in around 48. Award space can vanish during that window, and transfers cannot be reversed, so confirm that space has been stable for several days before committing points.
Do ANA miles expire?
Yes, 36 months after being earned, with no extension and no activity reset. Miles transferred in from Amex expire 36 months from the transfer date. Diamond Service members and Million Milers are the only exceptions.
Can I still book an ANA Round the World award?
No. ANA stopped taking new Round the World bookings on June 23, 2025. Only tickets issued before that date can still be flown, so older guides recommending this award are out of date.
Can I mix Star Alliance partners on one ANA award?
Yes. ANA lets you combine Star Alliance carriers freely within a single itinerary, so a Lufthansa transatlantic flight and a Turkish Airlines intra-Europe segment can share one ticket. That flexibility is one of the program’s strongest features.
