Compare 15 loyalty programs for Tokyo to San Francisco award flights, with economy seats from 35,000 points.
Tokyo to San Francisco is a transpacific route with nonstop award seats on Japan Airlines, ANA, and United Airlines. It's priced by 15 programs, and economy starts at 35,000 points on a Japan Airlines nonstop. That price runs through American AAdvantage, another airline's program, so Japan Airlines' own points aren't automatically the cheapest way on. Pricing for all 15 programs on NRT–SFO is laid out below.
Best one-way award prices per airline over the next 12 months.
| Airline | Economy | Premium economy | Business | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 American AirlinesAA | 35,000Lowest | 77,000pts | 117,500pts | 85,000Lowest |
 Alaska AirlinesAS | 35,000Lowest | Not available | 106,000pts | 95,000pts |
 Japan AirlinesJL | 35,000Lowest | 50,000Lowest | 80,000Lowest | 100,000pts |
Korean AirKE | 38,000pts | Not available | Not available | Not available |
 DeltaDL | 38,500pts | 110,000pts | Not available | 190,000pts |
ANANH | 41,140pts | Not available | 100,000pts | Not available |
 United AirlinesUA | 42,000pts | 65,000pts | 98,010pts | 85,000Lowest |
WestJetWS | 43,750pts | Not available | Not available | Not available |
 EmiratesEK | 45,000pts | 109,000pts | 201,000pts | Not available |
 AeromexicoAM | 47,250pts | 326,000pts | 106,500pts | Not available |
When award seats between Tokyo and San Francisco price cheapest over the next year.
| Month | Cheapest award (points) |
|---|---|
| Nov 2026 | 35,000 |
| Dec 2026 | 35,000 |
| Jan 2027 | 35,000 |
| Feb 2027 | 35,000 |
| Mar 2027 | 35,000 |
| Apr 2027 | 35,000 |
| May 2027 | 35,000 |
| Jun 2027 | 35,000 |
| Jul 2027 | 35,000 |
| Aug 2027 | 54,000 |
| Sep 2027 | 43,000 |
| Oct 2027 | No award data |
11 airlines with award seats between Tokyo and San Francisco, nonstop or connecting.
American AirlinesAA
Air CanadaACAeromexicoAMAlaska AirlinesAS
Cathay PacificCXDeltaDLEmiratesEK
Qatar AirwaysQR
Singapore AirlinesSQ
Turkish AirlinesTKUnited AirlinesUAWhat to know before booking Tokyo to San Francisco with points.
About 5,110 miles, roughly 10h45 nonstop. San Francisco runs 16 hours behind Tokyo (17 while San Francisco is on standard time). The data runs November 2026–November 2027, with calendar prices for 11 months. Of the well-covered ones, November 2026–January 2027 are among the cheapest, at 35,000 points.
Tokyo to San Francisco is served by American Airlines, Air Canada, Aeromexico and 21 more, offering multiple options for award travelers. Compare 15 loyalty programs to find the best value for your points. Award prices start from 35,000 points in economy. Use our search tool to check real-time award availability on this route.
Flying Tokyo to San Francisco covers about 5,110 miles, linking Narita International Airport (NRT) with San Francisco International Airport (SFO); a nonstop takes roughly 10h45, with winds moving it either way. The nonstop award space in the data is split across Japan Airlines, ANA, and United Airlines. The Boeing 777-300ER appears on some of those nonstop award segments. Most award options in the data connect. Nonstops are just about 5% of the total.
Tokyo–San Francisco is a long-haul trip, so cabin choice shapes the whole booking. The economy floor is a partner booking on a Japan Airlines nonstop, with no connection to trade off against the points. Taxes and fees on that seat run about $56, below the route's typical economy taxes. Premium economy runs about 1.4 times the economy price and business about 2.3 times. Hold off on converting flexible points until the seat is confirmed bookable; there's no undoing a transfer.
American AAdvantage wins economy at 35,000 points, premium economy at 50,000, and business class at 80,000. Alaska Atmos Rewards lists first class from 85,000 points, but the fare connects, which usually means first on one leg only; read every segment. Of the other 13, Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, and Avianca LifeMiles are worth a look too. American AAdvantage's lead holds until a transfer bonus elsewhere shifts the math; recheck before moving points.
Tokyo–San Francisco draws nonstop award space from two alliances: oneworld (Japan Airlines) and Star Alliance (ANA, United Airlines). Partner programs in both alliances can each book a nonstop. Connecting awards near the price floor run through Los Angeles, Seattle, and Seoul; they're the fallback when the nonstop is full. The lowest business-class award here is a oneworld partner booking: Japan Airlines seats through American AAdvantage.
For Tokyo departures, Haneda (HND) prices at the same 35,000 points in economy as Narita. Into San Francisco, San Jose (SJC) starts at 55,000 points in economy, above the route's 35,000-point economy floor, and works as a backup when SFO space is gone. Haneda has nonstop flights to San Francisco in the data too. The return, San Francisco to Tokyo, has its own page, since award pricing can differ by direction.
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Common questions travelers ask about the Tokyo to San Francisco route.
