ANA Mileage Club is one of those programs that intermediate points collectors hear about, bookmark, and then never quite get around to using. That's a mistake. The program's award chart remains one of the most generous in the Star Alliance ecosystem, and with a few caveats worth knowing heading into 2026, the sweet spots are still very much intact.
This guide walks through the three redemptions that actually pencil out: round-trip business class to Europe, Round-the-World awards, and partner pricing on Star Alliance carriers for shorter hauls. We'll also flag one piece of breaking news that affects every Star Alliance award booker right now.
Why ANA Mileage Club Still Deserves Your Attention
Most frequent flyers default to programs they already hold miles in. That's understandable, but it leaves real value on the table. ANA Mileage Club prices partner awards on a distance-based chart, which means you're paying for the miles flown, not the carrier's whims. That structure has survived intact while programs like United MileagePlus and Air Canada Aeroplan have moved toward dynamic or market-based pricing on many routes.
The catch is that ANA miles are harder to accumulate than Chase Ultimate Rewards or Amex Membership Rewards points. ANA is not a transfer partner of either of those programs directly. Your primary path to ANA miles runs through transfers from programs that do connect, so knowing which currencies feed the program is step one before you start planning a redemption.
ANA Mileage Club prices partner awards by distance, and that single structural choice is what keeps it relevant when every other program is pivoting to dynamic pricing.
Round-Trip Business Class to Europe: The Flagship Sweet Spot
The Europe business class round-trip is the redemption ANA Mileage Club is most cited for, and the hype is justified by the numbers. On the ANA award chart, a round-trip business class ticket between North America and Europe on a Star Alliance partner carrier prices at a flat rate based on the zone pairing, not the individual flight distance within that zone.
The practical result: you can fly Lufthansa, Swiss, or Austrian business class from the US East Coast to a Central European hub, and the award cost stays the same whether you're routing through Frankfurt or Zurich. Stopovers are permitted under ANA's rules, which means you can build in a layover city at no extra points cost on round-trip bookings.
Key things to know before you book:
- Fuel surcharges are passed through on some partner carriers. Lufthansa and Swiss redemptions via ANA can carry significant carrier-imposed surcharges. Austrian tends to be lower. Factor this into your cash outlay before you celebrate the points rate.
- Partner availability depends entirely on what the operating carrier releases to Star Alliance partners. ANA sees the same saver inventory that United and Air Canada see, so if a date is blocked there, it's blocked everywhere.
- Booking by phone is often required for partner awards, especially complex itineraries. ANA's English-language phone line is functional but patience is required.
Round-the-World Awards: Still One of the Last Great Ones
ANA Mileage Club's Round-the-World (RTW) award is a genuine rarity in the current loyalty landscape. Most programs that offered RTW awards have either eliminated them or priced them into irrelevance. ANA's version lets you circle the globe on Star Alliance metal with a defined number of stopovers, priced by the total mileage flown rather than the number of segments.
The structure rewards ambitious routing. A traveler who wants to combine a Japan stopover, a Southeast Asia segment, and a transatlantic return can price all of that under a single RTW award, provided the routing follows the directional rules (generally, you must travel consistently eastward or westward without backtracking across an ocean).
Where this gets interesting in 2026 is the Asiana Airlines situation. Asiana is exiting Star Alliance on December 16, 2026.[^1] That exit matters for RTW planners because Asiana has historically been a useful carrier for the Asia-Pacific legs of a westward RTW routing. Beyond the exit date itself, Asiana has indicated it may not honor already-ticketed Star Alliance partner award reservations for travel after its alliance departure.[^2] If you have Asiana on a RTW ticket for travel after December 16, treat that segment as unconfirmed until you see it reissued or replaced.
For RTW awards booked entirely on non-Asiana Star Alliance carriers, the program remains clean. ANA itself, Lufthansa, Swiss, Singapore Airlines, and United are the workhorses for most RTW itineraries.
Star Alliance Partner Pricing: Where the Short-Haul Math Works
Beyond flagship long-haul redemptions, ANA Mileage Club's distance-based chart opens up value on medium and short-haul Star Alliance routes that other programs price poorly.
Here's a simplified comparison of how the three most commonly used Star Alliance-affiliated programs price a sample set of redemptions in economy:
| Route Type | ANA Mileage Club | United MileagePlus | Air Canada Aeroplan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intra-Europe (short) | Distance-based flat rate | Dynamic (varies) | Zone-based flat rate |
| North America - Europe (economy) | Distance-based flat rate | Dynamic (varies) | Zone-based flat rate |
| North America - Japan (economy) | Distance-based flat rate | Dynamic (varies) | Zone-based flat rate |
The key differentiator is that ANA and Aeroplan both use structured charts while MileagePlus prices dynamically. For predictable budgeting, structured charts win. ANA's chart tends to be particularly competitive on the longest economy routes, where the per-mile cost stays lower than what dynamic programs quote at peak times.
What the Asiana Exit Means for Your 2026 Bookings
The Asiana Airlines story is the most important near-term development for any Star Alliance award booker. To recap the timeline:
- Asiana Airlines has an official exit date from Star Alliance of December 16, 2026.[^1]
- As of late June 2026, Asiana has signaled it may void partner award bookings for travel after the exit date, even for already-ticketed reservations.[^2] [^3]
- Travelers who booked Asiana segments through ANA Mileage Club or any other Star Alliance program for travel after December 16 should contact their booking program now to discuss rebooking options.
This is not theoretical. Live and Let's Fly reported that Asiana appears prepared to void already-ticketed Star Alliance partner reservations post-exit.[^2] AwardWallet's coverage confirmed the December 16 date and noted that travelers can continue booking Asiana awards for travel before that date with normal expectations.[^3]
For ANA Mileage Club specifically, if you have Asiana metal on a RTW or partner award, the prudent move is to:
- Check your travel dates against December 16, 2026.
- Call ANA to discuss whether the segment can be rerouted onto ANA metal or another Star Alliance carrier.
- Document everything - get any rebooking confirmation in writing or via email.
How to Actually Accumulate ANA Miles
ANA Mileage Club's biggest friction point is mileage accumulation. Here are the realistic paths:
- Flying ANA or Star Alliance partners and crediting to ANA Mileage Club is the most direct route, but it's slow unless you travel frequently.
- ANA's own co-branded credit cards exist in Japan but have limited availability for US-based applicants.
- Transfer partners that connect to ANA vary by region. Knowing which transferable currencies in your wallet can reach ANA is essential before you commit to a redemption strategy.
- Credit card spending on cards that earn transferable currencies feeding into ANA-connected programs is the most scalable approach for most US-based enthusiasts.
The scarcity of easy transfer paths is a real constraint. It's why ANA sweet spots get discussed but underused. If you're serious about booking one of these awards, start accumulating miles at least 6-12 months before your target travel window. ANA partner award space can open close to departure, but the best business class inventory on carriers like Lufthansa and Swiss tends to go early.
Bottom Line
ANA Mileage Club's distance-based award chart keeps it competitive for round-trip business class to Europe and Round-the-World itineraries in 2026, but the Asiana Airlines exit on December 16 is a live issue that requires action if you have existing bookings on that carrier. Accumulating ANA miles requires more planning than building Chase or Amex balances, but the redemption value on the right routes justifies the extra work.