Miles Credit Cards in Japan: What a Mile Must Be Worth to Beat a Points Card
Compare JAL and ANA cards, American Express, Marriott Bonvoy and the Luxury Card on yearly miles and annual fees from your monthly card spending. Enter what a mile is worth to you and see the break-even against the best no-fee points card. Under 30, ANA JCB CARD FIRST (no annual fee for five years) is included. Uses the conditions on the issuers' and airlines' own pages.
At what value per mile does a miles card beat the best points card?
On ¥2,580,000 a year of card spending, the best no-fee points card (Recruit Card (JCB)) is worth ¥30,420 a year (1.18%). A miles card beats that points card if a mile is worth more than the figure in the right-hand column.
| Card | Miles a year | Net after fee at ¥2 per mile | Mile value that matches the baseline | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ¥2,200 (free the first year) + ¥4,950 for Premium | 25,800 miles | ¥44,450 Beats the baseline | ¥1.46 | Up to you |
| ¥2,200 (free the first year) + ¥6,600 transfer fee for the 2x course | 25,800 miles | ¥42,800 Beats the baseline | ¥1.52 | Up to you |
| ¥39,600 + ¥5,500 ANA course fee | 25,800 miles | ¥6,500 Falls short of the baseline | ¥2.93 | Up to you |
| ¥82,500 | 32,250 miles | -¥18,000 Falls short of the baseline | ¥3.50 | Not recommended |
| ¥96,800 | 38,700 miles | -¥19,400 Falls short of the baseline | ¥3.29 | Not recommended |
| ¥75,000 (now ¥55,000; the new fee applies to new applications from 1 Jan 2027 and to existing members from February 2027 billing) | 15,480 miles | -¥44,040 Falls short of the baseline | ¥6.81 | Not recommended |
| ¥150,000 (now ¥110,000; the new fee applies to new applications from 1 Jan 2027 and to existing members from February 2027 billing) | 19,350 miles | -¥111,300 Falls short of the baseline | ¥9.32 | Not recommended |
| ¥295,000 (now ¥220,000; the new fee applies to new applications from 1 Jan 2027 and to existing members from February 2027 billing) | 23,220 miles | -¥248,560 Falls short of the baseline | ¥14.01 | Not recommended |
Decide what a mile is worth from how you would really use it (for example, the miles an award flight needs against the fare). This tool does not decide a "correct" value. For points cards, see the points and cashback calculator.
The 19 cards in the calculation, and the official pages checked
- Recruit Card (JCB) RecommendedNo annual fee, ever. Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).Recruit Card (official, Japanese) — 1.2% rate, also on utilities and phone bills / Recruit Card (official, Japanese) — electronic-money top-ups (nanaco, mobile Suica) earn 0.75%, up to ¥30,000 a month, from 16 February 2022 / Mitsubishi UFJ Nicos (Japanese) — Recruit Card Visa/Mastercard: 1.2% on shopping
- Rakuten Card Up to youNo annual fee, ever. Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).Rakuten Card (official, Japanese) — 1% rate, no annual fee / Rakuten Card (official, Japanese) — uses with different rates (utilities and taxes: 1 point per ¥500; mobile Suica: not eligible) / Rakuten Securities (Japanese) — point rates for card-funded fund purchases
- JCB Card W Up to youNo annual fee, ever (join at 18–39). You can apply at 18–39 (and keep the card, still free, after 40). Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).JCB Card W (official, Japanese) — 1.0% base, Amazon 4× points, no annual fee, ages 18–39 / JCB (Japanese) — J-POINT and J-POINT partner stores (conditions) / JCB (Japanese) — uses that earn no J-POINT (mobile Suica and other e-money top-ups, annual fees, cash advances)
- Sumitomo Mitsui Card (NL) RecommendedNo annual fee, ever. Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — V Point Up Program (eligible stores, phone contactless, conditions) / Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — card-funded investing: conditions and rates (NL and standard cards)
- Sumitomo Mitsui Card Gold (NL) Up to you¥5,500. Free from the next year once you spend ¥1,000,000 or more in a year. Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — Gold (NL): free from the next year at ¥1M a year, 10,000 points every year / Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — card-funded investing: conditions and rates (Gold) / Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — V Point Up Program (eligible stores, phone contactless, conditions)
- Sumitomo Mitsui Card Platinum Preferred Up to you¥33,000. Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — Platinum Preferred (yearly bonus, overseas, Reward Up) / Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — card-funded investing: conditions and rates (Platinum Preferred) / Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — V Point Up Program (eligible stores, phone contactless, conditions)
- Epos Gold Card Up to you¥5,000. Free from the next year once you spend ¥500,000 or more in a year. Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).Epos Card (Japanese) — Epos Gold Card (annual fee; free from the next year at ¥500,000 a year) / Epos Card (Japanese) — Gold Card yearly bonus points (2,500 at ¥500,000; 10,000 at ¥1,000,000) / Epos Card FAQ (Japanese) — how points are calculated (1 point per ¥200 incl. tax) and which uses earn none / Epos Card (Japanese) — end of points on top-ups of payment services (mobile Suica etc.) from 1 August 2026
