ANA Adds One-Way Award Flights — But First Class Gets a Price Hike
Big news for Hawaii-based travelers and international points hackers: All Nippon Airways (ANA) is finally rolling out one-way award bookings starting June 24, 2025. 🙌
This long-awaited change gives more flexibility for island travelers—especially those looking to pair ANA with other airlines like Hawaiian, JAL, or United for open-jaw or multi-stop trips.
But heads up: Alongside this awesome new booking option, ANA is also raising award prices significantly, especially in First Class during peak season.
🔄 One-Way Awards Are Coming
Before this update, ANA only allowed round-trip award bookings, which made trip planning tricky and less flexible. Starting June 24, you can now:
Book one-way awards using half the round-trip miles
Use points on both ANA-operated and partner flights
For Hawaii travelers wanting to fly to Japan, Southeast Asia, or beyond — this opens up a ton of options for smarter, more creative redemptions.
📈 But There’s a Catch: Award Price Hikes
With this new flexibility, ANA is also raising the cost of award flights, especially for premium cabins. Here’s what’s changing for round-trip tickets between North America and Japan:
| CLASS | OLD PRICE | NEW PRICE |
|---|---|---|
| Economy | 55,000 miles | 72,000 miles |
| Premium Econ. | 77,000 miles | 101,000 miles |
| Business | 110,000 miles | 165,000 miles |
| First Class | 100,000 miles | 300,000 miles |
That’s a 50% increase for First Class during high season — which, let’s be honest, is when most people in Hawaii want to travel (summer, Golden Week, holidays).
🗓️ Peak Season Dates for 2025
If you're looking to fly ANA during these windows, expect to pay the higher mileage rates:
April 25 – May 11
July 18 – August 24
December 15 – 31
Off-peak rates will be slightly lower, but still more than before. Booking outside these ranges can save you tens of thousands of miles — so it pays to be flexible!
🗣️ What Travelers Are Saying
In the comments section of the original announcement, reactions were mixed — and rightfully so. Here are a few valid points travelers brought up:
Flexibility is a win: Being able to book one-ways makes ANA much easier to use, especially if you're connecting from Hawaii on a different airline or planning an open-jaw itinerary.
Massive First Class hike: 300,000 miles round-trip for First is a steep jump, and availability is already tough to find.
Burn now, before it gets worse: Some suggested booking under the old rates before the June 24 switch if you’ve got points ready.
Still a solid value: Even at the new prices, ANA First Class can be a great redemption compared to cash fares ($15,000–$25,000+), especially with programs like Virgin Atlantic or Amex transfer bonuses.
💡 Tips for Hawaii-Based Points Travelers
Here’s how to adapt and still win with ANA:
Book now if you’ve got travel plans before June 24 to lock in current award pricing
Stay flexible on dates and cabins to find better redemption value
Combine with partner awards (like United or Hawaiian) for creative one-way or multi-stop routes
Watch for transfer bonuses from Amex or Virgin Atlantic to offset rising prices
Use tools like Seats.Aero or ExpertFlyer to monitor First and Business Class availability
🧭 Final Thoughts
ANA finally letting us book one-way awards is a huge step forward — especially for Hawaii travelers who often need more flexibility. Yes, the mileage increases (especially in First Class) sting, but for those who plan ahead and use strategy, there’s still tremendous value to be had.
And now more than ever, using the right points strategy makes all the difference. If you’re sitting on Amex points, wondering how to get that dream First Class flight to Japan — now’s the time to act.
