Japan Is Launching a Digital Nomad Program

Hot on the heels of the Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles program, Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways has announced a Mileage Club devaluation by increasing redemption rates for bookings made starting April 18.

Many long-haul flights make pit stops in another city or country before reaching the final destination—so why not turn your layover into a mini vacation? Through offerings known as “stopover” programs, some international airlines allow passengers to add a free stop to their flight itinerary in order to do just that.

If it seems like everyone and their mother is trying to use points and miles to go to Japan these days, you’re not wrong. But can you really blame them? Between the people, the history, the culture, the architecture, the nightlife, the shopping, and of course, the food, Japan is an absolute dream of a destination for so many, including honeymooners planning their once-in-a-lifetime vacations.

Travelers will have more flight options to visit Japan this summer.Announced Thursday, American Airlines will launch a new flight route between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and Tokyo’s Haneda Airport on June 28. The new route makes American the only U.S.

This spring, United Airlines plans to launch a new route to Tokyo's Haneda Airport (HND).

American Airlines has set a June 28 launch date for daily service between New York JFK and Tokyo Haneda.

Emirates will begin daily service between Miami and Colombian capital city Bogotá on June 3.

Emirates will begin flying to Bogota, Colombia, the airline said Wednesday.

Avelo Airlines has unveiled three new routes which will see the budget carrier double down on one of its crew bases and add a new destination to its route map.

Imagine taking off for a vacation, and having no idea exactly where you are going.  Scandinavian Airlines, a Sweden-based carrier, commonly known as SAS Airlines, offered just that, by recently introducing a special mystery flight called “Destination Unknown.”  SAS sold tickets for the flight exclusively to members of the airline’s frequent flyer loyalty program, EuroBonus. Instead of money, travelers needed to redeem 30,000 miles for a seat. The trip will depart from Copenhagen on April 5 and return back to Copenhagen on April 8. Travelers are only provided a clue that the flight will last “a few hours”, and the exact location of the destination will be revealed at some point during the flight through an announcement.  “The prospect of embarking on an adventurous and mysterious journey with fellow enthusiasts, finding new connections and friendships along the way, is truly exciting,” SAS’s Chief Commercial Officer and Executive Vice President Paul Verhagen said in the news release.  Over 1,000 people submitted interest in joining the flight, and the airline is no longer accepting reservations, a spokesperson shared with Travel + Leisure. Due to the limited quantity of seats on the plane, tickets for the April trip will be distributed randomly to the travelers who signed up. SAS operates flights around the world to 125 destinations, and currently has flights from the US (Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, and Washington) to destinations in Scandinavia and across Europe.  The concept of “surprise” travel has taken off as travelers seek new experiences. Lufthansa, a German airline, offers a program called ‘Lufthansa Surprise’ where travelers select their home airport, and a general theme of what type of vacation they want (such as arts, outdoors, or shopping). Once the trip is paid and ticketed, the airline reveals the destination to the traveler. The surprise bookings cannot be changed or canceled, and the 24-hour flexible booking policy also does not apply. 

Travelers can't get enough of Japan, voted the best country in the world in the 2023 Readers' Choice Awards. But until now, remote workers looking to live and work on the alluring archipelago were limited to 90-day stays.

If your New Year’s resolution was to earn more miles and points, take more trips, and reap more value from loyalty programs, the best points and miles deals in February will definitely interest you. Airlines, hotels, and credit cards have promotions and deals to kick off your travel year. Here’s how you can benefit.