- JRE CARD Up to youFree the first year, then ¥524 (free if you pay JR East Sports monthly fees by card). Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).JR East (Japanese/English) — JRE CARD (1.5% on Suica top-ups, ¥524 annual fee) / View Card FAQ (Japanese) — uses that earn no JRE POINT (mobile Suica is not among them) / JR East (Japanese) — utilities and phone bills on a View card (5 points per ¥1,000 = 0.5%)
- Saison Pearl American Express Card Up to youFree if you use it at least once a year (¥1,100 in the first year). Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).Saison Card (Japanese) — Saison Pearl American Express (QUICPay up to 2%, ¥300,000 a year) / Saison Card FAQ (Japanese) — uses with no points or different rates (taxes, electricity, gas, water and NHK: 1 point per ¥2,000; mobile Suica top-ups: none)
- d CARD (standard) Not recommendedFree (from January 2027, ¥1,650 in a year after a year with no use). Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).NTT Docomo (Japanese) — d Card point-rate and annual-fee changes (January 2027) / NTT Docomo (Japanese) — d Card point notes (mobile Suica and other top-ups excluded; utilities and taxes eligible)
- Luxury Card Titanium Not recommended¥75,000 (now ¥55,000; the new fee applies to new applications from 1 Jan 2027 and to existing members from February 2027 billing). Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).Luxury Card (official, Japanese) — points programme (rates, mile exchange) / Luxury Card (official, Japanese) — annual-fee revision notice (January 2027)
- Luxury Card Black Not recommended¥150,000 (now ¥110,000; the new fee applies to new applications from 1 Jan 2027 and to existing members from February 2027 billing). Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).Luxury Card (official, Japanese) — points programme (rates, mile exchange) / Luxury Card (official, Japanese) — annual-fee revision notice (January 2027)
- Luxury Card Gold Not recommended¥295,000 (now ¥220,000; the new fee applies to new applications from 1 Jan 2027 and to existing members from February 2027 billing). Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).Luxury Card (official, Japanese) — points programme (rates, mile exchange) / Luxury Card (official, Japanese) — annual-fee revision notice (January 2027)
- ANA JCB CARD FIRST RecommendedFree for 5 years (ages 18–29, excluding students). For ages 18–29 (excluding students). Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).ANA (Japanese) — ANA card list (annual fees, shopping miles) / JCB (Japanese) — ANA JCB CARD FIRST renewal notice (automatic switch to the ANA JCB standard card after five years)
- JAL Card (standard) + Shopping Mile Premium Up to you¥2,200 (free the first year) + ¥4,950 for Premium. Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).JAL Card (Japanese) — standard card (annual fee, shopping miles, Premium)
- ANA VISA Card (standard) + 2x course Up to you¥2,200 (free the first year) + ¥6,600 transfer fee for the 2x course. Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).ANA (Japanese) — ANA card list (annual fees, shopping miles) / Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — ANA card mileage transfer (2x course, ¥6,600 fee)
- ANA VISA Platinum Premium Card Not recommended¥96,800. Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).ANA (Japanese) — ANA card list (annual fees, shopping miles) / Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — ANA card mileage transfer (2x course, ¥6,600 fee) / Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — ANA VISA Platinum Premium annual-fee revision (¥88,000 → ¥96,800 for payments on or after 10 December 2025)
- Marriott Bonvoy American Express Premium Card Not recommended¥82,500. Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).American Express (Japanese) — Marriott Bonvoy points (3 points per ¥100) / American Express (Japanese) — Marriott Bonvoy Premium Card (¥82,500 annual fee) / Marriott Bonvoy (Japanese) — points to miles (3:1, 5,000 bonus miles per 60,000 points)
- American Express Gold Preferred Card + ANA course Up to you¥39,600 + ¥5,500 ANA course fee. Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).American Express (Japanese) — Gold Preferred Card (¥39,600 annual fee) / ANA (Japanese) — American Express Membership Rewards ANA course / American Express (Japanese) — Membership Rewards (1 point per ¥100; some merchants excluded or 1 point per ¥200)
Approximate estimates only, for a steady state from the second year onward. Welcome offers, first-year-only perks, airport lounges, insurance and hotel perks are not included. One point is counted as ¥1, and each card's rates, fees and conditions are those on the issuer's official page on the date shown in the card's entry; they change often, so confirm on the official page before you apply. Items marked "Assumed" are estimates because no official page could be found to confirm them. This is not tax, legal, or financial advice.
