Turkish Miles: Japan Economy on Star Partners
40,000 Turkish Miles & Smiles for economy US to Japan on Star Alliance partners (ANA, ANA, United). One of the lowest fixed-price economy rates to Japan. Competitive with programs charging 35,000-45,000 on this zone. Phone booking usually required. No fuel surcharges.
Why this redemption is worth chasing
3¢ per point beats the 1¢ baseline you'd get from cash-back redemptions by a significant margin. The cash ticket runs around $1,200 for economy class, a good return on 40,000 points. Worth doing when you have the miles and a flexible date.
How to earn 40,000 Turkish Miles&Smiles points
Turkish Miles&Smiles accepts transfers from these credit cards. One sign-up bonus from any of them gets you most or all of the way to this redemption.
How to book this redemption
- 1Confirm award space first. Star Alliance award seats can disappear in minutes. Search for the specific dates you want directly on the Turkish Miles&Smiles website (or use our sweet-spot library to compare programs side-by-side first).
- 2Earn or transfer the points. If you don't already have 40,000 Turkish Miles&Smiles points, transfer from a flexible bank-points card (e.g. Capital One Venture X, Citi Strata Premier Card). Transfers usually complete within minutes.
- 3Book immediately after the transfer lands. Award seats can vanish between your transfer and your booking. Have the search results open when you transfer.
- 4Pay any fuel surcharges or taxes. Most awards carry $50-$300 in cash fees on top of the miles. Check the estimate before you transfer, it should still be a fraction of the cash ticket.
Common questions
- How many points do you need to fly Star Alliance economy class to Japan?
- 40,000 Turkish Miles&Smiles points one-way for economy class on Star Alliance. Cash equivalent runs around $1,200, putting this redemption at roughly 3 cents per point.
- Is 40,000 Turkish Miles&Smiles points a good redemption?
- Yes, at 3¢ per point this beats the typical 1¢ baseline by 200%. It's a solid redemption that beats most cash-back alternatives.
- What credit cards transfer to Turkish Miles&Smiles?
- Turkish Miles&Smiles accepts transfers from major flexible-points programs. Check the program's transfer partners on each bank's portal. Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou, Capital One Miles, and Bilt Rewards each partner with different airline programs.
- When should I transfer points to Turkish Miles&Smiles?
- Transfer only after you've confirmed award space on the specific date you want. Transfers are non-reversible. Turkish Miles&Smiles can devalue their award chart at any time, so if you have the points and the seat is available, book the same day you transfer.
Award pricing is set by Turkish Miles&Smiles and can change with little notice. The 40,000-point figure reflects the most recent published award chart we've verified. Confirm live pricing inside your Turkish Miles&Smiles account before transferring, transfers are non-reversible.