JAL will end its mileage partnership with Indian airline Vistara on September 30, 2024, the airline announced on August 5, 2024. The two airlines will continue their codeshare partnership.
Passengers traveling on Vistara flights departing up to September 30, 2024, will be able to credit the miles for their flights to JAL Mileage Bank. They will also be able to credit miles for such flights retroactively up to six months after departure. However, JAL Mileage Bank will only allow online retroactive mileage credit requests until mid-September after which point passengers will need to request their miles through regular mail.
The above only applies to flights booked as Vistara flights, i.e., with a flight number starting with ‘UK.’ Those who book flights operated by Vistara as JAL codeshare flights (i.e., flight number starting with ‘JL’) will continue to be able to credit miles for those flights to JAL Mileage Bank.
JAL Mileage Members will be able to book award tickets for Vistara flights departing up to September 30, 2024.
Passengers with Vistara flights booked using JAL miles departing on October 1, 2024, or later will have their reservations canceled and fully refunded. Not honoring already issued tickets in a situation like this is rather unusual. “We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding,” said JAL in a statement.
JAL started codesharing with Vistara in early 2019 when the Indian airline launched its now-discontinued flights from Delhi to Tokyo Haneda. The two airlines started their mileage program partnership the following year in July.
That said, Vistara, which is not a member of any major airline alliance, is in the process of merging with Star Alliance’s Air India. As such, JAL, a oneworld member, has been shifting away from its partnership with Vistara toward a partnership with IndiGo, with which it will start codesharing from the coming winter schedule.