How it is calculated
- Your monthly card spending is multiplied by 12 and by each card's miles per ¥100 (1 for JAL with Premium, 1.5 for the ANA VISA Platinum Premium, and so on).
- The miles are multiplied by the value you give one mile, in yen, to get the yearly value of the miles.
- The annual fee — including any fee paid to raise the mile rate — is subtracted, giving the net yearly value.
- That is compared with the net value of the best no-fee points card (usually the Recruit Card), giving the mile value at which the miles card matches it: (the points card's net value + the miles card's annual fee) ÷ yearly miles.
Unlike points, the value of a mile varies hugely with how you use it. This tool does not decide what a mile is worth; you enter your own figure. For award flights, a rough guide is the fare for the same route (excluding the taxes and surcharges you still pay on an award ticket) divided by the miles required.
Examples: the value of a mile at which each miles card matches the free points card
In all four patterns the best no-fee points card is the Recruit Card (1.2%). If you can use a mile for more than the figure in the table, that miles card beats it. ANA FIRST is only open to the age of pattern D (29 or under).
| Pattern | ANA FIRST (under 30) | JAL + Premium | ANA + 2x course | Amex GP | Marriott | ANA Platinum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ¥1.8M a year (¥150K a month), commuting and convenience stores | — | ¥1.58 | ¥1.67 | ¥3.69 | ¥4.61 | ¥4.38 |
| ¥3M a year (¥250K a month), ¥50K a month into card-funded investing | — | ¥1.42 | ¥1.48 | ¥2.69 | ¥3.15 | ¥2.94 |
| ¥6M a year (¥500K a month), ¥100K a month into card-funded investing | — | ¥1.31 | ¥1.34 | ¥2.91 | ¥2.05 | ¥1.87 |
| Age 29, ¥1.44M a year (¥120K a month) | ¥1.18 | ¥1.68 | ¥1.79 | ¥4.31 | ¥5.53 | ¥5.27 |
JAL (with Premium) and ANA (with the 2x course) cost ¥7,150 and ¥8,800 a year for 1 mile per ¥100. In every pattern they beat the free points card if you can use a mile for roughly ¥1.3–1.8 or more. If a mile is worth only ¥1 to you (exchanging for points or gift cards, say), the free 1.2% card wins.
ANA JCB CARD FIRST, for ages 29 and under, has no annual fee for five years, so it matches the baseline at about ¥1.2 a mile. The ANA VISA Platinum Premium earns 1.5 miles per ¥100 but costs ¥96,800 a year, so at ¥1.8M a year it needs a mile to be worth ¥4.38, and even at ¥6M a year ¥1.87.
The Luxury Card lets you exchange points for miles at 0.6 miles per point. Against cashback at ¥1 a point, miles are better if you can use a mile for more than about ¥1.67 (1 ÷ 0.6) — in Titanium, Black and Gold alike. After the annual fee, however, even the miles route only matches a free card if a mile is worth several yen.
FAQ
Q.What is a mile worth?
There is no fixed value. The same mile is worth far more spent on an international business-class award than on a cheap domestic fare day, and what you get by exchanging for points or products differs again. The site has not verified a typical yen value, so it shows none.
Compare, for your own trips, the normal fare for a route and date with the miles the award ticket needs on that day, and enter an average of a few of those.
Q.Does the calculation differ for JAL and ANA?
Here, JAL (standard card + ¥4,950 Shopping Mile Premium) and ANA (standard card + ¥6,600 2x course) both earn 1 mile per ¥100; only the annual fees differ (¥7,150 and ¥8,800). What changes in practice is how well your airline and routes let you use the miles.
ANA miles moved from American Express are valid until the end of the month 36 months after the transfer application (ANA's page). Expiry rules differ by airline and card, so check yours.
Q.Is paying a fee to earn 1 mile per ¥100 worthwhile?
Whether the extra fee pays back depends on yearly spend and the value of a mile. Premium (JAL, ¥4,950) and the 2x course (ANA, ¥6,600) raise the rate from 0.5 to 1 mile per ¥100. At ¥3M a year that adds 15,000 miles — worth ¥22,500 at ¥1.5 a mile, well above the extra fee. At ¥1M a year it adds 5,000 miles, so a mile must be worth about ¥1 (JAL) to ¥1.3 (ANA) to cover the extra fee.
