ANA mileage-run crackdown
- ANA is tightening rules around mileage runs and elite qualification as carriers reshape loyalty perks. - Reports say elite lounge access and perks may require roughly ¥3,000,000 of annual spend to qualify. - The move signals loyalty programs are getting harder to game as airlines protect premium inventory. (x.com)
All Nippon Airways is making elite status harder to earn without heavy spending, adding a path that ties perks to card and app payments as well as flights. (ana.co.jp, ana.co.jp) ANA’s core status system still runs on “Premium Points” from flying: 30,000 points for Bronze, 50,000 for Platinum, and 100,000 for Diamond, with minimum ANA Group flight thresholds inside each tier. Status is based on flights from January through December and is valid from April 1 for one year. (ana.co.jp, ana.co.jp) But ANA also offers a second route for members in Japan who use its broader ecosystem. To qualify that way for fiscal 2027, ANA says members need all three: flight activity, use of multiple “Life Solution Services,” and ANA Card or ANA Pay spending that starts at ¥3,000,000 and rises to ¥6,000,000 depending on tier. (ana.co.jp, ana.co.jp) The lowest spend threshold on that chart is tied to 15,000 Premium Points, four qualifying services, and ¥3,000,000 in ANA Card or ANA Pay payments. Higher targets listed by ANA include 30,000 points plus ¥4,000,000, 50,000 plus ¥5,000,000, 80,000 plus ¥4,000,000, and 150,000 plus ¥6,000,000. (ana.co.jp, ana.co.jp) That matters because “mileage runs” were built around flying cheap tickets to rack up status metrics, not around large annual spending inside an airline’s shopping and payments network. ANA’s published criteria now reward members who combine flights with credit-card and wallet spending, plus use of ANA-linked services. (ana.co.jp, ana.co.jp) ANA has also been trimming other high-value edges in Mileage Club. The airline ended new Star Alliance Round the World award tickets after June 23, 2025, while keeping previously issued tickets valid until expiration. (ana.co.jp, awardfares.com) And ANA said in October 2025 that its Upgrade Points service for Premium Members and Super Flyers primary members will end as of fiscal 2026. ANA says points issued in fiscal 2026 will still be usable through March 31, 2027, and some uses will shift to miles instead. (ana.co.jp, ana.co.jp) Lounge access remains one of the main prizes attached to status. ANA says Platinum and Diamond members receive lounge access, while Bronze members generally need to use miles or upgrade points for ANA Lounge entry. (ana.co.jp, ana.co.jp) ANA has not framed the changes as a crackdown on mileage runners in its public notices. Its official language describes an expansion of the mileage program and a status system that blends flights with “Life Solution Services” and ANA Card or ANA Pay payments. (ana.co.jp, ana.co.jp) The result is a loyalty program that now asks for more than butt-in-seat flying. For travelers who used to chase ANA status on cheap fares alone, the published thresholds show the bar moving toward broader, higher-value customer spending. (ana.co.jp, ana.co.jp)
