United Ultra-Long: 64 Polaris Seats on SFO-SIN Means Tight Awards

Business class on Japan Airlines via AAdvantage now runs 60,000 miles one-way for nonstop flights but 80,000 miles for any routing that includes a connection — including a domestic JAL segment or an American Airlines positioning flight. First class nonstop holds at 80,000 miles, but connecting itineraries now cost 100,000 miles. The 20,000-mile surcharge applies per direction, making a round-trip with connections cost 40,000 extra miles. Nonstop awards remain unchanged, so those are the clear value play. But factor in the cost of buying a separate positioning ticket and whether through-checked bags and IROPS protection are worth the premium.

The Ritz-Carlton card's marketing page now shows a 12-hour delay for trip delay reimbursement instead of the 6-hour threshold in the Visa Infinite guide. Trip cancellation/interruption and emergency evacuation are absent from the marketing page but listed in the guide. Purchase protection drops from $10,000 per item to $500. These discrepancies suggest a potential stealth devaluation of the card's travel protections, possibly due to sloppy editing or intentional changes.