Q.What is not calculated?
Airline flight bonuses and elite-status perks, partner-store and ANA Card Mile Plus extras, buying tickets with the card, welcome bonuses, lounges, insurance and hotel perks, miles expiring, and how easy award seats are to book. The American Express Gold Preferred is calculated at 1 point per ¥100, 1 point = 1 mile and up to 40,000 miles a year.
The Marriott Bonvoy is calculated at 3 points per ¥100, 3 points = 1 mile, plus a 5,000-mile bonus per 60,000 points (1.25 miles per ¥100).
Sources
- Recruit Card (official, Japanese) — 1.2% rate, also on utilities and phone bills
- Recruit Card (official, Japanese) — electronic-money top-ups (nanaco, mobile Suica) earn 0.75%, up to ¥30,000 a month, from 16 February 2022
- Mitsubishi UFJ Nicos (Japanese) — Recruit Card Visa/Mastercard: 1.2% on shopping
- Rakuten Card (official, Japanese) — 1% rate, no annual fee
- Rakuten Card (official, Japanese) — uses with different rates (utilities and taxes: 1 point per ¥500; mobile Suica: not eligible)
- Rakuten Securities (Japanese) — point rates for card-funded fund purchases
- JCB Card W (official, Japanese) — 1.0% base, Amazon 4× points, no annual fee, ages 18–39
- JCB (Japanese) — J-POINT and J-POINT partner stores (conditions)
- JCB (Japanese) — uses that earn no J-POINT (mobile Suica and other e-money top-ups, annual fees, cash advances)
- Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — V Point Up Program (eligible stores, phone contactless, conditions)
- Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — card-funded investing: conditions and rates (NL and standard cards)
- Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — Gold (NL): free from the next year at ¥1M a year, 10,000 points every year
- Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — card-funded investing: conditions and rates (Gold)
- Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — Platinum Preferred (yearly bonus, overseas, Reward Up)
- Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — card-funded investing: conditions and rates (Platinum Preferred)
- Epos Card (Japanese) — Epos Gold Card (annual fee; free from the next year at ¥500,000 a year)
- Epos Card (Japanese) — Gold Card yearly bonus points (2,500 at ¥500,000; 10,000 at ¥1,000,000)
- Epos Card FAQ (Japanese) — how points are calculated (1 point per ¥200 incl. tax) and which uses earn none
- Epos Card (Japanese) — end of points on top-ups of payment services (mobile Suica etc.) from 1 August 2026
- JR East (Japanese/English) — JRE CARD (1.5% on Suica top-ups, ¥524 annual fee)
- View Card FAQ (Japanese) — uses that earn no JRE POINT (mobile Suica is not among them)
- JR East (Japanese) — utilities and phone bills on a View card (5 points per ¥1,000 = 0.5%)
- Saison Card (Japanese) — Saison Pearl American Express (QUICPay up to 2%, ¥300,000 a year)
- Saison Card FAQ (Japanese) — uses with no points or different rates (taxes, electricity, gas, water and NHK: 1 point per ¥2,000; mobile Suica top-ups: none)
- NTT Docomo (Japanese) — d Card point-rate and annual-fee changes (January 2027)
- NTT Docomo (Japanese) — d Card point notes (mobile Suica and other top-ups excluded; utilities and taxes eligible)
- Luxury Card (official, Japanese) — points programme (rates, mile exchange)
- Luxury Card (official, Japanese) — annual-fee revision notice (January 2027)
- ANA (Japanese) — ANA card list (annual fees, shopping miles)
- JCB (Japanese) — ANA JCB CARD FIRST renewal notice (automatic switch to the ANA JCB standard card after five years)
- JAL Card (Japanese) — standard card (annual fee, shopping miles, Premium)
- Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — ANA card mileage transfer (2x course, ¥6,600 fee)
- Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — ANA VISA Platinum Premium annual-fee revision (¥88,000 → ¥96,800 for payments on or after 10 December 2025)
- American Express (Japanese) — Marriott Bonvoy points (3 points per ¥100)
- American Express (Japanese) — Marriott Bonvoy Premium Card (¥82,500 annual fee)
- Marriott Bonvoy (Japanese) — points to miles (3:1, 5,000 bonus miles per 60,000 points)
- American Express (Japanese) — Gold Preferred Card (¥39,600 annual fee)
- ANA (Japanese) — American Express Membership Rewards ANA course
- American Express (Japanese) — Membership Rewards (1 point per ¥100; some merchants excluded or 1 point per ¥200)